Plaque to honour Titanic engineer, Jonathan Shepherd, of Whitehaven

Jonathan Shepherd was just 32 and one of 24 engineers aboard the RMS Titanic who died when their ship went down after it hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York on April 15, 1912.

Whitehaven Heritage Action Group wanted to mark Shepherd’s bravery and connection with the town by placing a plaque on the frontage of the Georgian House Hotel on Church Street.

He had been born in Whitehaven in1880 and had lived with his family at 9 Church Street, now incorporated into the hotel.

The proposed plaque to honour Titanic engineer, Jonathan Shepherd, who was born in Whitehaven (Image: Whitehaven Heritage Action Group)

It is all part of the heritage group’s ongoing project to restore existing blue plaques in the town centre and install some new ones.

Its secretary, Margaret Crosby, said: “We were very pleased that the hotel owner, Stephanie Skelly, was most receptive to the idea and has now applied for Listed Building consent, which when approved, will allow us to push ahead.

“We aim to have an unveiling event later in the summer.”

Stephanie Skelly, owner of the Georgian House Hotel, said: “It is very humbling to find out our hotel was once the home of the courageous gentleman.

“The hotel is made up of four properties. He would have lived in number nine which is the front entrance into the hotel, the entrance to the restaurant, part of the lounge and above bedroom.

“It marks yet another beautiful story about Whitehaven and its history. The town is steeped with beautiful architecture and history.”

Titanic engineer Jonathan Shepherd is thought to have been among the first to perish on board the ship after water began pouring into the boiler room. None of the engineers survived the disaster. (Image: Archive)

Jonathan Shepherd was the son of James and Johanna Shepherd, the fourth eldest of seven children. James was an architect and Johanna hailed from Limerick.

By 1901 they had left Whitehaven for Blackburn where Jonathan would serve his apprenticeship at Davenport’s Canal Works.

After securing his chief’s certificate he joined White Star Line and served on the Adriatic, Teutonic, Olympic and Titanic. His ambition was to be chief engineer of a White Star liner.

Jonathan’s father recalled how his son had acted coolly and courageously while serving on his previous ship, the Olympic, when it had been in a collision.

The grief-stricken father said of the Titanic sinking: “My lad would remain on duty, sink or swim. He would stick to his post to the last.’’

The Cumberland News from April 20, 1912, following the sinking of the White Star liner Titanic (Image: The Cumberland News archive)

Jonathan was said to be six feet tall, a man of good nature, jovial disposition and well liked. His mother died in 1911, a year before her son was to be lost in the tragedy.

Jonathan’s paternal grandparents were Jonathan and Frances Shepherd. Grandfather Shepherd was a cabinet maker employing about 30 men and boys and lived at Scotch Street, and at 79 Lowther Street in Whitehaven.

There is a large granite memorial in Southampton to all the engineers lost in the disaster. Not one survived so there is no verbal evidence of the role they played, however it was clear that the ship stayed afloat longer than it would have done had they not sacrificed their lives for the good of others.