Alfred Maytum

Alfred Maytum
(Daily Sketch 18 April 1912).

Mr Alfred Maytum was born in Sutton Valence, Kent, England in late 1859, later being baptised on 15 January 1860.

He was the eldest child of Mark Maytum (1831-1913), a bricklayer, and Mary Ann Reeves (1839-1922). His father was also native to Sutton Valence whilst his mother hailed from Headcorn, Kent and they had married on 30 October 1859, not long before his birth.

Alfred was one of sixteen children, seven of whom lived past infancy. His known siblings were: Henry Mark (b. 1861), Alice Elizabeth (b. 1863), Edmund James (b. 1864), Pentenden (b. 1866), Percy (b. 1868), Lizzie (b. 1869), Frank (b. 1871), Ernest (b. 1873), Herbert (b. 1875), Bertie (b. 1878), James Arthur (b. 1879), Agnes Gertrude (b, 1881) and Archibald (b. 1885).

Alfred first appears on the 1861 census when he and his family were living at Lower Street in Sutton Valence. The 1871 census would show Alfred and his family living at 66 Lower Street, he still being described as a schoolboy. Alfred would not be with his family by the time of the 1881 census, who were still living in Sutton Valence at an unspecified address. He would be listed elsewhere at Maidstone Road, Mereworth, Kent and he was then described as a butcher.

Alfred was married in St George's Church, Everton, Liverpool on 18 June 1885 to Alice Dean Midgley (b. 1864 in Liverpool). His address at the time was given as 311 Netherfield Road North, Everton. He and his wife went on to have five children: Richard Ernest Alfred (1887-1935), Alice Maud (later Mrs John McCreadie, 1889-1925), Agnes Gertrude (later Mrs Cyril Seymour Morton, 1896-1986), Emily (later Mrs Albert Smith, b. 1899) and Alfred (1901-1902).

He later worked for the White Star Line and in the late 1890s and early 1900s worked many voyages aboard Cymric, his address then being 52 Emery Street. He also served aboard Majestic and by 1903 was working as butcher aboard Cedric, a vessel he would serve aboard until at least the following year. It appears he may have become friendly with James Walpole, the two men serving aboard several ships together.

He and his appear on the 1901 census living at 52 Emery Street, Walton, Liverpool and Alfred is described as a butcher for the White Star Line. On the 1911 census he, his wife and daughters Agnes and Emily are residents of 12 Rugby House, Stafford Road, Southampton when he is still described as a ship's butcher. Also residing at this address is James Walpole.

When he signed on to the Titanic, on 6 April 1912, Alfred gave his address as 12 Stafford Road, (Southampton). His previous ship had been the Olympic and as chief butcher he could expect to earn monthly wages of £6.

Alfred Maytum died in the sinking; his body (#141) was recovered by the Mackay-Bennett and was buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia on 8 May 1912.

His widow Alice remained in Southampton where she died in 1940.

Grave in Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, N.S.
(© Bob Knuckle, Canada).