Mr Herbert George Ernest Hensford

Herbert George Ernest Hensford was born in Southampton, Hampshire, England on 24 April 1885. He was the first child of Frederick George Hensford (1858-1920) and Miriam Laura Belbin Whitehorn (1860-1952). His father was from Southampton and his mother from Salisbury, Wiltshire and they had married in 1884 in Alderbury, going on to have nine children: Edward John (b. 1887), Miriam Laura (b. 1888), Harriet Annie (b. 1889), William Frederick (b. 1893), Ethel Maud (b. 1894), Arthur Henry (b. 1897), Alfred Tom (b. 1899), Harry Ernest (b. 1903) and Herbert.

Herbert appears on the 1891 census living with his family at 55 Priory Road, South Stoneham, Southampton and his father is described as a railway clerk. They have moved to 228 Market Street (?) by the time of the 1901 census, with Herbert's father now described as a dock labourer and Herbert as a butcher's boy. On the 1911 census he is living with his family at 90 Albert Road, St Mary, Southampton and is described as unmarried and as working as a Ship's Butcher.

Herbert was married in early 1912 to Alice Louisa Beck (b. 31 October 1889 in Lymington, Hampshire). He signed-on to the Titanic only a few weeks later, on 6 April 1912, and gave his address as 132 Malmesbury Road, Southampton. His last ship had been the St. Paul. As assistant butcher he received monthly wages of £4 10s.

Herbert Hensford died in the sinking. His body, if recovered, was never identified. His wife Alice never remarried, remaining a widow for 66 years until her death in Southampton in 1978 aged 88.

References and Sources

Agreement and Account of Crew (PRO London, BT100/259)
Casualty List, Public Record Office (BT100/259)