Joseph Aiston, 20, was a British national living in Brooklyn, New York, United States, returning to England aboard Lusitania to join the British Army. Aiston survived the sinking.
Joseph Aiston was born in Blaydon-on-Tyne, Winlaton parish, County Durham, England, United Kingdom in September 1896, the ninth of eleven children. His records appear on the 1901 British census. Joseph emigrated to the United States in 1912. Unable to take up his booking on Titanic because his papers had not come through, he traveled third class on Lusitania. He was detained on Ellis Island until he was rescued by his eldest brother William, who was by then a US citizen.
Joseph lived in Brooklyn, New York, and worked in the shipyards. When war broke out, the Anglophile community in which lived raised money for British troops and ambulances. Joseph decided to go back to England in May of 1915 to join the British Army. He was unable to go before this, as he had lost the tip of a finger in an accident at work and was waiting for his compensation claim to be settled. Aiston booked second cabin on the Lusitania.
Aiston was on the deck after lunch when the Lusitania was struck, and believed that two torpedoes had hit the ship. He got a lifejacket from those available on deck, and he was on the deck when the ship went down. He was in the water for some time, clinging to a log, before being picked up by a lifeboat and then transferred to a fishing boat and taken ashore.
He subsequently joined the army (Essex Regiment) and served in Palestine. In 1923, he married the younger sister of his brother William’s wife and eventually settled in Worcestershire. He died in March 1974 leaving a widow, a daughter and four grandchildren.
Contributors:
Sue Hancock
Lena Kaltenbrunner
Mr. Joseph Aiston was an Uncle of my Father- John Thompson Aiston,
Hi Miriam, thank you for stopping by! Please let us know if there’s anything that we can add to this biography.
hi, this gentleman is related to me too, he was my great uncle. My grandfathers name was Bill (William) Spragg, UK, Joe, was married to my great grandmother sister, it’s fascinating as I have heard the story of his survival since a little girl.
How bizarre. My father William Aiston asked me to check this family story and when I have arrived on the site my cousin Miriam has looked at the same thing two days before.I believe we have relatives living in New York still?
Joseph Aiston was the brother of my grandfather William Aiston. My father, John A Aiston was William Aiston’s son. My father had told me this story when was I was young. My father had a brother William , who had 6 daughters who would be my 1st cousins. I don’t even know their names, but was always wondering what happened to them.
I wonder if Joseph Aiston was a brother of my grandfather Charles Aiston, Their ages would have been close. I googled my name Peter Joseph Aiston, and found this story, very interesting
Joseph Aiston had siblings Ellen, William, Thomas, Jane, Albert, Henrietta, John Thompson and Andrew, plus 2 or 3 who died in infancy. But no Charles.
if you are interested in the family history, get in touch – the co-ordinator will give you my details.
When I was young !! I was told by my Dad that a relative of his was rescued after he had to jump into the sea from the ship he was on because it had been hit by a torpedo, his watch had stopped at the exact time he hit the water., I can only presume it must have been Joseph Aiston`s watch. I wonder who has the watch now ? and does anyone else know about this watch.
I remember being told the same story by my nan about the watch, from what I can remember his wife kept it, was her name Emma or Emily ? I don’t know any more than that unfortunately.
Are you going to the Lusitania commemorations in Cobh, Liverpool or NYC?
Yes I am your cousin Miriam, Estelle, amazing how we looked at the same site,I was sent the information from Jennifer who was sent the information from her daughter Helen who said Southampton was awash with loads of information on the Titanic,but, we only new of a relative that had been on the Lusitania,who had tried to get on the Titanic and was n`t allowed.
Hi Miriam,
One of the contributors, Susan Hancock, would like to contact you as you may be relatives. Please privately message me under the “contacts” page and I can give you her information.
I have tried the contacts page but no good. Could you please forward my details to Susan Hancock please?
to Admin-,
I eagerly await the information from Susan Hancock,please pass on to her my details.
Mrs Miriam Naughton.(nee Aiston)
I cannot get the contacts page to work
Hi Miriam,
There should be an email in your inbox that can help you get in contact with Susan.