Gentlemen, I was very pleased to find your discussion about Alexander and Charity Robins. They were my great-grandparents. While I have little information to contribute, I may be able to gather additional information from relatives living in New York. Additionally, my mother, Frances M. (Robins) Burke has a few bits of information. I will visit her tomorrow and contribute any bits I might gather there.
What I have been told in the past by my mother and her sisters:
My great-grandfather was Alexander T, not Alexander A. Can either of you tell me how the Yonkers newspaper listed his name, and what appears on the tombstone?
My great-grandmother wanted to return to the United States aboard the Olympic (or the Olympia, I am unsure) but Alexander wanted the prestige and safety of traveling aboard the Titanic. He obviously won that argument!
My aunts tell me that Alexander and Charity were bringing most of their household possessions back to the United States, and that the possessions were in fact aboard the Titanic. Any idea if this is true?
Just a little irony - my grandfather, Alexander T Robins Jr was born aboard a ship crossing from England to the United States. His birth certificate, I am told, indicates an American birth rather than British. I do not know the name of the ship.
My grandmother, Julia (Lee) Robins (wife of Alexander Jr), told my mother and other family members that my grandfather traveled to Halifax to identify the bodies of his parents. While there, or after returning to New York, he was given the few possessions found on their bodies. I only know of one item recovered from Alexander's pockets - a British coin. The reverse had been polished flat, then inscribed with Alexander's name, "Titanic" and the date of the disaster. One of my aunts in New York carries this coin with her constantly, but very rarely shows it to any body. I was in my 40s before I even learned of it. Rumor has it that there were more such coins, but that my grandfather, Alexander Jr, lost them in a card game!
One aunt in New York has a letter from Alexander Sr. to Alexander Jr. describing their travel plans and the above mentioned argument with Charity concerning which ship to travel on.
One last bit of information you may find useful: When searching records, use both Robins and Robbins. I am the descendent of both English Protestants and Irish Catholics. At one point in time, I don't know when, someone decided that Robbins was the preferred method of spelling, though by the time my mother and her siblings were born the name Robins was in use.
A favor to ask: If either of you have pictures of my great-grandparents or their tombstone, please e-mail them to me, or let me know and I will gladly pay for reproduction and mailing costs. Also, if you have prints of the newpaper accounts concerning my great-grandparents, I would greatly appreciate copies of those as well.
Over the years my mother's family has slowly drifted apart. I understand that many of them do not keep in touch with their relatives, but I will make an honest effort to track them down to see what information (and hopefully, artifacts) any of them have. If you have any information on my relatives, would you please be so kind as to forward my name and address to them? As I learn more, I will keep you posted. Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have questions or additional information.
Thank you.
Robert Burke
1311 E. 83rd Terrace
Kansas City, MO 64131
(913) 488-8115
[email protected]
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