Research throws up link (From Penarth Times)

Research throws up link

A PENARTH man has been able to shed some light on the life of a relative from the town who lost his life in the Titanic disaster of 1912.

Following research carried out into his family tree Graham Brooks, a retired architect, of Cog Road, Sully, has discovered he was related to an 18-year-old passenger aboard the ship making its maiden voyage across the Atlantic, named James G Reed.

Graham said: "Two people from Penarth were lost in the Titanic disaster and in 1999 a letter by Denise Llewellyn appeared in the Penarth Times asking people if they could add any information about the two individuals. "I remember my grandmother, telling me when I was a youngster that a relative of hers was lost on the Titanic.

"After looking through archive material at Cardiff library I established that the relative was James G Reed, aged 18, from Inglenook Sully Road, Penarth. He was on his way to Canada to work as a butcher. I also found a photograph of him.

"With the help of the librarian at Penarth Library I discovered that a brass plaque to his memory is in Trinity Church, Stanwell Road and a reference to him is made on the headstone of his parent's grave in Penarth cemetery.

"It really brings it home to think what terror that young man must have experienced on that night. He was full of hope and expectation on his way to start a new life across the Atlantic."

The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, with the loss of 1,503 passengers and crew.