On the 15th April 1912, one hundred years ago disaster struck the RMS Titanic. The unsinkable ship Titanic struck an iceberg causing the loss of 1517 people.
On the ship that day was one James Fraser, son of John gardener of Gilbertstone House near Birminham.
Our story begins when John moved to become the Head Gardener for Richard Tangye who bought the house in 1883, a major benefactor to the Birmingham Art Gallery. The house had extensive grounds which crossed into the area of Lyndon End and Bickenhill. It had a pool with a boathouse. On the side of the house was a 65-foot (20 m) tall tower.
It was recorded in 1905 that the mansion and grounds straddled the boundaries of the counties of Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
John loved his job and it was his dream that James would take over when he retired. There was no doubt that James loved the garden but it was the boating pool that drew him like a magnet. He loved to sail his boats there when the owner of he house was away and his father occupied elsewhere.
James managed to get a place at the local Yardley Grammar School and proved to be excellent at maths.
At the age of 21 he decided to leave assisting his father and move to Southampton to seek a job on the new cruise ships. His father was outraged and vowed never to speak to his son again.
James soon found a job with the White Star line and his determination saw him quickly rise to the rank of third engineer junior assistant engineer in the engine department he was usually in charge of boilers, fuel, auxiliary engines, condensate, and feed systems.
In April 1912 he was moved to Ireland as part of the crew on the Titanic taking the ship for it’s maiden test voyage. All sailors were given a free boarding pass so James sent his home hoping his father might come and visit before the maiden voyage. It was never used.
James waited in vain for his father but never heard a word.
The Titanic set sail on 12th April 1912.
As the ship snapped in half James was at his station to the bitter end. His death would have been swift unlike the many who froze to death in a little over 15 minutes. Out of the 885 men in the crew only 192 survived it is said that only 52 were working in the engine rooms.
It was over 2 weeks before John received a telegram telling of his sons death but without emotion he tossed it in the bin.
Three months later John was doing some work by the pool for the new owner of the manor. The bright sun suddenly disappeared behind dark clouds, the water began to ripple and a face appeared in the water saying Father forgive me over and over again. John overcome with fear seized his chest and dropped dead on the spot.
The house was eventually demolished in 1937 but gardeners in the intervening years often reported a wandering spirit in the grounds and others saw a face appear in different places in the garden.
And only in the week before Christmas this picture of the oak tree when lown up reveals a face looking out over the garden.
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