Frederick Dent Ray
{{short description|Survivor of RMS Titanic}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Frederick Dent Ray
| birth_name =
| birth_date = 20 June 1879
| birth_place = London, U.K
| death_date = 15 January 1977
(aged 97 years, 6 months and 26 days)
| death_place = Billericay, Essex
| known_for = One of the oldest male survivors of {{RMS|Titanic||2}}, and one of the longest living among the surviving crew
| spouse = Annie Beatrice Burt (1908－1952, her death)
Rose Mary Ray (1952-1977, his death)
| children =
}}
Frederick Dent Ray (20 June 1879 – 15 January 1977) was one of the last remaining male survivors of the {{RMS|Titanic}} and was one of the longest living among the surviving crew.
Early life
Aboard ''Titanic''
Aged 32, Ray boarded the {{RMS|Titanic}} on 10 April 1912, as a first-class saloon steward for a monthly wage of £3 15p after being redirected from the ship {{RMS|Olympic}}.
On Sunday, 14 April 1912, his shift ended at 9 pm and he went to room 3 on E-deck, where he slept with 27 others. Awoken by the collision, he first thought it was a problem in the engine room, and he began to drift back to sleep when two stewards arrived to tell people to prepare and go to the lifeboats.
After assisting recalcitrant passengers into Lifeboats 9 and 11, Mr. Ray boarded the half-full Lifeboat 13. As the boat was lowered into the water, a wrapped infant was tossed down to Ray, who caught the child and brought it to safety.
Ray survived the sinking and made it to the ship {{RMS|Carpathia}}. He returned home to his wife, who was in North Wales for recuperation from ill health.
Later life
Frederick's wife Annie died in 1952. He was remarried a few months later to Rose Mary Ray, née Lawrence (b. 4 December 1890). They spent some time in Maidstone, Kent, before settling in Billericay, Essex, where he spent the rest of his life.
Death
Frederick died in Basildon Hospital on 15 January 1977 following complications from fracturing his hip and was later cremated. Aged 97 years, 6 months and 26 days, he became the longest living among the surviving crew, and his death left only two remaining crewmen, Frank Prentice and Sidney Daniels.
References
- {{cite web|url=https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/frederick-dent-ray.html |title=Frederick Dent Ray: Titanic Survivor |date=15 November 2005 |publisher=Encyclopedia Titanica |accessdate=August 29, 2017 }}
{{RMS Titanic}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ray, Frederick Dent}}
Category:People from Southwark