Titanic mystery of survivor Lizzie

A MYSTERY surrounding a Failsworth woman and the Titanic’s doomed maiden voyage has been uncovered by local historians.

Staff at the Oldham Local Studies and Archives delved into the depths of the archives a century after the Titanic’s tragic sinking.

During their search, staff stumbled on a report of a telegram sent from New York by a woman called Elizabeth Ann Wilkinson, a second-class passenger who survived the tragedy.

With the headline ‘Failsworth Woman Saved’, it read: “Elizabeth Ann Wilkinson, wife of Mr Samuel Wilkinson of 47 Oldham Road Failsworth, was a second cabin passenger on the Titanic. She has telegraphed from New York: ‘Am safe. – Lizzie’.”

The archives staff began to look into the woman behind the message, the 31-year-old daughter of a paper dealer.

In 1907 she had married Samuel Wilkinson, a 24-year-old butcher from Denton. In 1911 she lived in Oldham Road, Failsworth.

But a year later she boarded the infamous liner with ticket number 2,926 and travelled under the name Lizzie Faunthorpe, accompanied by a man called Harry Bartram Faunthorpe.

In 1911, he lived in Grimsby as a furniture salesman and in 1912 moved to Liverpool. It is assumed he met Elizabeth on his travels.

While Faunthorpe died in the disaster, Elizabeth was rescued by a lifeboat and arrived in New York on April 18.

Harry Faunthorpe’s body was later recovered and his body sent to “Mrs Faunthorpe”, care of William Springfield of Philadelphia.

Staff are now trying to find out more information about Elizabeth - principally to find out what happened to her husband, Samuel, and how she came to be with Mr Faunthorpe.

Do you know any of the background? Contact 0161 7704654 or email archives@oldham.gov.uk.