IT has been discovered that one of the gravestones in Thursley churchyard belongs to a survivor of the Titanic, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in April 1912.

A recent article in the Thursley Parish Magazine, by Amanda Flint, stated that a “little bit of detective work led to the uncovering of a long-obscured pyramid base stone cross upon which was found, a memorial buried and covered by accumulated earth and vegetation”.

The gravestone belongs to Ohio (USA) born survivor, Mary Natalie Wick, daughter to Youngstown-native and iron magnate, George Dennick Wick, and Cleveland-born, Mary Caroline Chamberlain.

Mary’s mother passed away in 1893 and her father remarried in 1896, to Mary Peebles Hitchcock, mother to George Dennick Jr.

Due to her father’s ill-health, she joined her family on an venture to Europe in February 1912, in hopes that it will benefit his well-being. Finishing their journey in London, they boarded the Titanic at Southampton as first class passengers.

On the night of the tragic incident, April 14, 1912, Mary, with her step-mother, auntie and cousin escaped safely on lifeboat eight. After five hours drifting they were rescued by RMS Carpthia – a Cunard Line transatlantic passenger steamship.

In 1916, Mary married London-native and colonel in the British Army, Tom St Aubyn Barrett Lennard Nevinson, in London.

Keeping homes in both England and France, the pair later had two daughters. During her more mature years she lived in Thursley and passed away following surgery in October 1944. Mary was also a resident of, what was then, Stoneyhead Nursing Home in Hindhead.

Tom did not remarry, and upon passing in November 1951, was buried with Mary in St Michael and All Angels Churchyard, Thursley.