Hedley Peters sold Titanic tickets via his travel agency business to two people from Sittingbourne

by Hayley Robinson

hrobinson@thekmgroup.co.uk

It's 100 years since the Titanic set sail and the people on board have become as famous as the sinking of the ship itself.

Among the passengers were two Sittingbourne residents – Kate Buss, of Bayford Road and Richard Henry Rouse, of New Road – although the houses there no longer exist.

According to records Miss Buss paid around £13 for her second-class passenger ticket.

The 36-year-old was travelling alone for her marriage to Samuel Willis in San Diego, California.
Mr Rouse, a labourer, paid £8 1s to sail third class.

The 50-year-old was off to find work in Cleveland. His wife Charity and their eight-year-old daughter Gladys stayed behind but were expected to join him at a later date.

The former home of Kate Buss, Titanic survivor

Both obtained their tickets from local travel agent Hedley Peters who ran his business from 93 High Street, Sittingbourne.

His grandson Michael Peters, 72, of Gore Court Road, Sittingbourne, said: "Most people didn’t own their own homes then. Some bought their own tickets but for those who couldn’t afford it he would sell their furniture to cover the cost of their ticket.

“It was also my grandfather’s custom to accompany the port parties of emigrants from our town, whose tickets he had booked.”

The vessel set sail from Southampton to New York City on April 10, 1912.
She was said to be unsinkable but five days later the liner sank in the north Atlantic after hitting an iceberg.

Of the 2,228 passengers and crew members onboard only 705 survived.
Among them was Miss Buss, who escaped on lifeboat nine.

Mr Rouse died in the disaster. His wife, who is believed to have tried to have talked him out of travelling on Titanic, is said to have collapsed when she received the news of his death. It is unclear if his body was recovered.

Upon hearing the news Mr Peters set up a benevolent fund for Mrs Rouse and her daughter.

Michael said: “I am very proud of him for doing that. My grandfather was the national chairman of the fire brigade’s widows and orphans benevolent fund, hence starting a fund to collect for the Rouse family came naturally to him.
“The sum collected was never made public.”