Frank Holden

Mr Frank Holden was born in Hampshire.

He signed on to the Titanic on 6 April.

On 10 April it is believed he was one of a group of Firemen drinking in The Grapes public house. Holden and several others missd the sailing as Lawrence Beesley observed:

"Just before the last gangway was withdrawn, a knot of stokers ran along the quay, with their kit slung over their shoulders in bundles, and made for the gangway with the evident intention of joining the ship. But a petty officer guarding the shore end of the gangway firmly refused to allow them on board; they argued, gesticulated, apparently attempting to explain the reasons why they were late, but he remained obdurate and waved them back with a determined hand, the gangway was dragged back amid their protests, putting a summary ending to their determined efforts to join the Titanic. Those stokers must be thankful men to-day that some circumstance, whether their own lack of punctuality or some unforeseen delay over which they had no control, prevented their being in time to run up that last gangway! They will have told - and will no doubt tell for years - the story of how their lives were probably saved by being too late to join the Titanic".

Holden and the others were therefore listed as deserters but they lived to tell the tale.