Captain Smith, The Titanic and Stoke-on-Trent

Captain Smith, The Titanic and Stoke-on-Trent

Edward John Smith was born in 1850 on Well Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England to Edward Smith, a potter, and Catherine Hancock, née Marsh, who married on 2 August 1841 in Shelton, Staffordshire. His parents later owned a shop.
Smith attended the Etruria British School until the age of 13, when he left and operated a steam hammer at the Etruria Forge.
In 1867, aged 17 he went to Liverpool in the footsteps of his half-brother Joseph Hancock, a captain on a sailing ship.
He began his apprenticeship on Senator Weber, owned by A Gibson & Co. of Liverpool.
On Tuesday 12 July 1887, Smith married Sarah Eleanor Pennington. Their daughter, Helen Melville Smith, was born in Waterloo, Liverpool, England, on Saturday 2 April 1898. The family lived in an imposing red brick, twin-gabled house, named "Woodhead", on Winn Road, Highfield, Southampton.
Smith joined the White Star Line in March 1880.
He died on 15th April 1912 as Captain of the sinking Titanic.

Captain Smith and the sinking Titanic - a mural at the Potteries Shopping Centre, Stoke-on-Trent

Well Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
Edward Smith was born on 27 January 1850 in this end terrace house

this plaque was erected on 15th April 2012
to remember the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic

Captain E J Smith was born here on Well Street
27th January 1850
dies 15th April 1912

This Tablet is
Dedicated to the Memory of
Commander Edward John Smith
R.D.R.N.R.
bornin in Hanley 27th Jany 1850
died at sea 15th April 1912

Whilst in command of the
White Star SS Titanic
that Great Ship struck and
iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean
during the night and speedily
sank with nearly all who were
on board - Captain Smith
having done all that man could
for the safety of the Passengers
and Crew remained at his post on
the Sinking Ship until the end.

Titanic Brewery was founded in Burslem Stoke on Trent in 1985 with one goal, to produce great beer!

Burslem was the Mother town of the Potteries and had many great names who had started their careers amongst the bottle kilns and smoke. Wedgwood, Doulton and Claris Cliff all served their apprentices here dedicated to bringing the world the finest china.

In Hanley just down the road Captain Edward John Smith was born. He would go on to command the world's most famous liner. It is in honour of him that the brewery was named.

Jackson & Gosling's Copelands Grosvenor China cube teapot - supplied to the White Star Line