Thomas Ryan, Titanic crewman

Thomas Ryan
Titanic crewman

Jerseyman Thomas Ryan was a crew member of the ill-fated RMS Titanic and lost his life when the vessel sank in 1912

Family

He was born in St Helier, probably in 1884. He was the son of John Ryan (1854- ) and Emma Jane Manning (1858- ). His father was born in St Martin and his mother was from Somerset.

He had seven siblings: William (1879- ), James (1881- ), Emma (1887- ), Matthew (1890- ), Mary (1893- ), Charles (1896- ) and Florence (1889- ).

He first appears on the 1891 census as a 7-year-old living at 27 George Street, St Helier and his father was described as a general labourer. The family had moved to 3 Gas Lane, St Helier by the time of the 1901 census and Thomas had already left school and was working as an errand boy.

Southampton

Thomas, known as Tom, was married in Southampton in 1908 to Georgina Beatrice Collins (1888- of Southampton. They had two daughters, Mabel Beatrice (1908- ) and Florence Maud (1910-1997).

On the 1911 census Tom and his young family were resident at 43 Albert Road, Southampton and he was described as a ship's steward.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 6 April 1912, Tom gave his address as 87 Albert Road, Southampton. His last ship had been the St Louis. As a third-class steward he received monthly wages of £3 15s.

His widow Beatrice was pregnant at the time of the sinking and gave birth to a daughter named Gladys later in 1912. Unfortunately, the child lived only a short while and died before the end of the year.

Following the loss of her husband, Beatrice Ryan was remarried in 1916 to George Dyer. She died in London in 1980 aged 91.