Boatswain Mate Godwin Jonathan Wickham
Crew member | Sailors15.6.1888
Biography
G. J. Wickham was born on 15th June 1888 in Barmouth in Wales to Welsh father and English mother. He had 3 siblings, Irvine [B. 1884], David [B. 1885.] and Marian [B. 1890]. They lived in middle-class home. His father was an local shop owner and his shop was well known amongst locals. His mother was a house-wife. He was educated at local school. He quickly took hobby in sailing as Barmouth was port-city. Godwin often went out at sea with his friends in small sailboats.
After graduating at age of 15, he went to find job at sea. He would join Elder Dempster Line as an ordinary seaman and serve onboard various of their ships, going hardly amongst ranks and quickly left it. He later joined Royal Navy again as an able-rate. He joined White Star Line in 1908 and quickly went up in ranks, gaining rank of an Boatswain. He, being an experienced sea mariner would be well trusted amongst the company and brought onboard many of their vessels, for example: Celtic, Baltic, Oceanic, Cedric, Adriatic and way more. He had served onboard all of big four vessels and onboard one olympic-class vessel, that being Olympic.
He joined Olympic in 1911 on her Maiden Voyage as her Boatswain's mate and served onboard her for various voyages, even being onboard her during Hawke collision. He was on the Docking Bridge and so his testimony was very valuable. After Olympic was finished with repairs and back to service, they made sure they had him back onboard her. He would've been onboard Olympic during Titanic's sinking and would only find out what happened afterwards.
He joined Arabic in August of 1912, after a year long service onboard Olympic, he was quite happy with how his career went so far and was sure to continue it as it is. He would later be appointed to Celtic again as her Boatswain. He met a kind man by name of Steven Moore, his fellow Boatswain's Mate. He became good friends with Steven during his service onboard Celtic and he trusted him a lot. Sadly Moore would end up having dying in a car accident in May of 1913 which would've made Wickham quite sad but he had no other choice but to continue what he loved the most.
A war has now broke out, and Godwin went to serve in Navy, he would've served onboard various ships during that time. He would've gone back to White Star Line in 1915, again as their Boatswain. He went to serve onboard Olympic again now as Boatswain unlike last time that he served onboard her as the Boatswain's Mate. He would've had a young men as his Mate's, they were Roger Kemp and James Millar, he quickly built trust around these men and would insist to keep them as his Mate's during his time onboard Olympic.
He sadly had to leave Olympic in September of 1916 to a new ship. His Mate, Mr. Kemp was promoted to Boatswain and they had new mate come onboard. But it was not so bad for Wickham after all, he was now onboard Britannic, sister ship of Olympic and Titanic. He quickly became familliar to the ship, only noticing few changes from Olympic. He sadly lost his rank as Boatswain and was just an Boatswain's Mate, though he didn't complain and just went on with it. He was onboard her for her fifth round trip and now, it is time for another trip onboard her.
After graduating at age of 15, he went to find job at sea. He would join Elder Dempster Line as an ordinary seaman and serve onboard various of their ships, going hardly amongst ranks and quickly left it. He later joined Royal Navy again as an able-rate. He joined White Star Line in 1908 and quickly went up in ranks, gaining rank of an Boatswain. He, being an experienced sea mariner would be well trusted amongst the company and brought onboard many of their vessels, for example: Celtic, Baltic, Oceanic, Cedric, Adriatic and way more. He had served onboard all of big four vessels and onboard one olympic-class vessel, that being Olympic.
He joined Olympic in 1911 on her Maiden Voyage as her Boatswain's mate and served onboard her for various voyages, even being onboard her during Hawke collision. He was on the Docking Bridge and so his testimony was very valuable. After Olympic was finished with repairs and back to service, they made sure they had him back onboard her. He would've been onboard Olympic during Titanic's sinking and would only find out what happened afterwards.
He joined Arabic in August of 1912, after a year long service onboard Olympic, he was quite happy with how his career went so far and was sure to continue it as it is. He would later be appointed to Celtic again as her Boatswain. He met a kind man by name of Steven Moore, his fellow Boatswain's Mate. He became good friends with Steven during his service onboard Celtic and he trusted him a lot. Sadly Moore would end up having dying in a car accident in May of 1913 which would've made Wickham quite sad but he had no other choice but to continue what he loved the most.
A war has now broke out, and Godwin went to serve in Navy, he would've served onboard various ships during that time. He would've gone back to White Star Line in 1915, again as their Boatswain. He went to serve onboard Olympic again now as Boatswain unlike last time that he served onboard her as the Boatswain's Mate. He would've had a young men as his Mate's, they were Roger Kemp and James Millar, he quickly built trust around these men and would insist to keep them as his Mate's during his time onboard Olympic.
He sadly had to leave Olympic in September of 1916 to a new ship. His Mate, Mr. Kemp was promoted to Boatswain and they had new mate come onboard. But it was not so bad for Wickham after all, he was now onboard Britannic, sister ship of Olympic and Titanic. He quickly became familliar to the ship, only noticing few changes from Olympic. He sadly lost his rank as Boatswain and was just an Boatswain's Mate, though he didn't complain and just went on with it. He was onboard her for her fifth round trip and now, it is time for another trip onboard her.