A small congregation gathered in Southampton for the rededication of the grave of Alderman Henry Bowyer, who, 100 years ago, was the moving force behind the Titanic Relief Fund.

With the centenary of the sinking of Titanic approaching later this month, a short open-air service was held at Southampton Old Cemetery on the Common at the benefactor’s graveside.

Henry Bowyer, mayor of Southampton in 1912 at the time of the Titanic tragedy, organised the local charity which helped widows and orphans of crew members who died when the ill-fated White Star liner sank after hitting an iceberg on her maiden voyage.

Descendants of Henry Bowyer, who died aged 48 in 1915, joined the present Southampton mayor, Councillor Terry Matthews, Professor James Curl, president of the Friends of Southampton Old Cemetery, representatives of the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) and the city’s Sea Cadets in laying wreaths at the newly restored grave.

Councillor Matthews said the city was “immensely proud’’ of the work Alderman Bowyer, a Trinity House pilot and RNR member, undertook a century ago in helping the bereaved families of Southampton seafarers lost on Titanic.

Find out more about Titanic

You can find out more about Titanic and the disaster's impact on Southampton with the Daily Echo.

Throughout the coming weeks, we will be showcasing unique content in our Titanic mini-site.

In the meantime, you can discover key sites across the city relating to the tragedy, the latest news relating to the ship or even find out some of the key facts behind the vessel, her demise and the people who perished and survived, including a list of all the crew members and the locations of their homes in Southampton.