Mrs Marian Meanwell

Who was Marian Meanwell?

Mrs Marian Meanwell was a 62 (sixty-two) year-old English milliner who tragically lost her life in the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. Born as Mary Ann Ogden on December 7, 1849, in Ramsbottom, Lancashire, England, she led a life marked by multiple marriages, transatlantic journeys, and a final attempt to reunite with her family in America.

Early Life and Background

What was Marian’s family background?

Marian was born into a family with an interesting occupational history:

• Father: John Henry Ogden (born 1825)
  • Listed as a “professor of music” on marriage certificates
  • Recorded as a barber on Marian’s birth certificate
• Mother: Ann Ogden (née Dolan, born 1825)
  • Previously married to Philip Armstrong, a stationer and bookseller
  • Widowed in 1848 before marrying John Henry Ogden

Marian had a half-brother, Philip Armstrong, from her mother’s first marriage. The family’s early years remain somewhat mysterious, with no trace of them in the 1851 census.

How did Marian’s early adulthood unfold?

Marian’s life took several turns in her early adulthood:

1. First marriage: On February 13, 1870, she married Thomas Hilton Meanwell in Bradford, Yorkshire.
2. Children: The couple had three children:
   • Walter Ogden (born 1870)
   • Twin girls: Annie Elizabeth (1872-1874) and Margaret Ann (born 1872)
3. Marital troubles: By 1881, Marian and Thomas were living apart, both claiming to be widowed.
4. Second marriage: On August 22, 1887, she married Eli Costin in New York City.

Titanic Journey

Why was Marian on the Titanic?

In 1912, at the age of 62 (sixty-two), Marian decided to return to America to support her recently widowed daughter Margaret and her two young grandchildren. This decision would ultimately lead her to board the ill-fated RMS Titanic.

What were the details of Marian’s Titanic booking?

Interestingly, Marian’s journey was not originally planned for the Titanic. She had initially booked passage on the Majestic, but due to an ongoing coal strike, her ticket was transferred to the Titanic.

Marian Meanwell’s inspection card with “Majestic” crossed out was later recovered from the wreck site.

Did Marian have any notable experiences before the disaster?

It was reported that when the Titanic stopped at Queenstown, Marian posted a letter to her cousin, Mrs. Beck. This small act provides a poignant glimpse into her final hours before the tragedy.

Fate During the Disaster

Tragically, Marian Meanwell did not survive the sinking of the Titanic. Her body, if recovered, was never identified. In the official casualty list, she was listed as Marian Ogden Meanwell.

What happened to Marian’s family after her death?

The American Red Cross Emergency and Relief booklet of 1913 provides insight into the aftermath for Marian’s family:

Case number 302. (English). A mother, sixty-three years of age, was drowned, while coming to this country to make her home with her daughter, whose husband had recently died, leaving two children aged six and two years. These children were to have been cared for by their grandmother while their mother was at work. She was a ballet dancer in a circus. She has now left the circus and is employed where she can have her children with her. Accident insurance amounting to $500 was paid to the daughter, and she received $350 from other American relief funds. This money has been placed in the bank for the care of the children. The local Charity Organisation Society will continue its oversight of the welfare of the children.

Legacy and Artifacts

What remnants of Marian’s life have been discovered?

In 2000, a remarkable discovery was made in the Titanic’s debris field: Marian’s alligator skin handbag. This artifact provided a tangible connection to her life and final journey. The contents of the handbag included:

• Coin purse
• Bank receipt
• Bath oil
• Earring posts
• Her marriage certificate

This discovery offers a unique glimpse into the personal effects Marian carried with her on that fateful voyage, adding a poignant dimension to her story as one of the many victims of the Titanic disaster.

Family Aftermath

What became of Marian’s immediate family?

• Thomas Hilton Meanwell (first husband): Married Mary Jane Forman in 1918, passed away six months later in 1919 at age 69.
• Walter Ogden Meanwell (son): Lived apart from Marian from childhood, married Kate Morris, had several children, died in 1920.
• Margaret Ann Meanwell (surviving twin daughter): Died in Islip, New York on December 26, 1946.
• Philip Armstrong (half-brother): Became a licensed victualler, died in 1909.

Marian Meanwell’s life story, from her humble beginnings in Lancashire to her tragic end on the Titanic, serves as a poignant reminder of the many personal histories intertwined with one of the most famous maritime disasters in history. Her recovered handbag, with its intimate contents, stands as a tangible link to a life cut short and a family forever changed by the events of April 15, 1912.