John Henry Hesketh was born on January 28, 1879 in Kirkdale, Lancashire, England, to Henry and Mary (Griffith) Hesketh[1]. Harry never married and lived with his parents and siblings. At the age of 14 Harry started in a Apprenticeship with White Star Lines.
John Henry Hesketh was the youngest Acting Second Engineer of the White Star Lines[2] Hesketh was in Charge of the Watch when the Titanic hit the iceberg.
Hesketh and Shepherd on 8 - 12 Watch Junior 2nd - Mr J.H. Hesketh Main Engine Room In complete charge of the watch. "Boiler-Room No. 6 when the Titanic struck the iceberg, he barely managed to shut the dampers (shutting off the flow of air to the fires) when he heard a sound like a gun going off. Hesketh and leading Stoker Frederick Barrett were suddenly hit by a jet of icy water, they ran aft and managed to clamber through the doorway of the tunnel into boiler-room 5 as the watertight door closed. The remaining men including Fireman George Beauchamp raked the fires before escaping to safety."
Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
H > Heskith > John Henry Heskith
Categories: RMS Titanic | Crew of the Titanic