SUNDAY will mark the 100th anniversary since the Titanic sank on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, with the loss of 1,500 lives.

South East Cornwall was not without its losses, and there are  gravestones in several churchyards in remembrance of family members lost. They include:

Harry Bristow, Looe

Five years ago while cleaning up old gravestones in St Martin's churchyard in Looe, the curator of The Old Guildhall Museum, Barbara Birchwood Harper –

together with Jeanne Dingle and Gladys Brown – came across the headstone of the Bristow family.

On it was a memorial to Harry Bristow, who was born at Shutta on April 26, 1873, the son of railway labourer John Bristow and his wife Mary Ann.

He moved to Bromley on his marriage to Ethel Elliott and the couple had two children, Vivian John Henry and Philip Harry.

He signed on as a saloon steward on the Titanic and sent his wife two postcards before setting sail. He wrote a final letter to her on White Star Line notepaper on the evening of April 10 stating he was 'scribbling' while in bed at 11.30pm. It was posted from Queenstown the following day with postmark 3.45pm. His last words to Ethel were: 'I think about you very much dearie... fondest love dearie self and boy your ever loving Harry.'

Aged 33 he was recorded as 'died in the sinking, body, if found, never identified'.

His wife and children received financial aid from the Lord Mayor's Fund – the most poignant entry being in June, 1913, which records that a grant of £5 had been made so Mrs Bristow could take her children to the seaside. The widow never remarried and died in 1972. Harry's son Vivian became an antiquarian bookseller and dealer trading as Henry Bristow of Ringwood and died in 2000.

There is now a small display in the Old Guildlhall Museum as a tribute to Harry.

John Henry and Sarah Chapman, St Neot

The couple were childhood sweethearts from farming families in St Neot, who were married at Liskeard Wesleyan Chapel on Boxing Day, 1911. 

John (37) was born at Parson Park Farm later moving to Trethewey Farm, and Sarah (29) was born at Tremorki Farm.

They were on board the Titanic and were bound for Spokane, Washington. Sarah would not get into a lifeboat without John and they both drowned. John's body was recovered and he was buried at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Sarah's body was never identified. There is a memorial to the couple in St Neot churchyard on the headstone of Sarah's aunt.

Harry and Shadrach Gale, Harrowbarrow

Mining brothers, Harry (38) and Shadrach (33) were from Rising Sun, near Harrowbarrow, and with the Cornish tin mining industry going through harsh times they were emigrating to Idaho Springs, Colorado, to mine there. 

They both died in the sinking. Their bodies were not found.

They are remembered in the churchyard at Calstock.

William Ware,

Gunnislake

William (23) was a blacksmith who had returned to Gunnislake after visiting his father in South Africa. He boarded the Titanic and was heading for Butte Montana to work in the mines. His body was never identified.

George Green,

Gunnislake

George (40) was a farrier. He was on board the Titanic and going to South Dakota to work in the motor trade. He sent a postcard to his brother in law with the message 'Lovely Sailing.' His body was never identified.

Frederick William

Pengelly, Chilsworthy

The 19-year-old miner from Chilsworthy Beam, near Gunnislake, was going to Butte, Montana, to seek his fortune in the mines there. An ill twist of fate put him on the Titanic.

He should have sailed on another steamer but the coal strike at the time forced him to board the famous ship, where he was presumed drowned.

Richard James Sleman, Landrake

Aged 35, Richard, who was born at Landrake, later moving to Fourlanes, was travelling to Nashua, New Hampshire, where he had relatives.

He was never identified and there is a memorial to him on a family gravestone at Landrake.

Survivor

l There was one survivor from South East Cornwall who did make it safely to land. He was:

Charles H Pascoe, Talland

Born at Breage, Charles (43) moved to Great Green, Talland, near West Looe. He signed on with the White Star Line as an Able Seaman, on transfer from the Olympic.

He was rescued in lifeboat no 8 and disembarked at Carpathia, New York City, on Thursday, April 18.