Mr Frederick James McCarty (or McCarthy)¹ was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England on 24 November 1873, later being baptised on 28 December that year in St Anthony's Roman Catholic Church.

He was the son of Michael McCarty (b. 1847), a sea steward, and Sarah Anne Dooley (b. 1852). His father was Irish by birth and his mother was a native of Stockport, Cheshire and they had married in Liverpool in late 1870, going on to have eleven children, four of whom were lost in infancy. 

Frederick’s siblings were: Sarah Elizabeth (b. 1872), Hubert (b. 1876), John (b. 1877), Mary (b. 1880), Sarah Elizabeth (b. 1883), Martha Jane (b. 1885), Kate (b. 1887), Elizabeth (b. 1889), Michael John (b. 1893) and Joseph (b. 1896).

Frederick appears with his family on the 1881 census living at 16 Chancel Street, Kirkale, Lancashire. He perhaps went to sea at a young age, following in his father's footsteps, and would be absent from the 1891 census when his family were listed as living at 1 Lintern Street, Kirkdale.

He was married in Liverpool in 1899 to Hilda Emma Medwell (b. 21 July 1874 in Liverpool2), daughter of platelayer John Medwell and the former Martha North.  

Frederick and Hilda went on to have five children, all of whom were born in Liverpool: Hilda Edith (1900-1900), Frederick Arthur (b. 29 May 1903), Francis James (b. 29 October 1905), George (1909-1909) and Harold (b. 23 December 1910).

His wife and first child Hilda appeared on the 1901 census living at 36 St Ofreda (?) Street, Kirkdale, Lancashire; sadly his daughter died only a few months later, not living to see her first birthday. The couple’s fourth child George also died as an infant.

When he signed-on to the Titanic on 4 April 1912 McCarty gave his address as 17 Charlton Road, Southampton. His previous ship had been the Olympic and as a bedroom steward he received monthly wages of £3, 15s.

Frederick McCarty died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified. His father, still working as a sea steward, arrived in New York on 23 April 1912 aboard the Allan Line Steamer Victoria and immediately sought information about his son.

The following death notice appeared in an unidentified newspaper:

McCarthy--April 15th, on the s.s. Titanic, F. J. McCarthy, aged 38, the dearly beloved husband of Emma McCarthy, of Devonfield, Charlton-road. Sadly missed by his sorrowing wife and children. "Nearer my God, to Thee."

Fredrick is also remembered on his parents’ headstone in Kirkdale Cemetery, Liverpool (section RC 2, plot 397).

His widow Hilda never remarried and for a period of time was the licensee of the Wheat Sheaf Inn in Melton, Leicestershire. She retired to Southampton and lastly lived at 54 Paynes Road where she died on 12 July 1964.

All three of her surviving sons, like their father, went to sea.

Son Frederick was a steward aboard Adriatic and was later shown working aboard Empress of France. Little else is known about his life and he died in Southampton in 1964. 

Son Francis also worked at sea and later moved to the USA where he married, spending his last days in Florida where he died in 1983.

Son Harold worked as a ship’s cook and by 1939 was living as an unmarried man at The Cedars boarding house in Nottingham. Little else is known about his life and he died in Suffolk in 1981.