Stories from The Titanic

Eva, Bertram Vere & Millvina. The Daily Sketch; April 1912

The story of
The Dean family

Third class passengers, Titanic

The Dean family consisted of Bertram Frank Dean, his wife Eva Georgette and their two children, Bertram Vere aged two and Eliza Gladys ‘Millvina’, aged just nine weeks. They lived in London in the public house that they owned.

Eva, Bertram Vere & Millvina. The Daily Sketch; April 1912

In 1912 Bertram decided to emigrate with his family to Kansas, where he had family, friends and a house waiting for them and where he hoped to open a tobacconist shop. Bertram sold the public house and purchased a third class ticket for his family; costing £20 11s 6d. The family were originally booked on another White Star liner, but owing to the coal strike were transferred to Titanic and boarded in Southampton.

On the night of the sinking Bertram was alerted to the danger by the actual collision. He left the cabin to investigate and soon returned, telling his wife to get the sleeping children dressed and up on deck.

It is not clear which lifeboat rescued the Deans. Eva boarded one boat with her daughter but lost track of her young son. She was, however, calmed by the idea that her husband was still on board to look for him and would go with him in another lifeboat. Bertram had promised that he would see her later. Eva was reunited with her son on the Carpathia, but her husband lost his life in the disaster.

The Dean’s arrived in New York where Eva and her children were taken to hospital to recuperate. They returned to England and went to live with Eva’s parents near Southampton. Eva received £40 from an Emergency Relief Fund and a pension of 23 shillings per week for the care of her children until they were 18.

Eva died in 1975 aged 96, Bertram Vere died in 1992 aged 81 and Eliza Gladys ‘Millvina’ Dean died in 2009 aged 97.