Mr William Henry Taylor

Mr William Henry Taylor, 26 (or 28), was born in Hampshire and lived on Broad St, Southampton. He had been at sea for 8 years and prior to signing ointo the Titanic had served on the Orotava. He was rescued in Lifeboat 15 and later testified before the US Senate Inquiry.

He was asleep when the collision occurred. The alarm bell for accidents rang outside his door. About ten minutes later he heard it reported that water was coming in #1 hatch at the bow end of the ship - the first cargo hold. "We saw it (the water) come bursting up through the hatches." He and the other firemen packed their bags and went to the mess room to wait for orders. An Officer then ordered them up on deck with their lifebelts on. Taylor's assigned station, #15 lifeboat, was "shoved out...and I was ordered into it." Another Fireman (Dymond) was put in charge of the boat. After loading the boat off A deck, they were owered into the water. They then rowed some distance from the ship, afraid of the suction cause by her sinking. They did not go back for survivors "because a majority of them (the boat's passengers) said 'Pull on!'". He remembered they heard the cries of the drowning from about 10 minutes to a quarter of an hour.

Later, about 7:30, they were picked up by the Carpathia.

He testified that there had been no boat drill on the Sunday. Also, according to his testimony, there were 73 firemen saved that night, some picked up out of the water. In his lifeboat alone there were 6. He was also one of many who said they saw another ship's light in the distance which did not come to render aid. He added, later, that there was a lot of joking and 'skylarking' about the Titanic, even after it struck the iceberg. He simply stated it was understood among the crew that there was nothing to fear, the ship was unsinkable.

Available Documents
Crew Particulars of Engagement

Inquiry Testimony
(Courtesy of the Titanic Inquiry Project)
Senate Hearings, 25 April 1912, Testimony

References
Agreement and Account of Crew (PRO London, BT100/259)
United States Senate (62nd Congress), Subcommittee Hearings of the Committee on Commerce, Titanic Disaster, Washington 1912

Contributors
Pat Cook, USA
Chris Dohany, USA