Florence Kate Thorneycroft

Who was Florence Kate Thorneycroft?

Florence Kate Thorneycroft was a 32-year-old English woman who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. Born as Florence Kate Stears in Hollingbourne, Kent, she was a third-class passenger on the ill-fated ship and experienced the tragedy firsthand, losing her husband in the disaster.

Early Life and Family

Florence Kate Stears was born on July 1, 1879, in Hollingbourne, Kent, England. She came from a working-class background, with her father John Stears (1845-1910) working as an agricultural labourer. Her mother, Christiana Filmer (1848-1923), was also a native of Kent. Florence, often known as Kate, grew up with three siblings:

• Emma (b. 1866-1928, later Mrs William Crundwell)
• William Henry (b. 1869)
• Anna Elizabeth (b. 1875)

Marriage and Early Adulthood

On December 26, 1899, at the age of 20, Kate married Percival Thorneycroft in Thurnham, Kent. Percival, born in 1875, was also an agricultural labourer and hailed from Leeds, Kent. The couple’s life together was marked by both joy and sorrow:

• They had one child, John Frederick, born in 1907
• Tragically, John Frederick died while still an infant

The 1901 census recorded Percy and Kate living at Horsham Road, Thurnham, Kent. By the 1911 census, they had moved to Fancy Row, Thurnham, where they shared their home with Kate’s widowed mother, Christina Stears.

The Titanic Journey

Why did the Thorneycrofts board the Titanic?

Percy and Kate Thorneycroft boarded the Titanic at Southampton as third-class passengers, embarking on what they hoped would be a journey to a new life. Their destination was Clinton, New York, and they were accompanied by Charles Robert Guest, a fellow Kent native.

Ticket Details:

• Joint ticket number: 376564
• Cost: £16, 2s
• Last address before boarding: 14 Walter Street, Penge, London

What was Kate’s experience during the Titanic’s sinking?

Kate’s Titanic experience was harrowing:

1. She suffered from seasickness during the voyage
2. On the night of the sinking, she was unable to sleep
3. She felt the impact when the ship struck the iceberg
4. Kate and her husband left their cabin together
5. She was likely separated from Percy when women were led to the lifeboats
6. Kate described men being ordered back “in harsh terms” and threatened with being shot
7. She was “flung into a lifeboat” on the boat deck
8. Her lifeboat experience was uncomfortable due to leaks and overcrowding
9. Kate was bruised and sore from being repeatedly struck by an oar as a crewman rowed

Kate was rescued, possibly in lifeboat 10, but her husband Percival and their traveling companion Charles Guest were lost in the disaster.

Life After the Titanic

How did the Titanic disaster impact Kate’s life?

The sinking of the Titanic had a profound and lasting impact on Kate’s life:

1. She arrived in New York but did not settle there
2. Kate returned to England on July 5, 1912, aboard the Adriatic
3. In early 1913, she remarried to Albert Thomas White, a second cousin
4. Kate and Albert lived in Maidstone, Kent, and had no children
5. She frequently spoke about the Titanic disaster and her experiences
6. In later life, Kate reportedly suffered from dementia, which her family attributed to the trauma of the sinking
7. She coined the phrase “I firgit so,” which she used when confused and is still used by her family today

Kate White (formerly Thorneycroft, née Stears) passed away on January 14, 1950, in Bromley, Kent, at the age of 70. Her second husband, Albert, outlived her by 11 years, dying on June 25, 1961.

Florence Kate Thorneycroft’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the personal tragedies behind the Titanic disaster, illustrating how a single event can shape the course of a person’s entire life. Her resilience in the face of loss and her ability to build a new life afterward stand as a testament to the human spirit in the aftermath of one of history’s most famous maritime disasters.