John Wesley Woodward and Headington
John Wesley Woodward (1879–1912) was born at West Bromwich, the youngest of the nine children of Joseph and Martha Woodward.
At the time of the 1891 census John (11) was still at school, and living with his widowed mother Martha (52) and his older siblings Mary, Martha, Thomas, Frederick, Herbert, and Roland at 26 Hawkes Lane, West Bromwich.
By the time of the 1901 census John's mother had moved down to 265 Cowley Road, Oxford, and John (21), described as a musician, was living with her, together with two of his brothers: Thomas (32), who was a professional singer and lay clerk, and Herbert (28).
John Wesley Woodward was a 'cello player, and in 1909 he joined the White Star Line. He played in the band on the maiden voyage of the Titanic, and at the age of 32 died (along with all the other musicians) when she sank on 15 April 1912. His home was then in Headington, at No. 2 The Firs (now No. 24) Windmill Road, Headington.
A plaque in All Saints Church, Headington, reads as follows:
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF
JOHN WESLEY WOODWARD
BANDSMAN ON THE S.S. TITANIC
WHO WITH HIS COMRADES
NOBLY PERFORMED HIS DUTY TO THE LAST
WHEN THE SHIP SANK
AFTER COLLISION WITH AN ICEBERG
ON APRIL 15 1912.
BORN SEPT: 11, 1879.
"NEARER MY GOD TO THEE."
John's brother Herbert Edward Woodward was living alone at Lynwood, 24 Windmill Road, at the time of the 1911 census and working as a gardener, and remained there until 1919. By 1911 John Woodward's mother had gone up to Walsall to live with her son Samuel and his family.
Page on John Woodward on Titanic website
