Edward Thomas Lockyer was a Third Class passenger aboard the RMS Titanic. Mr. Lockyer was 19 years old and was traveling alone. Edward did not survive the sinking.
Life[]
Edward Lockyer was born on November 3rd, 1892, in Sandhurst, England. His parents were Frederick Lockyer (December 26th, 1858-Febraury 15th, 1919), a watchmaker and a gunsmith, and Jane Masters (December 2nd, 1859-November 22nd, 1937). His father was also born in Sandhurst, while his mother was from Northiam in Sussex, England. They married on September 16th, 1879, in Sandhurst.
A total of fifteen children were born to Edward's parents, Frederick and Jane, giving him fifteen siblings. Edward's brothers and sisters were Millicent Martha May (born 1880), Charles Frederick (born June 29th, 1881), Ernest (May 4th, 1883-February 2nd, 1954), Herbert John (born May 17th, 1884), William (May 12th, 1886-December 29th, 1951), Annie (born May 28th, 1887), Frank (born April 3rd, 1889), Harry (born September 22nd, 1890), Edith (born February 13th, 1895), Arthur (June 25th, 1896-June 14th, 1973), Ethel (born December 17th, 1897), Agnes (born November 14th, 1900) Mary (October 23rd, 1902-February 7th, 1945), and Sydney James (July 29th, 1904-May 4th, 1969). Edward was the ninth child, born in 1892 between his brother Harry and sister Ethel.
Edward first appeared on the 1901 English census as he was born a year after the 1891 census was taken. However, while Edward was not alive at the time, the census information of 1891 can still be viewed for his parents and older siblings. The record reports his family to be living in Sandhurst, with his father, 32, working as both a watchmaker and a gunsmith. His mother Jane, then 31, had no listed occupations, likely staying at home to watch their eight children at the time, five of whom were attending school while the others stayed at home.
The 1901 census lists Edward, eight years old, to be a scholar and living with his family in Sandhurst, England. His father, Frederick, was still employed as a watchmaker and gunsmith. Edward's older siblings Millicent and Charles had left home. Millicent, 21, was working as a domestic servant in the home of Edward Anderson, an actor, and his wife, Mary, in London. On the other hand, Charles, 20, was a footman, which was a type of domestic servant for men, in Illogan.
By the time of the recordation of data for the 1911 census, Edward had left his parent's home for the town of East Peckham, about 24.5 miles southeast of Sandhurst. Edward, eighteen, was listed as a boarder in the home of Mary Ann Wood, a 72-year-old widowed woman. Also living at the residence was a four-year-old boy who was not related to either Edward or Mary Ann; Ernest Longhope. At the time, Edward was employed as a grocer's assistant. Besides the absence of himself and elder siblings Millicent and Charles, his siblings Herbert, William, Annie, Frank, Harry, and Edith had all also left home. Back in Sandhurst, there were only his parents Frederick and Jane, 52 and 51, Ernest, who was 25 and employed as a bricklayer, Arthur, 14 and working at a farm, and Ethel, Agnes, Mary, and Sydney, who were all in school.
Edward would not remain in the home of Mary Ann Wood for long after the census as he would move to 57 Lyall Mews in London, England. It was around this time when it can be assumed that he began to make plans to emigrate to America. Edward planned to cross the Atlantic Ocean and go to the home of Mr. E. J. Robbins, a friend of his, in Ontario, New York. To see this plan through, Mr. Lockyer bought a ticket aboard the RMS Titanic.
The Titanic[]
Mr. Lockyer left his place of residence in London for Southampton, England, and boarded the Titanic there on Wednesday, April 10th. Edward held Third Class ticket 1222, which had cost him £7 17s 7d, or £818/$1,137 today. After leaving Southampton, the liner would stop at Cherbourg, France, later that day, and Queenstown, Ireland, the next. After this, the Titanic left for the open ocean.
Aboard the Titanic, Edward would have shared a cabin with other men - three or five others depending on his cabin - in the bow of either E, F, or G Deck. To enjoy the sunshine and sea air, he would have been able to walk around on the Forward Well Deck, Aft Well Deck, and the Poop Deck. On C Deck, there was the General Room, which served as a lounge for all Third Class passengers to play games and socialize. Also on C Deck was the Smoke Room, where men could smoke cigarettes, play cards, and talk among themselves. On D Deck there was the Third Class Open Space, where parties were held every night. During the parties, passengers would dance, sing, play instruments if they had any, socialize, and drink beers and other beverages. The final room for Third Class passengers was the Dining Saloon on F Deck. Seeing as Edward was a single man, he would have taken his meals in the aft Dining Saloon, while families, couples, and single women ate in the forward one. During the voyage, Edward befriended several of his fellow Third Class passengers, including Emily Badman, Sarah Roth, May Howard, Edward Dorking, Thomas Theobald, the Goldsmith family - Frank, Emily, and their son Frank Goldsmith Jr. - and the Abbott family - Rhoda "Rosa", and her teenage sons, Eugene, and Rossmore Abbott.
The actions of Edward Lockyer during the early morning of April 15th are unknown. Seeing as his cabin would have been in the bow of the ship, he would likely have woken up from his slumber quite quickly, especially if he was on G Deck. Edward was able to make it to the upper decks, but was unable to find a spot in one of the twenty lifeboats. He would become one of hundreds to die in the disaster.
The body of Mr. Lockyer was recovered on April 24th by CS Mackay-Bennett as number 153. The description of his body was:
"NO. 153. - MALE. BROWN - HAIR.
CLOTHING - Blue jacket; grey vest; black pants; black boots.
EFFECTS - Scissors; keys; silver watch and chain; medal marked "F. S. S."; R. S. P. C. A. medal; glasses; two knives; 5 studs; 8s. in purse.
THIRD CLASS TICKET No. 1125."
NAME - EDWARD LOCKYER."
Due to the number of bodies the Mackay-Bennett found from the wreck of the Titanic, they had to bury those of Third Class and Crew members at sea as their boat was filled to the brim with the deceased. Edward was included in those who were lost at sea. The effects found on his body, however, were kept and sent to his parents, Frederick and Jane, back in Sandhurst, England. They arrived in June.
At the time of his death, Edward was not married, nor did he have any children. When Edward died, his youngest sibling, Sydney, was only seven years old. His parents would live in Sandhurst for the rest of their lives. After his death, they would receive financial aid from the Mansion House Relief Fund. His father, Frederick, passed away on February 15th, 1919, aged 60. His mother Jane would outlive her husband by almost two decades, dying on November 27th, 1937, at the age of 77.