THE ‘true hero’ of the Titanic had given up the chance to join the family business – a Chester-based jewellers – to run away to sea.

Harold Lowe, fifth officer onboard Titanic, grew up in Barmouth where his father ran a branch of Chester-based Lowe and Sons and was a regular visitor to the Chester store, owned by his uncle.

The general manager of Lowe and Sons, on Bridge Street Row, Kevin Parry, said: “They were a close family so Harold would have been here quite a few times. His father owned a branch of the jewellers and all the silversmithing was done here.”

Mr Lowe’s father was opposed to the idea of his son becoming a sailor because Harold’s brother George died in a boating accident.

He offered to get his son an apprenticeship but at 15 Harold was determined to start earning money, so he ran away to sea.

At the age of 29 he was appointed to the post of fifth officer on the maiden voyage of the White Star Line’s passenger liner Titanic.

This Sunday will mark the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking.

Mr Parry said: “Harold Lowe is remembered for his role in the rescue attempts on Titanic because he was the only person who went back to look for more survivors.

“He is portrayed in the film by the actor Ioan Gruffudd and fires shots to get people off the lifeboats, because they are just for women and children.”

Once he had transferred passengers from a lifeboat to safety on another boat he and a small crew returned to the site of the sinking and made their way through the wreckage to find survivors.

He is said to have rescued a number of passengers, including Rhoda Abbott – who was the only woman who went in to the water and lived.

American first class passenger Rene Harris later dubbed Mr Lowe ‘the real hero of the Titanic’ for his efforts.

She gave him a number of expensive gifts to thank him for his work, including a gold pocket watch.

After the sinking, which killed 1,514 crew and passengers, Mr Lowe returned to the sea and sailed to Australia a number of times, before retiring to Deganwy with his wife and two children in 1931, where he died in 1944 aged 62.

His son, also called Harold, eventually moved back to Australia.

Mr Parry said: “A lot of the family are still out in Australia and we have had a few of them visiting the country and coming to see the family shop.

“Not everyone realises that the Lowes have a Titanic connection but customers are always fascinated when we tell them.”

To mark the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking, Lowe and Sons will be holding an exhibition from Monday, April 16.

The exhibition will tie in with the 50th anniversary of the closing of the Chester Assay Office, where silver was hallmarked.

The exhibition will run until the end of September at Lowe and Sons, 11 Bridge Street Row.