Charles Frederick McKinstry ¹ was born on 4 August 1871 ² in Tamnaghvelton ³, a townland straddling between the borders of Co Armagh and Co Down, Ireland on 4 August 1871. Hailing from a Church of Ireland family, he was the son of Ralph McKinstry, a coachman, and the former Catherine Berry.

Described as a labourer and giving his address as 52 Burnaby Street, McKinstry was married in St Anne’s Church, Belfast on 25 March 1899 to Catherine Magee (b. circa 1873). The couple appear on the 1901 census as residents of 39 Teutonic Street, Belfast and Charles was described as a fireman. They would have no children.

McKinstry’s ship prior to Titanic had been the Oealander. He joined Titanic at Belfast for the delivery trip to Southampton where he then disembarked.

Charles McKinstry worked as a fireman until at least the early 1920s. He spent his last years at 8 Oswald Street in Belfast but died in a sanitorium on 2 April 1929 aged 57. He was buried in City Cemetery at plot X 183.