William Clifford Weller - Titanic Survivor

My Great Grandad Ted was from a family of 8 and as his Mother's sister, Elizabeth Weller and her husband Jack had no family, Ted went to stay with them. Great Grandad Ted always said he felt fortunate to be treated that way, and able to enjoy a better upbringing because of it.

Uncle Jack was a Merchant Seaman, and so was his brother William.

William 'Willie' Clifford Weller was born at 16 Pier Road, Littlehampton, Sussex, England on 20 November 1881.   

William appears on the 1891 census living at 6 Parkstone Villas, Newhaven, Sussex and he was still a schoolboy by that time.

He later went to sea, serving with the Royal Navy, and joined his first ship HMS Northampton on 20 January 1899. He was recorded on the 1901 census as a member of the crew aboard the Trafalgar, the docked at Portland, Dorset. When he joined the merchant service is not clear but by the time of the 1911 census he was listed as a visitor at an address in North Mundham, Chichester, Sussex and was described as a mariner. 

 On the night of the sinking, Weller left the Titanic on the first lifeboat to be lowered, number 7, at 12.45 am.