Black & White
Wigan and the Titanic
"The Carpathia was apparently first on the scene, and picked up twenty boat loads of the mammoth liner's passengers and crew, numbering 705 in all. The 'Titanic' carried altogether some 2,358 souls, of whom over 1,400 were passengers.
There were over 40 millionaires on board, and many well-known and prominent personages. Mr. W. T. Stead, the celebrated journalist, who has been on a Wigan platform in connection with his Peace Crusade, is reported amongst the drowned.
The following names appear in the list of missing relating to the crew of the liner:-
F. M. McAndrews (23), Wigan, fireman
John Noon (35), Wigan, fireman
W. Brown (28), Hillando-avenue, Ormskirk, steward
C. S. Sheyhloller (37), second mate and a native of Ormskirk
Numbered amongst the awful list of victims of the ill-fated White Star liner, 'Titanic', which sank in mid-ocean after collision with an iceberg in the small hours of Monday morning, are several who were connected with the Wigan district.
The unfortunate commander, Captain E. J. Smith, married a lady named Miss Pennington, second daughter of Mr. Wm. Pennington, of Woodhead Farm, Newton-le-Willows, about twenty years ago, the lady's family having occupied the farm which lies close to Winwick, for four generations. The captain and his wife lived in the neighbourhood, afterwards going to Waterloo, Liverpool, and then to Southampton, his wife and daughter at present residing at New Forest. Captain Smith had many friends in and around Wigan. Mrs J. Lowe, of Gidlow House, being well associated with the family, her brother, Mr. Douglas Berwick, and Captain Smith marrying two sisters. Two or three years ago when the captain visited Wigan Mr. James Lowe organised a picnic and drive through the Plantations (by permission), by Haigh Hall, to Red Rock and Bispham, and which the captain said was one of the most enjoyable days he had ever spent."