Frank Thomas Andrew

Who was Mr Frank Thomas Andrew?

Mr Frank Thomas Andrew was a 26 (twenty-six) year-old English miner who tragically lost his life as a second-class passenger aboard the RMS Titanic. Born in 1885 in Cornwall, England, Andrew was en route to the mining region of Houghton, Michigan when he perished in the infamous maritime disaster of April 15, 1912.

Early Life and Family Background

A Complex Family History

Frank Thomas Andrew’s life began with an intriguing twist. He was born as Thomas Francis Gribble in the closing months of 1885 in Perranarworthal, Falmouth, Cornwall. His parents were James Andrew (1841-1913), a butcher and farmer, and Joanna Eslick (1847-1893). However, the circumstances of his birth were far from conventional:

• Joanna Eslick had previously been married to Tobias Gribble, a miner, in 1869.
• Tobias worked in South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, leading to the dissolution of their marriage (though not officially divorced).
• Joanna later began a relationship with James Andrew, though they never married.

Siblings and Childhood

Frank was one of nine known children from his parents’ relationship. His siblings included:

1. Laura (b. 1876)
2. Clara (b. 1877)
3. Sarah (b. 1878)
4. Arthur (b. 1879)
5. Jessie (b. 1880)
6. Florence Lucy (b. 1884)
7. Robert Ernest (b. 1886)
8. William John (b. 1893)

Young Frank grew up on his father’s 25-acre farm, Gilly Tresamble, in Perranarworthal. Census records from 1891 and 1901 confirm his presence there during his formative years.

Tragic Loss and Family Changes

Frank’s childhood was marked by loss when his mother passed away on October 26, 1893. He was just seven years old at the time. His father, James, remarried in 1910 to Christiana E. Bulla (b. 1846), bringing a new maternal figure into Frank’s life during his young adulthood.

Marriage and Career

A Cornish Union

On July 4, 1908, Frank married Rhoda Tripp (b. December 11, 1887) at the register office in Helston, Cornwall. Rhoda, from Redruth, Cornwall, was the daughter of Henry Tripp, a farmer, and his wife Emily. The young couple settled in Illogan, Cornwall, making their home at Forest Gate, Four Lanes.

Family Life and Occupation

By the time of the 1911 census, Frank and Rhoda had welcomed their first child:

• Lucy Andrew (born November 30, 1908)

Frank worked as a tin miner, continuing the mining tradition that ran through his family’s history.

The Fateful Titanic Journey

Embarking on a New Adventure

In April 1912, Frank Thomas Andrew boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton as a second-class passenger. His ticket, number 34050, cost £10 10s (ten pounds, ten shillings). Andrew’s destination was the mining region of Houghton, Michigan, likely in search of new opportunities in his profession.

Life Aboard the Titanic

During the voyage, Frank shared a dining table with several other passengers, including:

• Edwina Troutt
• Edgar Andrew
• Charles and Alice Louch
• Jacob Milling
• Bertha Ilett

This glimpse into his shipboard life paints a picture of the social interactions and connections formed during the brief journey.

The Tragic Sinking and Its Aftermath

A Life Cut Short

Frank Andrew perished in the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912. He was just 26 (twenty-six) years old. His body, if recovered, was never identified, leaving his family without closure.

A Posthumous Child

In a poignant twist of fate, Frank’s widow Rhoda was pregnant at the time of the Titanic disaster. She gave birth to a daughter on October 11, 1912, naming her Clara. This child would never know her father but carried his legacy forward.

The Andrew Family After the Tragedy

Rhoda’s New Beginning

Rhoda Andrew remarried in 1913 to Thomas James Penaluna (1883-1955), a stonemason. Together, they had seven more children:

1. Edwin
2. Florence
3. Elizabeth
4. James
5. Gwendoline
6. Mavis
7. Ronald

Rhoda continued to live in Cornwall until her death on April 26, 1967, at the age of 79 (seventy-nine).

The Lives of Frank’s Daughters

Lucy Andrew, Frank’s firstborn, led a life marked by both joy and sorrow:

• Married Leslie Hitchens (1906-1935) in 1928
• Had two sons: Leslie and Roy
• Widowed in 1935
• Remarried in 1940 to Robert Cecil Freeman (1900-1969)
• Passed away in Penzance in 2001 at the age of 92 (ninety-two)

The fate of Clara, Frank’s posthumous daughter, is less clear. It is believed she married in the late 1930s, but details of her life remain elusive.

Frank Thomas Andrew’s Legacy

Frank Thomas Andrew’s life, though cut tragically short, left an indelible mark on his family and in the annals of Titanic history. His story, from his complex family background to his fatal journey, serves as a poignant reminder of the many individual tragedies that made up the larger disaster of the Titanic. Today, he is remembered not just as a victim of the sinking, but as a man who embodied the spirit of adventure and hope that characterized many of the Titanic’s passengers, seeking new opportunities across the Atlantic.