Ellen Wilkes

Who was Mrs Ellen Wilkes?

Mrs Ellen Wilkes was an English third-class passenger and survivor of the RMS Titanic disaster. Born on June 13, 1864, in Tresco, Scilly Isles, she lived a life marked by multiple marriages, a transatlantic journey, and a tragic end in her twilight years.

Early Life and Family

Ellen Wilkes, née Needs, was born into a working-class family in the Scilly Isles off Cornwall, England. Her parents were:

Father: George Needs (born 1824), a labourer from Somerset
Mother: Anne Pender (born 1821), a native of the Scilly Isles

Ellen was one of seven siblings, growing up in a large family:

Samuel Pender (born 1852)
John (born 1853)
George (born 1854)
Mary Elizabeth (born 1856)
Eliza (born 1858)
Henrietta (born 1861)

Additionally, Ellen had a half-sister, Joyce Ann (born 1846), from her mother’s previous relationship.

Early Working Life

Where did Ellen work as a young woman?

As a young woman, Ellen entered domestic service. The 1881 census records show her working as a domestic servant at 14 North Parade, Madron, Cornwall. She lived in the home of elderly unmarried sisters Ann and Marien Bosustow, gaining experience that would shape her early adult years.

Marriages and Family Life

Ellen’s personal life was marked by two marriages:

First marriage: In 1888, at the age of 24 (twenty-four), Ellen married William John Wilkes, a mason builder from St Just, Cornwall. They had a son, William James, born on September 19, 1887.
Second marriage: In 1908, Ellen married Adolphus Sharp Mitchell, a rigger from Penzance. However, this union appears to have been troubled, as the 1911 census shows them living apart.

The Titanic Journey

Why was Ellen on the Titanic?

In April 1912, at the age of 47 (forty-seven), Ellen embarked on a life-changing journey aboard the RMS Titanic. She was traveling to join her nephew, Sidney Hocking, who had emigrated to Akron, Ohio, a year earlier.

Key details of Ellen’s Titanic voyage:

Embarked: Southampton
Class: Third Class
Ticket number: 363272
Ticket cost: £7
Destination: 457 Rhodes Avenue, Akron, Ohio

Ellen was not traveling alone. Her sister Eliza Hocking, along with Eliza’s son George, daughters Ellen and Emily, and Emily’s two sons were also on board, albeit in second class.

How did Ellen survive the Titanic disaster?

When the Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, Ellen managed to secure a place on lifeboat 16, ensuring her survival. Her family members were rescued in lifeboat 4.

Life After the Titanic

Following her rescue, Ellen was reunited with her family in New York before finally reaching Akron, Ohio. She settled in Akron, where she would spend the remainder of her life. Her son William and his family later joined her, and they lived together for many years.

Ellen’s Final Years

What happened to Ellen in her later life?

The twilight of Ellen’s life took a tragic turn. In February 1955, at the age of 90 (ninety), neighbors discovered her living in squalid conditions:

Address: 681 Amherst Street, Akron
Living conditions: No heat or running water
Personal state: Sleeping upright in a chair, surrounded by years of unopened mail

Ellen suffered severe frostbite, requiring partial amputation of her feet. She remained under medical care until her death on April 27, 1955, at City Hospital, Akron.

Legacy

Ellen Wilkes’ life spanned nearly a century, from the Victorian era through two World Wars and into the atomic age. Her experience as a Titanic survivor remained a defining moment in her long life. Today, she rests beside her son in Glendale Cemetery, Akron, her remarkable journey from the Scilly Isles to the decks of the Titanic and finally to Ohio serving as a testament to the extraordinary lives of ordinary people caught up in one of history’s most famous disasters.