Roland Frederic Mantle was born in Haggerston, Shoreditch, Middlesex, England on 24 June 1871. He was the son of Ephraim John Mantle (1839-1885) and Florence Agnes Riley (1850-1913).
His father Ephraim, a type founder, hailed from Kent and his mother was from Camberwell, Surrey and they had married in London on 20 March 1869. Roland had only one known sibling, Henry Oscar (b. 1869).
In the months prior to his birth, Roland's family were listed on the 1871 census living at 10 Nichols Square. By the time of the 1881 census, when Roland first appears, he and his family are living at 73 Marcia Road, Southwark. His father died in 1885 and the 1891 census shows Roland and his mother living at 67 Corporation Buildings, Clerkenwell. His mother had taken to being a seamstress and Roland was described as a milk carrier.
Roland was baptised on 5 April 1891 at Holy Trinity Church, Camden. His mother was remarried the following year, becoming Mrs William John Stagg. She would die in 1913.
Roland appears on the 1901 census working as an oddman at 3 Albert Gate, Holy Trinity, Knightsbridge. He gave his birthplace as Sevenoaks, Kent. He later went to sea and settled in Southampton. It was here in late 1909 that he was married Ellen Rosina Payne (b. 1867 in Shoreditch, London) but they would have no children.
On the 1911 census Roland is listed as a steward serving aboard the Adriatic which was then docked at Southampton. He also reportedly served on the maiden voyage of Olympic.
When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 4 April 1912, he gave his address as 60 Brinton's Road, (Southampton). His last ship had been the Olympic. As a third class steward he received monthly wages of £3 15s.
Mantle died in the sinking. His body, if recovered, was never identified.
His widow and mother benefitted from the Titanic Relief Fund as class F dependents. Ellen Rosina Mantle never remarried and remained in Southampton. She died in 1949.
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Hi Everyone I've recently obtained a copy of Roland Mantles marriage certificate which has confirmed he was my Great Great Uncle. I hope the following information might help anyone interested in him. He was born abt 1872 in Haggerstone, London. The son of Ephraim John Mantle and Florence Agnes Riley. He had one brother Henry Oscar Squires. In 1891 he was a Milk Carrier. He married Ellen Rosina Payne on 22 December 1909, at the time of his marriage he was living at 10 Oxford street, Southampton. One of the witnesses to his marriage J or T Shepard served on the Olympic with him and they also lived at the same address 60 Brintons road. I'm happy to send a copy of the marriage certificate to anyone who would like it. I would also be grateful for any more information on him. I also have a copy of the 1911 Olympic crew list when Roland was on board, could anyone tell me what they think the name of his previous ship was, I'm having trouble reading it. Many Thanks. ...
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So am I, even though it's enlarged in the image. It looks like either Savia or Javia, but the writing is so atrocious that I just can't tell.
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Janet - Hello - Here is some information from the Relief Fund about Mr. Mantle: (From: Mansion House Titanic Relief Fund Booklet, March 1913) Number C510. Mantle, Ellen Rosina, widow. Stagg, Florence Agnes, mother. Both class F dependants. (From the Titanic Relief Fund Minute Book number 2, Southampton Area) Date June 30th 1922 That Mrs. Mantles allowance be increased to 15/- per week and Compassionate Allowance of 5/- per week be made out of Compassionate Fund for one year i.e. until June 1923. (From the Titanic Relief Fund Minute Book number 3, Southampton Area) Date June 27th 1923. The Committee was empowered to continue payment of all allowances until June 1924. (From the Titanic Relief Fund Minute Book number 3, Southampton Area, 4th July 1925). Mantle C 150. The Committee agreed that the special allowance of 7/6d. Weekly be continued for another year subject to reconsideration at the end of that period. Note Mrs. Mantle must have been rather ill and incapacitated...
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Michael - I quite agree the writing is atrocious, whoever wrote it missed a great career as a GP. I googled savia and Javia but to no avail. Comparing the letters to the rest on the page I'm pretty sure the first letter is "S". Brian - Many thanks for the information. I did have vague information that Rolands mother Florence had married William John Stagg a wood carver who was blind, so this has confimed that for me. Her allowance does seem quite substantial, compared to what her husband received for a months work as a Steward. I don't know if Roland had any children, if there were any, do you know if they would have been mentioned in the relief fund ? Again, Many Thanks Jan
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>>I'm pretty sure the first letter is "S".
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Janet - No, no children mentioned in the Relief Book as far as I am aware. But if the children were over 16 years of age in 1912 they would not have qualified or been listed. Cheers Brian
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I took a quick look at Bonsor's "North Atlantic Seaway" and the only thing close under White Star (prior to Olympic) is the Bovic of 1892. The first letter doesn't look like any of the "Bs" in the other columns, however (see entry #2, for example). It *does* look like the other "Ss" (entry #5 for nationality, plus all the addresses that end with "St."). It's possible that it's a port and not a ship's name since the column heading says "State Name and Official No. or Port she belonged to." What port that might be, I don't know! Denise
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Could be that the word in the 'last ship' column is Same - ie the Olympic.
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Hi everyone Thanks for all your responses. Denise - I didn't think to look for a port. I spent a couple of hours searching the net for something that looked like it but geography is my worst subject. Bob - I think you have come up with the logical answer "same", when I was checking the Olympic lists at the Archives I worked back from 1912, I didn't go past July 1911, assuming that he was on a different ship before this. So it's back to the Archives again ! If anyone would like me to look for other names while I'm there, just let me know. I don't know when I will go, but hopefully within the next couple of weeks. Many thanks Jan
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I don't think it's "same". The clerks used "do" for "ditto" when information was repeated. I'm sure the first letters are Sa. Note the S in Southampton. The rest could be Arabic! Notice Sid Sedunary of Titanic on the list?
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The third letter is an 'm', as written in the same hand in several other places on the document. It's only the last letter that's a bit vague, but my money's on 'e'. I see no problem with the use of the word 'Same' (ship) followed by 'do' (meaning 'as above') in following rows.
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Hello Janet, A belated welcome to the board. In order to help you expand your Family Tree, I have some more information to offer. All in all, 1913 was the worst year for all sorts of illnesses including the deaths. During that year the Southampton Committee did report that there was death within the Mantle family. In the end the Southampton Committee was granted to pay for the funeral expenses for Florence Stagg. If there's a need to obtain her death certificate then here are the details as follows:- April, May and June 1913. Florence A Stagg - Age 64. District:- Greenwich (London). Vol:- 1d., Page:- 975. Sorry for the delay, and good luck with your search. A.W.
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