Chief Officer Thomas William Hankinson


Date of birth: 4th November 1857
Place of birth: Weymouth, Nova Scotia
Marital status: Married
Age: 54 (in 1912)
Spouse: Laleah Abigail Haines
Children: Thomas Wayland (1880–1963), William Judson (1885–1948), Lilly Gladys(1887–1959), David Arnold (1889–1954), Hazel Olive (1893–1894), Margherita (1894–1973), Edgar William (1897–1976), Albert Ernest (1902–1984)
Crew position: Chief Officer (Carpathia, 1912)
Date of death: 21 April 1936 (age 78)

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Chief Officer Hankinson

Introduction 1. Nova Scotia 2. Liverpool - Allan Line 3. Cunard Line 4. Titanic 5. War and Retirement 6. Death and Legacy 7. Timeline

Cunard Line



In 1839, Samuel Cunard was awarded the first British transatlantic steamship mail contract, and the next year formed the British and North American Royal Mail Steam-Packet Company in Glasgow with shipowner Sir George Burns together with Robert Napier, the famous Scottish steamship engine designer and builder, to operate the line's four pioneer paddle steamers on the Liverpool–Halifax–Boston route. For most of the next 30 years, Cunard held the Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic voyage. However, in the 1870s Cunard fell behind its rivals, the White Star Line and the Inman Line. To meet this competition, in 1879 the firm was reorganised as the Cunard Steamship Company Ltd, to raise capital. In 1919, Cunard relocated its British homeport from Liverpool to Southampton, to better cater for travellers from London.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Chief Officer Thomas Hankinson
- Timeline


A timeline of key events:

1857

4 November

Thomas William Hankinson is born in Freeport, Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada, to parents David Shook Hankinson (1822–1860) and Mary Hannah (1825–1893, née Clements)

1860

29 June

Father David Shook Hankinson (1822–1860) dies when he is only two years old.

1863

Mother remarries, to George Thurber of Freeport

1879

18 September

Marries Laleah Abigail Haines (1858 - 1944) in Freeport, Nova Scotia

1880

7 February

Son Thomas Wayland (1880–1963) born, the first of eight children

1885

4 May

William Judson (1885–1948) born

1887

22 September

Lilly Gladys (1887–1959) born

Moves family to Liverpool, England

1889

15 Dec

David Arnold Hankinson(1889–1954) born

1891

Joins the Royal Naval Reserve as a Sub-Lieutenant.

7.10

Second mate, Sardinian (Allan Line).

7.10 - 19.11

Joins the Sardinian (Allan Line) as Second mate, on crossings from Liverpool to Quebec, Portland, Halifax, and Montreal.

1892

29.6
3.8.
12.10
22.12

Sardinian (Allan Line) as Second mate, on crossings from Liverpool to Quebec, Portland, Halifax, and Montreal.

1893

9 January

Hazel Olive (1893–1894) born.

March
28.6
5.9
11.10

Sardinian (Allan Line) as Second mate, on crossings from Liverpool to Quebec, Portland, Halifax, and Montreal.

28 November

Mother Mary Hannah Clements(1825–1893) dies, in Litherland, Liverpool, England.

1894

28 January

Daughter Hazel Olive (1893–1894) dies aged only 1.

1.2.
22.5
27.6

Sardinian (Allan Line) as Second mate, on crossings from Liverpool to Quebec, Portland, Halifax, and Montreal.

23 December

Margherita Hankinson(1894–1973) born.

1895

Joins the Cunard Line.

7.1
14.4
15.3

Cunard's Etruria on Liverpool to New York service, as Fourth Officer.

7.6.
17.7

Cunard's Aurania on Liverpool to New York service, as Third Officer.

25.8

Cunard's Pavonia on Liverpool to New York service, as Third Officer.

1896

15.4
11.5
8.9
6.10
3.11
6.12
30.12

Cunard's Lucania on Liverpool to New York service, as Third and then Second Officer.

1897

22 August

Edgar William (1897–1976) born

23.3
20.4
15.5
1.6
22.7
15.6
30.7
11.10
9.10
8.11
7.12

Cunard's Lucania on Liverpool to New York service, as Second Officer.

1898

12.1
8.2
8.3
5.4
3.5
31.5
28.6
3.8
30.8
29.9
20.10
22.11

Cunard's Campania on Liverpool to New York service, as Second Officer.

1899

11.1
7.2
4.3
4.4
3.5
30.5
17.10
12.12
14.11
12.12

Cunard's Campania on Liverpool to New York service, as Second Officer.

1900

30.4
29.5
26.6
26.7
21.8
15.9
13.11
12.12

Cunard's Campania on Liverpool to New York service, as Second Officer, and on 30.4 briefly as First Officer

1900

21 July

Cunard's Campania was involved in a collision, sinking the British barque Embleton which was loaded with dynamite.

1901

6.2
6.3
2.4
28.5
23.7
20.8
16.9
14.10
2.11
11.12

Cunard's Campania on Liverpool to New York service, as Second Officer, and on 6.2 briefly as First Officer

1902

4 January

Son Albert Ernest (1902–1984) born

8.1
11.2
11.3
24.4
6.5
3.6
1.7
26.8
13.9
1.10
18.10
18.11

Cunard's Campania on Liverpool to New York service, as Second Officer

1903

7.5
11.6
28.10
24.11
11.4 (First)
12.5 (First )
5.8 (First)
1.9 (First)
29.9 (First)

Cunard's Campania on Liverpool to New York service, as Second Officer and also First Officer, as listed

1904

12.2
11.3
8.4
6.5
2.6
5.7
23.9
21.8
29.9
26.11
21.10
23.9.
25.11
20.12

Cunard's Saxonia on Liverpool to New York service, as Chief Officer

1905

8.3

Cunard's Lucania, as First Officer

1906

21.1
17.2
24.3

Cunard's Slavonia, to New York, as Chief Officer

1907

9.3
30.3

Cunard's Slavonia, to New York, as Chief Officer

13.4

RNR Lieutenant commission (01221)

30.03
25.5
21.6
19.7
16.8
10.10
6.12

Cunard's Saxonia to Boston as Chief Mate

1908

13.08
25.5
21.6
19.7
16.8
10.10
6.12

Cunard's Saxonia to Boston as Chief Mate

1909

13.02 - 16.12
25.5
21.6
19.7
16.8
10.10
6.12

Cunard's Carpathia as Chief Mate

1912

07.02
25.5
21.6
19.7
16.8
10.10
6.12

Cunard's Carpathia as Chief Mate

15th April

While Chief Mate aboard the Carpathia picks up distress calls from sinking Titanic
0400 Chief Officer Hankinson takes over the bridge as the first lifeboat is seen, and rescues 712 Titanic survivors
0900 after all survivors picked up it is decided to take them to New York.

18th April

712 Titanic survivors are delivered to New York on the evening of Thursday 18 April.

29th May

Titanic Survivors Committee, chaired by First Class passenger Margaret Brown, presents a loving cup to Captain Arthur Rostron and medals to the officers and crew. Hankinson receives a gold medal.

1913

23.4
30.7

Joins the Caronia to New York as Chief Officer

30.12

Joins the Saxonia as Chief Officer

1914

12.8

Listed aboard the Saxonia as Chief Officer

9.11 - 28.7.16

As war breaks out he is listed as a Lieutenant aboard the Laconia

1915

13 April

Promoted to Lieutenant Commander (retired) as listed in the London Gazette.

1919

3.3

HMS Excellent, the Royal Navy's gunnery school, on Whale Island, Portsmouth.

21.10

Returns to the Caronia as Chief Officer on the New York service.

1920

9.1 - 4.10

Carmania as Chief Officer on the Philadelphia service.

1921

May

According to RNR records he reports in as fully retired from active employment, as of November 1920, aged 63.

1936

21 April

Dies age 78, with his last address 32 Brookfield avenue, Great Crosby, Lancashire.

1936

15 August

Oldest son, Thomas Hankinson, listed as traveling aboard his father's previous ship, the RMS Laconia, bound for Boston and New York

1944

20th January

Hankinson's wife, Laleah Abigail dies, aged 85.



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