George Hugh Rice (1903 - 1912)

Born 30 Nov 1903 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Ancestors

Died 15 Apr 1912 at age 8 in Atlantic Ocean, Titanic

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Biography

George Rice was born in Quebec, Canada.

George Rice was aboard the RMS Titanic.

George Rice died young.

George Rice has Irish ancestors.

George Hugh Rice was born on 30 Nov 1903 in Montréal, Québec, Canada.^[1] He is the third son born to William Rice (a reserve soldier with the British Medical Corps) and Margaret Norton (an Irishwoman from Athlone, Co. Westmeath). His oldest brother William had died as an infant three years earlier in Ireland, and his parents and second brother Albert migrated to Canada around the end of 1902 or early 1903. They settled first in Montréal, where George Hugh was born. He was named after his two uncles who died young (his mother's brothers).

Before 1905 the family had moved on to Ontario where two more brothers were born, Eric and Arthur. In January 1909 the family moved to Spokane, Washington, USA. Migration records describe George as having a dark complexion with brown hair and brown eyes. ^[2] Another boy - Francis - was born in Spokane.

One year after the move to Spokane, their father William was killed in a work accident leaving Margaret with five young boys to care for. After William's death, the family are listed on the 1910 US Census at 435 Sheridan Street, Hillyard, Spokane. ^[3]

With the help of insurance money from William's death, sometime after this, the family travelled to Margaret's hometown of Athlone in Ireland. It is not know if this was intended to be a permanent move or a temporary visit. They appear again on a census in 1911 living at Castle Street in Athlone, Co Westmeath, Ireland. ^[4][5][6]

Soon plans were made to return to Spokane, Washington, with some other locals from Athlone who would be making a crossing of the Atlantic aboard Titanic. Margaret and her five sons travelled under ticket number 382652 which had cost £29, 2s, 6d and they boarded Titanic at Queenstown as third class passengers. At about 1.30pm on April 11, 1912, the Titanic departed for it's doomed voyage across the Atlantic. Four days later, Margaret and her five sons would perish in the icy North Atlantic waters. George's body was never recovered after the sinking of the Titanic. Only Margaret's body was recovered and she was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia. ^[7]

Research Notes

Birth record:
No reliable birth record source has been found yet for George. His date of birth is listed on other websites, but a primary source needs to be added to this profile.

Birth place:
The census records of 1910 (US) and 1911 (Ireland) erroneously record George's birthplace as America, but Toronto Junction, Canada was his actual birthplace.

Baptism record:
It is possible that George was baptised in a local church sometime after his birth, as the family were known to be Catholics (as stated on the 1911 census record).

Other sources or biographies of George Rice:

1. Encyclopedia Titanica: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/george-rice.html
ref: #1155, last updated: 3rd February 2016, accessed 29th April 2023

2. FindAGrave memorial: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14215125/george-hugh-rice
George Hugh Rice (30 Nov 1903–15 Apr 1912 Ref: #14215125 accessed 29th April 2023

Sources

1. ↑ No birth record has been sourced for George. See research notes.
2. ↑ Encyclopedia Titanica Biography of George Hugh Rice: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/george-rice.html
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGJ5-MZZ : accessed 10 April 2023), George Rice in household of Margaret Rice, Hillyard, Spokane, Washington, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 207, sheet 24B, family 565, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1669; FHL microfilm 1,375,682.
4. ↑ Ireland Census 1911 Castle Street, Westmeath, Ireland First name(s) George Last name Rice Sex Male Birth year 1904 Birth place America Age 7 Relationship to head Son Marital status Single Marital status as transcribed Single Occupation Scholar Townland/Street Castle Street District electoral division Athlone West Urban County Westmeath Country Ireland Religion Roman Catholic Image link http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Westmeath/Athlone_West_Urban/Castle_Street/876464 Family member first name(s) Margaret, Albert, Eric, Arthur, Frank, Catherine Family member last name Rice, Norton Record set Ireland Census 1911 Category Census, land & surveys Subcategory Census Collections from Ireland
5. ↑ "Ireland Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QYRM-3XW2 : 27 December 2018), George Rice in entry for Margaret Rice, 1911; citing Street, County Westmeath, Ireland, Census, National Archives of Ireland, Dublin.
6. ↑ 1911 Irish Census: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Westmeath/Athlone_West_Urban/Castle_Street/876464/ First name(s) Last name Relationship to head Marital status Age Birth year Birth place Margaret Rice Head of family Widowed 39 1872 Co Westmeath Albert Rice Son Single 9 1902 America George Rice Son Single 7 1904 America Eric Rice Son Single 5 1906 America Arthur Rice Son Single 4 1907 America Frank Rice Son Single 1 1910 America Catherine Norton Niece Single 15 1896 Co Sligo
7. ↑ "United Kingdom, Outgoing Passenger Lists, 1890-1960", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68GL-DBQB : 27 October 2021), George Rice, 1912. Name George Rice Sex Male Age 9 Travel Place NEW YORK, New York, United States Arrival Place USA Birth Date 1903 Occupation CHILD Event Type Emigration Event Date 11 Apr 1912 Event Place Ireland Source Amended N Arrival Port NEW YORK Departure Port QUEENSTOWN Ship Name TITANIC Shipping Company WHITE STAR LINE Note George Hugh Rice. Born 1903 in Montreal Canada. 3rd Class British Passenger. Perished.