Encyclopedia Titanica

Lobb Family Information

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The correct origins of William Arthur Lobb, third class passenger on Titanic have now been established. The 1891 Cornwall Census shows that William Arthur Lobb was born in the parish of Luxulyan (5 miles NE of St. Austell) in 1881 and that he was the son of George and Caroline Lobb.
His father was born at Withiel in the parish of St. Wenn, Cornwall in 1853 and from about 1873 lived and worked as a china clay labourer in the vicinity of Luxulyan village. He married a widow, Caroline Stephens (originally of St. Austell) in the summer of 1874 and they settled at a cottage at Canna Farm in Luxulyan parish. It was here that William Arthur Lobb (their third son) was born. William had five siblings; Frederick George (1875), Thomas Henry (1877), Charles Jethro (1879), Coleman James (1884) and Mildred Adeline (1887). William was also step-brother to Annie Stephens (1865), Bessie Stephens (1866) and Albert Stephens (1870).
At the time of the 1901 census George and his wife Caroline were still at Luxulyan, with them their two of their sons, William and Coleman. George and his two sons were described as clay labourers. Sometime following the census George and Caroline moved away from Canna Farm to live at New Street in the nearby town of Bugle.
William, then in his early 20’s, moved to America and settled at Scranton, PA where he worked as an engine driver for the Lackawanna Railroad Company. It was at Scranton on 21 April 1909 that he married Cordelia K. Stanlick. Their home was at 1711 Swetland Street. Cordelia was also Cornish and born at Tywardreath in 1878 and it may be that the couple were known to each other during their time in Cornwall.
They both returned to William’s parents at Bugle in early 1912 in part believed due to the death of one of his brothers and to pay a visit to Cordelia’s family, one of her sisters, Rosina had married George Barker Pidwell in late 1901 and was by then living at Robartes Road in Bodmin.
Obtaining their tickets from White Star agency Daniel & Rowse of St. Austell the couple were to return to their American home on Titanic, travelling in third class accommodation.
On 10 April 1912 William sent a postcard to his parents at Bugle, postmarked Southampton it read –
“Dear M & F. This is a picture of the longest steamer built. We are both well. With love to both. Will & Delia.”
William and Cordelia lost their lives in the sinking, he was aged 30. The administration of his personal effects was completed on 3 August 1912, he left the sum of £50 to his father, who at that time was described as an engine driver (likely at one of the china clay quarries close to Bugle)

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Encyclopedia Titanica (2004) Lobb Family Information ( ref: #2987, published 31 May 2004, generated 1st July 2024 06:05:16 PM); URL : https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/lobb-family-information.html