Amelia Mary 'Mildred' Brown was born in Kensington, London, England, in 1893. She was the first child of Frank Brown and Esther Tilbury, married in 1892. She had a younger brother named Sydney born in 1900. Amelia, in March 1912, was hired by Mr. Hudson Joshua Creighton Allison as a cook along with 3 other employees; George Swane (chauffeur), Alice Catherine Cooper(nanny) and Sarah Rebecca Daniels (maid).
On April 10, 1912, the Allison family and their employees, including Amelia Brown, boarded the Titanic at Southampton bound for Montreal, Canada. While the Allison family, Alice Cooper and Sarah Daniels traveled First Class, she and George Swane traveled Second Class, her ticket booked her in cabin F-33. Amelia shared her cabin with Amelia Hunt, Elizabeth Ramell and Selena Rogers. She was only 18 at the time.
On the night of April 14, Titanic had hit an iceberg which caused enough damage to maker her sink. Just before the collision, George and his cabinmates had enjoyed a pillow fight keeping Amelia and her companions awake. After the collision, George knocked on the ladies' cabin door, warning them to get dressed as quickly as possible. However, she was reluctant to get out of bed and she only did so when Selena Rogers exclaimed that she was surely the only person on the entire ship still in bed. Amelia Brown was rescued in lifeboat 11 so she survived the disaster.
While Amelia was still on the ship Carpathia, which had rescued the survivors, she wrote a letter to her mother on April 19, 1912:
"My dear mother: I have finally been able to sit down to write to you. I don't know how time has passed since the accident but I can't help but think how lucky I was to be among those rescued. There were about 2,000 people on board and only about 700 were rescued. Yes, it happened at 11:30 on a Sunday night. Our ship collided with an iceberg and within an hour and a half the ship had sunk. I couldn't believe it was serious and I didn't get up until Swane came, it was the last I saw of the poor man.
As soon as I got on deck they took me to the First Class deck and put me in one of the boats and I found the nanny (Alice Cooper) and the baby (Trevor Allison) there. It was horrible to put the life jacket on, it seemed as if you were completely gone. Then came the lowering of the boats. I closed my eyes hoping to wake up and it was a dream. Then came the awful suspense of waiting until a ship would come our way.
By the time we got out of suction range of the ship (Titanic), we stopped to watch her sink. She went down with her front, then the lights went out. Shortly after we heard the engines explode and then the people crying for help. I will never forget this as long as I live. I can't stop thinking about it. We were on the water from 12 to 6 am in this little boat. Thank God it was a calm and clear night or I don't know what would have happened. Ever since I got here, I've been in a stupor. It all seems too troublesome and I don't care what happens. I found that Sallie (Sarah Daniels) was fine, but the poor thing, she keeps worrying about her stuff.
Of course, we have lost everything except what we were wearing. She had my watch on her arm, in fact, I haven't put it down since. We sailed and my money was in my pocket. I haven't seen Mr. Hudson Allison or Mrs. Bessie. I am assuming they have sunk but there is a hope that they may have been picked up by another ship but still I am not going to worry about that as they have several friends on board and then there are the company partners. They have offered us a house until they can find us a suitable place. This ship has returned to New York with us. I have slept in the Dining Room on both nights. Last night we had a terrible thunderstorm and today it is very foggy. I'll be glad to be on solid ground again.
We got off to a bad start. The New York broke adrift and nearly ran into us at Southampton Harbour. Well, I won't write anymore. Will you let Neil read this and Aunt Em or whoever you can think of since I don't feel like going all over it again. Do not worry about me, since I will be well cared for and have made several well-to-do friends. Much love to all, from your ever-loving daughter, Millie."
After being rescued, Amelia returned to England. She married James Edward Barrow in 1931 and they settled in Surrey, England. Her husband died in 1965 and she passed away in 1976.