Wednesday afternoon

Planted some tomatoes, courgettes, chilli peppers in my plastic greenhouse. First greenhouse I ever had - if it works might persuade Himself to put in a real one! He says I'm taking away the livelihood of market gardeners across the world but I shall ignore him (as usual)

Henry Fairall

Henry Charles Fairall died on 15 April 1912. 

He was born on the Isle of Wight, the son of George, a carpenter, and Miranda Fairall. He married Ellen in 1900 and by that time he was working as a Post Carrier or Messenger. By 1911, he and Ellen had three daughters – Mary,  Isabella, and Norah – and had moved to Portswood, Southampton, where they boarded with the Harrison family.  Henry now had a job working as a Ship’s Steward.  

On 4 April 1912 Henry signed on to the Titanic in Belfast for her initial trip to Southampton which was to be her home port. His new job was as a steward for the first class saloon.

Henry died in the sinking of the Titanic. The news reached his wife and you can imagine the shock to her. Later that year their last child, Charles Anthony, was born and then died that October. Henry’s body was never identified. He was 40.

So why include him on this blog? Henry was  the first cousin of husband of my grand aunt – rather tenuous link for exchange of birthday cards but typical of the sort of historical nugget you can throw up when researching your family tree. Henry’s story was typical of many of the crew, most of whom came from the south Hampshire area.

So would I describe myself as a genealogist? Only an armchair one – one of the blessings of the internet. And are there any more “Henry”s in my tree? Probably. And will they appear – perhaps....

Let's Go!

Another beautiful day in south Hampshire and I've started this blog. Idea came to me in the middle of the night and wonder of wonders stuck with me till the morning