Henry 'Harry' Sutehall, Jr.

Titanica

• Name: Mr Henry Jr Sutehall
• Born: Friday 23rd July 1886
• Age: 25 years
• Last Residence: in London London England
• Occupation: Coach Trimmer
• 3rd Class passenger
• First Embarked: Southampton on Wednesday 10th April 1912
• Ticket No. 392076 , £7 1s
• Destination: Buffalo New York United States
• Died in the sinking.
• Body Not Recovered

Henry Sutehall Jr. was born in England on 23 July 1886, the first son of Henry Sutehall, Sr., born in 1864, and Sarah Stanton Sutehall, born in 1866. His father and mother had married on 2 August 1885 and had built a family consisting of Henry and two siblings before leaving England for the United States in 1895. Both his sister, Clara, born in 1889, and his brother, William, born a year later in 1890, were born in England. Following immigration to America, the Sutehalls settled in the Buffalo, New York are and two more children were born: Ella, in 1897, and Edwin, in 1902.

Henry's father was a plasterer and worked on some of Buffalos' finest new constructions. One of those buildings was the cathedral on Delaware Street in Buffalo designed by architect and fellow Titanic passenger Edward A. Kent. Henry's mother operated the family's corner store at 2852 Delaware Avenue at the intersection of Mang Street in Kenmore, a suburb of Buffalo.

Henry, called Harry by his friends and family, worked as a "trimmer", installing and repairing upholstery in carriages and early automobiles. It was at his workplace, E. E. Denniston's in Buffalo, that he met a young man named Howard Irwin, who rapidly became his best friend.

On 1 January 1910 Henry and Howard embarked on a world tour and travelled throughout the United States during 1910. As Howard recorded in a diary only recently recovered from the wreck of the Titanic:

"On Jan. 1st, Harry Sutehall and myself started on a trip around the world. Working our way, stopping in all the principalities between Buff & Frisco. From there to Australia, then through the Suez Canal & Med. Sea to England. From there to New York and Buffalo we figure. With luck this trip will take us two years and with bad luck (WELL) we are going anyway."

When they were fortunate, they found work at their trade as trimmers. Other times, they worked at any job they could find, even picking peaches in California. In mid 1911, they left the United States for Australia. Finding employment in their profession, they remained there for a time. While in Sydney Henry met a young lady with whom he fell deeply in love. Research has not yet uncovered her name, but Henry's descendants tell the story of his young lady in Australia, to whom he became engaged. His intentions, according to letters home, were to return eventually to Australia and marry this woman.

Neither Henry or Howard were wealthy people so it was a second piece of good fortune that Henry won a sweepstake that helped to fund the rest of the tour. Both were musicians also and it is likely that they were able to earn extra money in this way. Henry and Howard parted company when they left Australia but it is believed that they reunited briefly in Durban, South Africa and vowed to meet again in England early in 1912 to conclude the voyage home together.

Henry's movements during the time he and Howard were travelling separately are unknown. He eventually arrived in England to spend time with his many relatives, he had previously revisited England in 1907. Howard had arrived in England about a week before Henry and the two reunited travellers spent time together awaiting the day Titanic would depart.

Henry boarded the Titanic at Southampton on 10 April 1912 with him were items of Howard's luggage but Howard himself did not board the ship.

In 1993, during recovery efforts at the wreck site a steamer trunk was recovered and taken to France for restoration. After 81 years at the bottom of the ocean, Howard Irwin's personal possessions were found. Among the trunk's contents were love letters from 21 year old Pearl Shuttle, a travelling musician, to Howard Irwin. Pearl died of pneumonia in October 1911. It is possible that Irwin had received word of her illness and hastened home leaving some of his belongings with Henry.

Henry died in the sinking, his body, if recovered, was never identified.

Henry's father was appointed by the courts as Administrator of Henry's estate after his death. They received $200 in damages from the White Star line on 14 March 1916.

Howard Irwin died in 1953.

Articles

• David R. Shuttle and Barbara W. Shuttle (1998) A Tragic Friendship. First published in Voyage: the journal of Titanic International.

References T* he Buffalo News Titanic letters tell true story of lost love. 8 February 1998

Acknowledgements

• RMS Titanic inc.
• Contributors
• Philip R. Bousquet, USA
• Dave Shuttle, USA
• Barbara Shuttle, USA

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http://www.allatsea.co.za/zatitanic.htm

"Henry (aka Harry) Sutehall was born on the 23rd July 1883 in England. He started a round-the-world trip on the 1st January 1910 and purposefully waited to return home to the USA on the Titanic's maiden voyage. His family had immigrated to the USA in 1895 where they settled in Buffalo, New York. Henry became a trimmer, installing and repairing upholstery in carriages and early cars. He met Howard Irwin at work and they decided to do a world tour, while working wherever they could find employment. During 1910, they travelled all over the USA. In mid-1911, they left for Australia. While in Sydney, Henry won a sweepstakes that helped fund the rest of their trip. The two friends wanted to visit different places and at this stage, they each went their own way. They met up again in Durban and made plans to meet in England early in 1912 to conclude the voyage home together. While in Durban, they entered a talent contest and won a trip. Henry played the violin and Howard played the clarinet. Howard most likely used the prize to fund his travels, arriving in England a week before Henry.

On the day of their departure from Southampton, Howard did not show up. Henry already had put Howard's steamer trunk onboard the ship, but Howard never showed up. Henry did not survive the voyage. In 1993, during recovery efforts at the wreck site by RMS Titanic, Inc. Howard's steamer trunk was found. Among the contents was a diary that Howard kept for 1910. The diary and several of Howard's possessions can be seen in museums in St. Petersburg and Boston. Howard Irwin died in 1953."