George Phillips

Mr George Phillips was born in Hound on the outskirts of Southampton on 27 March 1884. 

He was the son of William Phillips (b. 1832), a merchant mariner who had previous Royal Navy service, and Mary Ann Mason (b. circa 1840), natives of Itchen and Plymouth, respectively who were married in St Mary’s Church, Southampton on 9 October 1871. 

The youngest of five children, George’s siblings were: Robert (b. 1873), Mary Elizabeth (b. 1875), Eliza Ann (b. 1878) and Alice (b. 1882).

George’s mother died towards the close of 1886 aged 46; the remaining family appear on the 1891 census as residents of 2 Spring Place in Hound. By 1901 George and his father lived together at Middle Road in Sholing and George was then described as a railway porter; when he first went to sea is not certain. His father is believed to have passed away sometime around 1904.

When he signed on to the Titanic on 6 April 1912, Phillips gave his local address as 5 Grove Street, Southampton; as per the 1911 census, 5 Grove Street was the home of a Mr and Mrs William Ricketts. His previous ship had been the Olympic and as a greaser, he could expect monthly wages of £6.

George Phillips died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.

With no immediate dependents, Phillip’s death remained unnoted at the time. A memorial notice was eventually placed in the Southern Evening Echo on 16 April 1917 by his elder brother Robert:

PHILLIPS--In loving remembrance of my dear brother George Phillips, aged 32 years. From his loving brother Bob.