Up for sale: House where Titanic captain was born
THE house where Titanic captain Edward John Smith was born is up for sale.
The skipper of the ill-fated liner grew up in the two-bed Victorian terrace in Well Street, Hanley, which is now on the market for £80,000.
The heritage of the humble home is what attracted the current owners to buy it 10 years ago and now they hope to pass it on to a historical custodian who can make the most of its past.
Neil and Louise Bonner snapped the house up for less than £50,000 as an investment and rented it out.
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But now in the 100th anniversary of the Titanic tragedy, they have put on the market.
Mr Bonner, aged 64, who is a journalist said: "We bought it after seeing a feature about it on the BBC news.
"It's been fascinating to have had a connection to the Titanic story. It's certainly provided an interesting talking point over the years."
The couple from Stafford are hoping to capitalise on the interest in the centenary year of the loss of the passenger liner which collided with an iceberg and sank off the coast of Newfoundland.
A total of 1,500 people including Captain Edward John Smith died in the 1912 tragedy.
He and his pottery worker parents are believed to have lived in the house for more than a decade. During his childhood he attended Etruria British School and worked at the Etruria Forge before heading off to sea aged 13, where he progressed from ship's boy to captain.
At the age of 25 he qualified to captain a ship and enjoyed a successful naval career.
Many believe commanding the Titanic on its maiden voyage to New York would have been his final trip before retiring.
His body was never recovered and there are differing stories of him staying on board, shooting himself and rescuing a baby from the water.
Mrs Bonner, aged 60, who is a retired university lecturer, said: "It's hard to understand what motivated him to go to sea.He came from a typical working class Potteries family and he went on to achieve so much.
"His name is known across the world and the interest in the Titanic is never ending.
"Many people ask whether Captain Smith was to blame for the disaster but a lot of things conspired against that ship.
"He wasn't at the helm at the time and the ship had been badly designed without the proper buoyancy because they wanted to make more space for first class passengers."
The house has already attracted interest from Germany and America.
The sale is being handled by Reeds Rains in Hanley. Spokesman Tabatha Cartlidge said: "The history of this property is likely to be the draw for potential buyers. We anticipate it may attract interest from across the world."
Comments
by normamay47
Wednesday, April 18 2012, 11:47AM
“they have placed a new plaque on the well street house - it says "Born here on Well Street "- so they are still implying that he was born there. It should say "Born on Well Street".. I am researching more into the census for 1851 to work out where their house was exactly situated from the top of the street and also the following census of 1861 and 1871 to confirm they lived in the same house all this time too. Watch this space!”
by normamay47
Saturday, April 14 2012, 12:21PM
“As a post script: Has the council thought whether the vast amount of properties that they are demolishing in Hanley could have also had a famous resident or connection to a historic event in the past... All history is disappearing around us...”
by normamay47
Saturday, April 14 2012, 10:50AM
“Hi Alberus I hope this is so, as It has gone on long enough and the truth eventually will sink into people's minds (excuse the pun) and perhaps one day, people will also research the census records, as I have, to find that the house was on the other side of the street, 17th from the top.. by the way these houses were demolished in the 1960's ready for the Potteries way and the building in the 1970's of the apartment blocks that tower over the remaining part of Well Street. Perhaps one day the statue could be bought to Hanley or a copy of it and erected on Well street and a plaque placed on that.. I have been researching the Smith family for about 15 years since my mum died in 1997, as my great grandmother was the captain's cousin; that is why I am so passionate about the facts being know.”
by Alberus
Saturday, April 14 2012, 10:01AM
“Not only was Captain Smith famous for his Titanic connection, he is now fast becoming famous for the man whose house number is mired in doubt and controversy. So unsure is the exact address that a reliable source told me that a plaque planned for the house will be placed on the terrace stating that Captain Smith was "born in Well Street" and mentioning no particular house.”
by mower79
Friday, April 13 2012, 11:41PM
“looks like captain birdseye”
by normamay47
Friday, April 13 2012, 8:30PM
“Here I am again! Dear Wolfdog1947 - I will ask you one question do you know what a census looks like? The information on the form is quite explantory, if you know how to read them you will understand the information that is put on them. Let me know if you have seen for instance the said census for Well street in 1851.”
by wolfdog1947
Thursday, April 12 2012, 5:43PM
“With all due respect Luckinbucks, I have to challenge your assertion
concerning the actual birthplace of Captain Smith in Well St, Hanley.
You yourself acknowledge that there is some confusion in Slater's
directory, which does not give the actual number of the Smith's house.
As was common practice at the time, it seems that several members of
the Smith family lived at various houses in Well St - it was Captain
Smith's uncle (George) who lived at number 86. Further confusion is due
to Well Street houses being re-numbered. What is agreed is that Captain
Smith's mother ran a grocery shop from her house in Well St. So - why
my interest? I lived for many years in the Potteries and one of my
close friends and business associates is a builder and did some
renovation work on 51 Well St. He confirmed that the front of that
house had been altered some time ago and was once a shop-front (hence
the house front has since been rendered to cover up the altered
brickwork). So, it could well be that 51 is the correct address for
Captain Smith's birthplace.
Yes, this is Titanic centenary year - so surely a more important debate
is why hasn't Stoke made much more of her famous son? It is a great
shame that the main statue of Captain Smith is in Lichfield, not Stoke
or Hanley!! Maybe Stoke Council should consider buying the Well St
property as a lasting memorial to Captain Smith!!”
by stanley10
Saturday, March 24 2012, 11:00AM
“Whoever buys it make sure to get a good mining report. Wouldn't want it to sink would you?”
by Luckinbucks
Saturday, March 24 2012, 10:21AM
“I can vouch for the accuracy of Normamay's ancestry not that it is actually needed since she has provided details of her lineage. I made contact with Normamay a few years ago whilst independantly researching Sarah Smith's elder sister, Elizabeth. By an incredible coincidence I had a photo of both Elizabeth and Sarah together taken about 1910.
Without digressing further, I have extensvely researched the Well Street location of Capt. Smith's birth place and without a shadow of doubt it was 86 in 1851 not the enumerators schedule number of 51. The number 86 can be obtained from Slater's 1851 Classified Trade Directory, which although it does not actually give the number of Smith's dwelling it can be deduced by his neighbours at 81 and 91 which are listed at these numbers in this directory. Further confirmation is provided on the marriage certificate of George Smith, brother of Captain Smith's father Edward, who married in 1853 where the address is given as 86 Well street.
With the Anniversary of the Titanic disaster looming it is time the myth of 51 being the birthplace of the Captain be laid to rest.”
by normamay47
Friday, March 23 2012, 2:12PM
“Sorry AngelofDeath6 - another mistake not used to the site yet.. promise I won't do it again.”