July 1st, 1879 - January 14th, 1950

She is a Cancer.

Florence Kate Stears was born in Hollingbourne, Kent, England to John Stears (1845 - 1910), an agricultural labourer, and Christina Filmer (1848 - 1923), Kent natives who had married in late 1865. She had 3 known siblings: Emma (1866 - 1928; later Mrs. William Crundwell), William Henry (born 1869), and Anna Elizabeth (born 1875). Florence, or Kate as she was better known, first appears on the 1881 census when she and her family were living at Eyhorn Street in Hollingbourne. The 1891 census shows the family living at an unspecified address in Bearsted, Kent.

Florence was married on December 26th, 1899 in Thurnham, Kent to Percival Thorneycroft (born 1875), an agricultural labourer and a native of Leeds, Kent. They had one child, John Frederick (born 1907) who died whilst he was still a infant. Percy and Florence appeared on the 1901 census living at Horsham Road, Thurnham, Kent and on the 1911 census at Fancy Row, Thurnham. Living with them also at the time of the 1911 census was Florence's widowed mother.

Aboard Titanic/April 14th-15th, 1912:
Percy and Florence boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton as 3rd class passengers. Their last address was given as Walter Street, Penge, London and they were headed to Clinton, New York. Travelling with them was Charles Robert Guest from their locale in Kent. During the voyage, Florence had been seasick and on the night of the sinking was unable to sleep. She felt a sudden jar and then noticed the cessation of the engines. Dressing and leaving her cabin with her husband, she was perhaps among the small groups of women led up to the lifeboats by stewards. It's also likely she last saw her husband in the 3rd class quarters before she was brought to the boat deck as she described how men started to follow the women (from the aft well deck) but were ordered back "in harsh terms, being told that unless they went back they would be shot..." Florence didn't realize it would be the last she saw of her husband and believed that the men would be cared for similarly at a later time.

Upon reaching the boat deck, she described being flung into a lifeboat and her experience in the boat was less than comfortable: due to leaks, water flowed in and many of the occupants were forced to stand. She was positioned so close to the crewmen that every time he rowed she was struck by the oar, leaving her bruised and sore. Florence was rescued from the sinking, possibly in lifeboat 10. Percy and Charles was lost in the disaster.

After The Sinking/Later Life/Death:
When Florence arrived in New York she was met by family. She didn't however, settle in New York and left the USA altogether, arriving back in England on July 5th, 1912 aboard the Adriatic and she was reunited with her family there. Florence was remarried at the beginning of 1913 to Albert Thomas White (November 20th, 1886), a general labourer who was a 2nd cousin and native of Kent. The couple had no children and continued to live in Maidstone and were shown residing there on the 1939 British Register.

Florence frequently spoke of the events of the sinking and her arrival in New York but in later life was said to have suffered from dementia. Her family believe this arose because of the trauma of the sinking and the loss of her husband. She coined a phrase which is still used by members of the family today - 'I firgit so' —a phrase she used whenever she became confused. Florence died in Bromley, Kent on January 14th, 1950 at the age of 70. Her widower Albert died on June 25th, 1961.

Sources:
www.encyclopedia-titanica.org

Rest In Peace Florence Kate Thorneycroft.