William George White

(2019) William George White Encyclopedia Titanica (ref: #1700, updated 20th November 2019 12:55:41 PM) URL : https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/william-geor...

Mr William George White

• Titanic Survivor
• Born: Sunday 21st October 1888 in Salisbury, Wiltdhire
• Age: 23 years 5 months and 25 days (Male)
• Last Residence: at 9 Calvert Street in Southampton, Hampshire, England
• Occupation: Trimmer
• Last Ship: "Olympic"
• Engineering crew
• First Embarked: Southampton on Saturday 6th April 1912
• Rescued : (Boat 15)
• Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912
• Died: Tuesday 1st February 1927 in Southampton, Hampshire, England aged 38 years
• Cause of Death: Influenza
• Buried: Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton, Hampshire, England
• Reference: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-lifeboat-15/ Life Boat No. 15
• Reference: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-deckplans/ R.M.S. Titanic deck plans

Mr William George White, 23, was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire on 21 October 1888.

When he signed on to the Titanic on 6 April 1912, he gave his address as 9 Colbert St, Northampton. He had transferred from the Olympic. As a trimmer he received monthly wages of £5 10s.

White was rescued in lifeboat 15.

Documents Crew Particulars of Engagement

Contributors Chris Dohany, USA Peter Engberg-Klarström, Sweden Brian Ticehurst, UK

• Reference: Full text- https://archive.org/details/truthabouttitani00grac/page/n6 "The Truth About the Titanic" by Colonel Archibald Gracie, IV 1913 pp. 296-294

BOAT NO. 15.*

• Br. Rpt., p. 38, places this next to last lowered on starboard side at 1.35.

No disorder in loading or lowering this boat. Passengers: All third-class women and children (53) and Men: Mr. Haven (first-class) and three others (third-class) only. Total: 4. Crew: Firemen: Diamond (in charge), Cavell, Taylor; Stewards: Rule, Hart. Total: 13. Grand Total (Br. Rpt., p. 38) : 70.

INCIDENTS

G. Cavell, trimmer (Br. Inq.) :

The officer ordered five of us In the boat. We took on all the women and children and the boat was then lowered. We lowered to the first-class (I. e. A) deck and took on a few more women and children, about five, and then lowered to the water. From the lower deck we took In about sixty. There were men about but we did not take them In. They were not kept back. They were third-class passengers, I think — sixty women, Irish. Fireman Diamond took charge. No other seaman In this boat. There were none left on the third-class decks after I had taken the women.

S. J. Rule, bathroom steward (Br. Inq.) : Mr. Murdoch called to the men to get Into the boat. About six got In. "That will do," he said, "lower away to Deck A." At this time the vessel had a slight list to port. We sent scouts around both to the starboard and port sides. They came back and said there were no more women and children. We filled up on A Deck — sixty-eight all told — the last boat to leave the starboard side. There were some left behind. There was a bit of a rush after Mr. Murdoch said we could fill the boat up with men standing by. We very nearly came on top of No. 13 when we lowered away. A man, Jack Stewart, a steward, took charge. Nearly everybody rowed. No lamp. One deckhand in the boat, and men, women and children. Just before it was launched, no more could be found, and about half a dozen men got in. There were sixtyeight in the boat altogether. Seven members of the crew.

J. E. Hart, third-class steward (Br. Inq., 75) : Witness defines the duties and what was done by the stewards, particularly those connected with the steerage.

Pass the women and children up to the Boat Deck,'* was the order soon after the collision. About three-quarters of an hour after the collision he took women and children from the C Deck to the first-class main companion. There were no barriers at that time. They were all opened. He took about thirty to boat No. 8 as it was being lowered. He left them and went back for more,' meeting third-class passengers on the way to the boats. He brought back about twenty-five more steerage women and children, having some little trouble owing to the men passengers wanting to get to the Boat Deck. These were all third-class people whom we took to the only boat left on the starboard side, viz., No. 15. There were a large number already in the boat, which was then lowered to A Deck, and five women, three children and a man with a baby in his arms taken in, making about seventy people in all, including thirteen or fourteen of the crew and fireman Diamond in charge. Mr. Murdoch ordered witness into the boat. Four men passengers and fourteen crew was the complement of men; the rest were women and children.

When boat No. 15 left the boat deck there were other women and children there — some first- class women passengers and their husbands. Absolute quietness existed. There were repeated cries for women and children. If there had been any more women there would have been found places for them in the boat. He heard some of the women on the A Deck say they would not leave their husbands.

There is no truth in the statement that any of the seamen tried to keep back third-class passengers from the Boat Deck. Witness saw masthead light of a ship from the Boat Deck. He did his very best, and so did all the other stewards, to help get the steerage passengers on the Boat Deck as soon as possible.