Mr Nicolas Joas (Fireman) ¹ was born around 1873 although exactly when and where is not clear (possibly in Cape Verde).²

He was married to Eliza (b. circa 1871), a native of Gosport, Hampshire around 1891 and had a child who did not survive infancy.³

He was shown on the 1912 street directory, listed as "Nicholas Jones" and a resident of 55 Bond Street in Northam, Southampton. Prior to that his wife had been shown on the 1911 census, still a resident of 55 Bond Street and described as a married dressmaker, stating that she had been married for twenty years.

When he signed on to the Titanic, on 6 April 1912, Joas gave his address as 55 Bond Street. His previous ship had been the Oceanic and as a fireman he could expect monthly wages of £6.

Nick Joas died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.

His widow later benefitted from the Titanic Relief Fund but what became of her is uncertain.

In 2012 a small studio portrait of Joas was auctioned by Henry Aldridge & Son; it bore the annotation: Nick Jones died in the sinking of the Titanic

(Henry Aldridge & Son)

The photograph appears to show that Joas was a Caucasian man, with previous speculation having centred on what his ethnicity may have been.