I recently acquired a photo of two White Star Lines officers (in uniform) and their family/friends standing on the deck of a small steamer. It is a “Cabinet Print” style photo dating from the late 1800’s to very early 1900’s. The steamer has been positively identified as the “Paris”, a cross channel ferry from England to France. It was one of the “Brighton Fleet”. When I bought the photo, I immediately recognized the officer on the left.
He is the R.M.S. Titanic’s Chief Purser, Herbert Fitzhugh Walter McElroy. The ladies next to him (right to left) are his wife Barbara, his sister Charlotte, and his mother Jessie. I have not yet identified the little girl, other officer, two men, or young lady on the right side of the photo. What I would like to do, is try to find any surviving descendants of his family, so that I can get them free copies of this lovely family photo. (If he were related to me, I know that I would want a copy.)
I do know that Mr. McElroy did not have any children, and that his wife remarried in 1913 or 1914. Most probably, descendants would come from his sister’s side of the family. On a personal note for you, though, I have been told by Dennis Cochrane that McElroy, Lattimer, and Doctor O’Laughlin were part of Capt. Smith’s “crowd”. That is to say, that they followed him from command to command as he transferred to various vessels. They were his “favorite” officers, and almost family to him. (Mr. Cochrane is an antiquarian in S. England who specializes in the White Star Line) Please feel free to print a copy of the attached photo-file for yourself. (If what Mr. Cochrane says is true, then Mr. McElroy was a close friend of your family’s) If you know of any relatives of Mr. McElroy’s please contact me. This photo is the only one of him (other than the one from the Cork Examiner) known to exist.
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely, John Hemmert.