Village’s link to Titanic disaster

This month marks the 100 year anniversary of the ill-fated ship’s sinking.

To mark the occasion, Creswell Library are holding a special exhibition - featuring information on survivor Reginald Hardwick who is buried in the cemetery at St Mary Magdaline’s Church in Creswell.

Reginald Hardwick was a kitchen porter on the stricken liner and received the monthly wage of £3 10s.

He survived the ship’s sinking but then died on 4th March 1918 while serving with the Army Service Corps as a private in First World War.

His obituary reads that he lived on Duke Street in Creswell and left a wife and child behind him.

Selina Heyward helped to organise the exhibition and said that it has proven very popular.

“We were only going to have the exhibition for one day, but it has been so much interest that it will be open until the end of the month,” she said.

“You can read all about Reginald Hardwick and see his family tree. Some of his brother’s descendents live in Creswell and Worksop - who we’ve spoken to, with his direct descendents living in Birmingham. We haven’t been able to get in touch with them.”

She continued: “The exhibition also has lots of pictures of the Titanic, and family trees and information about the passengers, crew-members, the band and even famous people that were on the ship.”

“There’s so much information there to enjoy. Quite a few people have been down and had a look already and they’ve really enjoyed it.”

Recently, a spoon that Reginald Hardwick was holding as he fled the sinking ship, which was handed down through generations of the Hardwick family, sold for £650 on eBay.

n The Titanic exhibition runs at Creswell Library until Saturday 28th April