AS a former Penarth boy, I was fascinated to find out that exactly 100 years ago, two people from the town were among those lost with the sinking of the RMS Titanic passenger liner.

James George Reed was born in 1892 and lived with his family at Inglenook on the Sully Road.

By the age of 18, he was working as a butcher.

He was also a regular Sunday school attendee at Trinity Methodist Church, on the corner of Stanwell Road and Woodland Place.

James must have seen the adverts for new opportunities in the United States and decided to seek his fortune there.

He travelled to Southampton and bought a third class ticket (steerage) on the Titanic. It cost him £7 1s 5d.

The ship left harbour on April 10, 1012. After four days at sea the Titanic hit an iceberg. A couple of hours later, on April 15, it sank.

More than 1,500 people lost their lives, with James amongst them. He was just 19.

Members of his Sunday school erected a brass plaque in his memory. It can still be seen on the inside wall of the church.

Did James ever meet the only other person on the Titanic who was listed as coming from Penarth? We will never know.

She was Annie Louise Rowley Meek. Annie was born in 1881 and married a Thomas Meek.

I have been unable to find out where she lived or why she decided to go to America. Aged 31, Annie also went to Southampton, and like James, bought a third class ticket.

She paid £8 1s 0p, almost a pound more than James. She too is listed as having been drowned on April 15, 1012.

Apparently she left behind a son called Edwin Meek.

His education at the JA Gibbs School for boys in upper Penarth (also called Headlands) was paid for by the Titanic Relief Fund.

Although we will never know if James and Annie met, there is an historical link between the two.

The Gibbs Home was established by Gladys Gibbs in memory of her husband, Major John Angel Gibbs, who was killed in World War 1.

Gladys was a Methodist, and her family subsequently funded a number of improvements at Trinity Methodist Church, including some of the stained glass windows.

If anyone else can provide additional information on the above two people, please contact me as detailed below.

If further information is forthcoming, I will ensure that as full account as is possible is lodged in the reference section of Penarth Library.

For the record, Titanic was carrying five other passengers from Wales, Dai John Bowen from Treherbert; Evan Davies and William John Rogers, both from Pontardawe; Eliezer Gilinski from Abercynon; and Leslie Williams from Tonypandy. All drowned.

There were two crew members from Wales. Steward William Edward Cheverton was from Newport, Pembrokeshire.

The only Welsh survivor was Sub Lieutenant Harold Godfrey Lowe, from Barmouth.

He was commended as one of the only life boat crew who returned to try and find survivors in the water.

His exploits were featured in the film Titanic. Bruce Wallace Cowin Park Bancyfelin Carmarthen SA33 5NB Tel: 01267 211207, 07817 583720, E-mail: brucewallace@ bancyfelin.co.uk