Stoke-on-Trent, or the "Potteries" as it is commonly known, is made up of a Federation of Five Towns, namely :  Stoke, Longton, Burslem, Tunstall and Hanley.  It was in Hanley on Sunday 27th January 1850 that Edward John Smith was born to Edward and Catherine Smith. The birth took place at their home address of 51 Well Street, a modest two up two down Victorian Terraced house situated on the newly built Wellington Estate. (See Map below).

Surprisingly, the Smith family occupied 3 houses in Well Street. After leaving his job as a potter, a sound profession in a City that is famous for it's ceramics, Edward Smith (Senior) purchased a grocers store, (17 Well Street), where he and Catherine built quite a successful business. Later, the family moved to No. 30, taking the store with them. Unfortunately, during the 1960's, the top half of the street was demolished to make way for the modern hi-rise flats and masionettes that now stand in it's place.

Well street, Hanley.

(Click on the Black boxes to view Photographs).

All photographs of 51 Well Street are published with the kind permission of the property's current owners, Mr & Mrs G Matthews.

The young Edward Smith, or "Ted" as he was called, was educated at the Etruria British School, at a cost of 3 shillings a month paid by his parents. The School, some 1 and a half miles from his home, was at the time, located within the grounds of the Wesleyan Chapel, (Etruria Old Road), but the building was later given to the Sunday school which is still used Today. Ted, along with other day pupils, was transferred to the Etruria Board School, (Humbert Street), which has now been converted to Education Workshops. Both the Wesleyan Chapel and the Etruria Board School  can be seen on the Map below. 

Etruria Old Road and Humbert Street.

(Click on the Black boxes to view Photographs).

The terrible news of the Titanic sinking whilst under the command of Captain Smith, had a profound effect on the City of Stoke-on-Trent. With accusations of him being to blame, published in newspapers around the World, the City severed all ties it had with "The man who sank Titanic".

But now, speaking as a resident of the City myself, gone are the days when Stoke-on-Trent was embarrassed to be associated with Edward J. Smith and his involvement with the Titanic disaster. As time has passed, the story of R.M.S Titanic has been re-born to new generations. Our Schools, Museums and our Libraries now recite, with pride, the memorable, yet tragic life of "Staffordshire's Most Famous Son".

In our Town Hall, a framed portrait of E.J. Smith, (wearing his Royal Naval Reserve Lieutenant's Uniform), hangs above the polished Tablet that commemorates his gallantry. The proud Statue in Beacon Park is still admirably gazed upon by visitors from all over the world, and in the City's new Shopping Centre, a hand painted mural dominates an interior wall, depicting Smith along with the last ship to come under his command, R.M.S Titanic.

Stoke-on-Trent will never again "Forget" the boy that rose from it's cobbled streets, to become the World's most respected and admired sea Captain. 

The commemorative plaque reads as follows -

All Maps (and Photographs contained within them) are the Copyright of Carl Uttley, and redistribution of their contents in any form, printed or electronic, is prohibited. If you wish to use information found within, please obtain written permission by sending your request via Email.