Hugh Whinnery

Mr Hugh Whinnery was born in Belfast, Ireland on 24 April 1869. He was the son of John Whinnery, a sawyer, and Mary Jane Kelly. 

As a young man he served with the Royal Irish Fusiliers, later joining the Royal Naval Reserves. In his youth, he was described as “a suspicious character” and had at least one run-in with the law during his adolescence for 'felony'. 

On 19 August 1902 in St Peter’s Church, Belfast he married Ellen Cronin (b. circa 1870), a weaver; his address at the time was listed as 32 Clyde Street, Belfast.

Prior to Titanic he served aboard the Saintfield. He joined the Titanic at Belfast for the delivery trip to Southampton where he then disembarked.

In April 1913 Whinnery and another man were charged with assaulting fellow delivery trip crewman David Gass, in a union dispute.

Following the Titanic Hugh remained at sea with the merchant service as a greaser, his last known entry into the USA being in August 1926. By May 1928 he was a seaman aboard the Stockland.

Hugh Whinnery died in Belfast on 18 July 1942 his resting place is unknown.