WATTS NAVAL SCHOOL
Memorial Window for

FRED HUMBY

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JOHN WILCOX

Some of John's plans to try and trace the memorial windows.

I have advertised in various magazines,Local TV stations ,Local papers,& even on the internet,I have also been in contact with one or two Titanic Memorabilia collectors,BUT the windows seem to have vanished,

I also wrote twice to the Stained Glass Window Museum at Ely but as with a lot of rude people these days did not get a reply,I'm thinking of writing to Church magazines that are distributed UK wise to see if they are safely in anyones church,

I went to the Top of the tree & wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbiury to ask for his help in searching for the Windows,

A reply from one of his Menials was very pleasant He suggested trying to get an article written in The Church Press, ,I'm in the process of dropping them a line or two,

Also wrote to the Stained Glass museum at Ely,but they dont seem too keen to get involved & also suggested The Church Press,,Have alsowritten to "Titanic" memorabilia collectors,( They dont seem inclined to want to reply,I will keep trying them Though )

I'm thinking of writing to Paul Martin of BBC2 "Flog It " fame to ask for his help,These antique people get around & know PEOPLE IN THE KNOW !!,Will try to keep you up to date, John "Tank" Wilcox.

Sadly John died before the windows were found, but his efforts inspired me to put a page up on the internet about the windows, and his many messages on the internet ect eventually led to the email from America.

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FRED HUMBY AGED 16.

AN EX- WATTS NAVAL SCHOOL BOY WHO JOINED THE TITANIC AS A TRAINEE STEWARD.

HE WAS IN CHARGE OF PLATES, AND WENT DOWN WITH THE SHIP AT THE AGE OF 17

HIS NAME IS ON THE LISTS OF CREW WHO WENT DOWN WITH THE TITANIC.

BARNARDOS MADE SOME WINDOWS IN HIS MEMORY FOR THE CHURCH AT WATTS. AFTER THE SCHOOL WAS DEMOLISHED THE WINDOWS WERE TAKEN OUT AND SOLD.

ONLY RECENTLY TURNING UP IN AMERICA, WHERE THEY ARE BEING WELL LOOKED AFTER BY JIM ELLIS AND ONE OF HIS FRIENDS.

TEXT ON THE WINDOW

'IN THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE SEA EVEN

THERE SHALL THY HAND LEAD THEE'


TO THE GLORY OF GOD

AND IN MEMORY OF

FREDERICK HUMBY

A BOY HERO
WHO PERISHED ON BOARD THE SS TITANIC
15th APRIL 1912 AGED 17 YEARS

THIS WINDOW IS GIVEN BY HIS SCHOOL FRIENDS & OTHERS

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F. Humby, 17, was born in Hampshire, and he was sent to Dr. Barnardo's Home for Orphans, Watts Naval School, in Norfolk.

He left Watts Naval School at the age of 14 or 15.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 4 April 1912, he gave his address as

52 Clarendon Road, (Southampton).

His last ship had been the Hildebrand.

He was then aged 16.

As a plate steward he received monthly wages of £3 15s.

Frederick Humby died in the sinking aged 17

His body, if recovered, was never identified.

Fred Humby was one of three plate stewards who worked in the 2nd Class pantry area, forward of the dining room on D deck.

These men cleaned and polished the silverware (ie silver plate) rather than dishes.

Only one of the three (Arthur Burrage) survived the sinking.

As well as the 3 'plate men' in Second Class, there were 7 more who worked in First Class, and all shared a cabin with the 11 First & Second Class scullions (dishwashers).

This was on the port side of E deck (about level with the first funnel) and opened directly onto the main working alleyway nicknamed 'Scotland Road'.

Of these 21 men, only 6 survived. The youngest of the victims was Alfred Hopkins, another Hampshire lad, who was one of the plate stewards working in First Class and was just 16 years old.

See Fred Humby's sign on record here

JIM ELLIS

A memorial window made for Watts Naval School after the death of one of the lads, Fred Humby.

Fred Humby, ex-Watts Naval School boy, joined the Titanic at the age of 16.

He had worked on the SS Hildebrand, and was excited to get a job, as a trainee boy steward, on the brand new, unsinkable, luxury liner, the SS Titanic.

Frederick had his 17th birthday while onboard the Titanic, and was a plate steward, working with the other stewards.

His name is mentioned on the lists of crew who went down when the ship hit an iceberg.

The windows were missing for many years, but have now turned up in in Houston, Texas USA.

Jim Ellis, and his wife bought one of the windows at an auction there in 1976, and his friend bought the other one.

They realised the Titanic connection, but only recently, through research on the internet, were they able to find out the Watts Naval School connection.