John Gill

Who was Mr John Gill?

Mr John Gill was a 24-year-old (twenty-four-year-old) English chauffeur and Titanic passenger who tragically lost his life in the ship’s sinking on April 15, 1912. Born in Congresbury, Somerset in 1888, Gill had recently married and was embarking on a journey to the United States, possibly to establish a new home for himself and his wife, when he boarded the ill-fated vessel as a second-class passenger.

Early Life and Family

A Childhood Marked by Loss

John Gill was born in early 1888 to Richard Gill, a coal merchant’s carter, and Annie Gill (née Sampson). Tragically, John’s mother passed away in the summer of 1890 at the young age of 25, leaving John and his older brother Henry orphaned. This early loss would shape John’s childhood and family dynamics.

Blended Family and Upbringing

Following his mother’s death, John’s father remarried on December 29, 1893, to Minnie Louisa Pitts. The family grew with the addition of several half-siblings:

• James (born 1895)
• Charles (born 1901)
• Evelyn (born 1907)
• Percy Nunny (born February 1, 1911)

In 1901, the census recorded John living in Congresbury with his parents, brothers, and two boarders, painting a picture of a bustling household.

A Journey Across the Atlantic

First Taste of America

John Gill’s association with the United States began well before his fateful Titanic journey. On February 9, 1907, at the age of 19, he embarked on his first transatlantic voyage. Departing from Southampton on the steamship St. Louis, John arrived in New York on February 18, 1907. This journey provides us with a vivid description of the young man:

• Height: 5'6"
• Hair color: Brown
• Eye color: Brown
• Occupation: Farm laborer
• Destination: Stoughton, Michigan

Life in Wisconsin

By 1910, John had made his way to Rutland Township, Dane County, Wisconsin. At 22 years old, he was noted as an unmarried farm laborer “working out,” suggesting he was employed on various farms in the area.

Return to England and Marriage

A New Chapter

John returned to England sometime between late 1910 and early 1911, marking the beginning of a new phase in his life. On February 14, 1912 - Valentine’s Day - John married Sarah Elizabeth Wilton (née Hodder) at the church of St. John the Evangelist in Clevedon. Sarah, born in 1890 in Portishead, Somerset, was the daughter of Frederick William Hodder, a postal worker, and his wife Emma.

Life as a Chauffeur

After their marriage, John and Sarah lived at 3 Griffin Road, Clevedon, Bristol, in the home of John’s parents-in-law. It was during this time that John began working as a chauffeur for Rev. C. R. Braithwaite, the vicar of Hewish St. Ann, near Puxton.

The Fateful Titanic Journey

Boarding the Ship of Dreams

John Gill boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a second-class passenger. His ticket, number 233866, cost £13 and was purchased from Cook & Son in Bristol. While his exact destination in the USA remains unknown, it is believed he was traveling to establish a new home for himself and his wife, possibly intending to return to Wisconsin.

Tragedy Strikes

Tragically, John Gill perished in the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912. His body was recovered from the sea by the Mackay Bennett on April 23 and was buried at sea the following day.

Recovery and Remembrance

Body Recovery Details

The recovery report provides a poignant snapshot of John Gill’s final moments:

NO. 155. - MALE. - ESTIMATED AGE, 31. DARK - HAIR.
CLOTHING - Dark clothes; pajamas underneath.
EFFECTS - Pocket comb; pocketbook; gold watch and chain; silver match box; keys; pocket knife; gold ring; $4.60 in silver; 9s. in various coins; $43.00 in notes; collar button.
SECOND CLASS
NAME - JOHN W. GILL, 2 Griffen Road, Cleveden

Personal Effects Returned

Following an exchange of letters, John’s personal effects were returned to his widow. These items, a tangible connection to her lost husband, included:

• Gold watch and chain
• Silver match box
• $43.00 in notes
• $4.60 in United States silver
• 65c in United States nickels
• 9 shillings in silver
• 7 pence in copper
• Gold ring with initials J.W.G.
• Pocket knife
• Pocket comb in case
• Case containing leads for pencil
• Collar stud
• Pocket book with miscellaneous papers
• Bunch of keys
• Letter addressed to Mrs J.W. Gill

Legacy and Remembrance

In honor of John Gill’s memory, a large portrait of John and his wife, taken on their wedding day, was placed in the porch of the parish church where they had wed. The Reverend Braithwaite, John’s former employer, composed a special hymn that was sung by the congregation in his honor, a testament to the impact John had made in his short time as a chauffeur.

John’s widow, Sarah, never remarried. She continued to live in Bristol until her death in 1968 at the age of 77, carrying the memory of her brief marriage and the tragedy that cut it short.

The story of John Gill serves as a poignant reminder of the many individual tragedies that comprise the larger disaster of the Titanic. A young man, newly married and full of hope for the future, his life was cut short on that fateful night in April 1912, leaving behind a grieving widow and a community touched by his loss.