Person    | Male  Born 26/2/1870  Died 15/4/1912

Father Thomas Byles

Categories: Religion

Catholic priest. Born Roussel Davids Byles in Leeds. He was ordained in 1902, (which is when he took the name of Thomas), and in 1905 was assigned to St Helen's Parish in Chipping Ongar, Essex. He travelled on the RMS Titanic in order to officiate at his brother's wedding in New York. As the ship was sinking, he reputedly twice refused a place on a lifeboat, and gave absolution to more than a hundred passengers who remained trapped on the stern of the ship. His body, if recovered, was never identified. In 2015, the first steps were taken to making him a saint.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Father Thomas Byles

Commemorated ati

Father Thomas Byles - home

The church that erected the plaque is immediately behind this house, which is...

Read More

Father Thomas Byles - station

Although we have not been able to find this plaque we have not marked it as '...

Read More

Other Subjects

Stratford Langthorne Abbey

Stratford Langthorne Abbey

A Cistercian monastery. Also called St Mary's or West Ham Abbey, one of the largest Cistercian abbeys in England, it existed until the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Although the ruins were pillag...

Building, Religion

1 memorial
Stratford Martyrs

Stratford Martyrs

The church website has done a very thorough job on the history not just of the memorial but the church and the area so we quote them here on the background to the martyrs: "In 1553 Queen Mary Tudor...

Group, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
William Hallywel

William Hallywel

Burnt at the stake in Bow (or possibly Stratford) for his Protestant beliefs.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
Pete Broadbent

Pete Broadbent

Bishop of Willesden from 2001. He caused controversy when Prince William and Catherine Middleton became engaged. He announced he was a republican, calling the couple 'shallow celebrities' and sayin...

Person, Religion

1 memorial
Diocese of London

Diocese of London

From the Picture source: The Diocese of London is the group of Church of England organisations located in North London. It comprises parishes, schools, chaplaincies, missional communities and other...

Group, Politics & Administration, Religion

1 memorial

Previously viewed

West Ham Battalion

West Ham Battalion

E15, Stadium Crescent, West Ham Stadium Store

This plaque is similar to one that used to be located at the former West Ham United, Boleyn Ground.

4 subjects commemorated
George Green School

George Green School

Founded by shipbuilder George Green as an infants' school, at the corner of Chrisp Street and East India Dock Road. Further premises were used in Prestons Road. The school outgrew those premises (n...

Building, Education

3 memorials
Private John Lynn, VC

Private John Lynn, VC

Soldier. Born in Forest Hill, London. On 2nd May, 1915 near Ypres, the enemy was advancing behind a wave of poison gas. In spite of being almost overcome by the fumes, he turned his machine-gun aga...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium

1 memorial
Paul McCartney - SE16

Paul McCartney - SE16

SE16, Bermondsey Wall East, The Old Justice pub

The Old Justice Sir Paul McCartney, MBE, musician & songwriter, used the interiors and exteriors of this public house as locations in...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Sir Terence Rattigan

Sir Terence Rattigan

Playwright. Born Terence Mervyn Rattigan at 100 Cornwall Gardens, London. He achieved early theatrical success with his comedy 'French Without Tears' in 1936. This was followed by 'The Winslow Boy'...

Person, Seriously Famous, Theatre, Bermuda

1 memorial