Ellen ‘Nellie’ Barber, was a 26-year-old First Class passenger travelling aboard Titanic as part of her employment being the maid of the Cavendish family.
Background[]
Ellen ‘Nellie’ Barber, was born in 1885 or 1886, at Penshurst, Tonbridge, UK. Her parents were William Hopkins Barber (1859-1935) and the former Fanny Izzard, both natives of Penshurst. Her father was a carpenter and Ellen was his eldest child. Her only sibling was sister Edith Emily. (b. 1888).
Titanic[]
The Cavendish and Ellen boarded Titanic in Southampton. They were headed to America to see Henry Siege, Mrs. Cavendish father. His home was in Orienta Point in Mamaroneck, New York.
On April 14, late at night, Titanic struck an iceberg on her starboard bow and the ship had gotten damage and water seeped through small openings.
On April 15, just after midnight, Captain Smith gave orders to uncover the lifeboats. He was briefed by Thomas Andrews who said that the ship was going down by the head and wouldn't last long.
A while later, Ellen ‘Nellie’ Barber went to the Boat Deck with her employers and with Julia, she boarded the port side lifeboat 6; as it was woman and children only on this side as declared by Officer Lightoller, Tyrell William Cavendish had to stay behind on the deck. The lifeboat in which they were rescued in is well known as also being the boat that had had the famous unsinkable Molly Brown, Look Out Man Frederick Fleet, and Quartermaster Robert Hichens, who was at Titanic’s wheel at the time of the collision.
Tyrell William Cavendish was amongst those who were lost.
Onboard Carpathia, Ellen was able to have a short marconigram sent to her parents, to let them know that she was safe.
According to US Immigration records, when she arrived in New York following the disaster, She had brown hair, brown eyes, was 5’8 in height and was in good health.
It's not known if she remained employed by the Cavendish family. What is clear though is that she never got married. At some point, she returned to England and live in London, where, in 1939, she earned her living as dressmaker.
She passed away in the South Western Hospital of Stockwell in London on May 2, 1963, aged 77.