Mr Edward Flarty

Edward Flarty¹ was born around 1860 in Southampton, Hampshire, England. He was the son of Co Cork, Ireland-natives David Flarty and Mary Catherine Sullivan.

Edward first appears on the 1861 census as a 9-month old infant at an address in Southampton, lodging with his labourer father, mother and elder sisters Mary and Ann. By the turn of the 1871 census there are additions to the family: Ellen, David and John. The 1881 census sees the family at a different address, 3 Sawmill Court in the Queen Street area of the city and now with an additional two children: Joseph and Catherine. By this time Edward, aged 19, is reported as a seaman. He reportedly went to sea aged 17 for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company before transferring to the Castle Line.

Edward was married in early 1886 to Julia Eva Macklin, a native of Twyford, Hampshire and born around 1865. The young family don't seem to appear on the 1891 census, but by the time of the 1901 census they are living at 28 Rochester (?) Street, Southampton with seven children: Ernest Edward (b. 1887), Frank Charles (1890-1966), Eva Florence (b. 1892), Alfred Reginald (1894-1918), Lewis Victor (1896-1977), Arthur Edrick (1897-1978) and Jessie Irene (1899-1915).

Edward was widowed in 1904 and by the time of the 1911 census he is absent (apparently at sea) and his children are scattered as boarders around different addresses in Southampton.

When he signed on the Titanic as a fireman Edward gave his address as 21 Stamford Street. As a fireman he would receive pay of £6 per month.
Edward Flarty survived the Titanic disaster but it is unknown in which boat he escaped.

Following the disaster Edward continued to work at sea. During the 1914-1918 war he was involved in mine-sweeping in the Isle of Wight Company's Balmoral, and later of provisions transport to and from France. He would later survived another wreck when the transport vessel he was working on, the Mouyne, was torpedoed between Malta and Gibraltar. His last seafaring work would be on a private yacht, the Liberty. In all his seafaring career spanned 50 years.

Edward Flarty died in Southampton on February 2, 1940. He was buried at Southampton's Old Cemetery.

Notes

1. In the 1861 census the name is given as Flaharty, thereafter Flarty seems to be the consistent spelling.

References and Sources

Agreement and Account of Crew (PRO London, BT100/259)
United States Senate, Washington 1912. n° 806, Crew List
Hermann Söldner (ed.) (2000) RMS Titanic: Passenger and Crew List 10 April 1912-15 April 1912. ä wie Ärger Verlag.
Southern Daily Echo, 6 February 1940 (Obituary)

Related Articles and Documents

Southern Daily Echo  (1940)

DEATH OF MR EDWARD FLAHERTY