Charles Henry Pascoe

Mr Charles Henry Pascoe was born in Breage, Cornwall, England on 17 March 1867 ¹, later being baptised on 18 August that same year in Perranuthonoe. 

He was the son of Anthony Pascoe (b. 1836), a naval seaman, and Jane Ann Bartlett (b. 1836). Both his parents, also natives of Cornwall, had married in Devon in 1856, initially settling in Stoke Damerel where they began their family.

Charles had six known siblings: Charles Henry (b. 1858), Joseph Ernest (1859-1862), Mary Jane (1862-1880), Francis John (1866-1926), James Anthony (1868-1945) and Thomas Albert (1871-1919). 

He first appears on the 1871 census living at Cove in Sennen, Cornwall, the family having only recently moved there from Perren. The family would move again to Talland near Liskeard and his mother died there in 1874. The remaining family appear on the 1881 census living at Great Green, Talland; Charles, aged 13, had no stated profession whilst his father was by then described as a naval pensioner. His father was to remarry in 1883 to spinster Betsy Ann Knight (b. 1834); the family remained living in Liskeard and Anthony Pascoe died in 1902 and his second wife Betsey in 1905.

A former farm servant, Charles joined the Royal Navy on 27 December 1884, first serving aboard the Ganges and rising to the rank of an able seaman by 1889. Other ships he served aboard included: Impregnable, Canada, Adelaide, Vivid, Cambridge, Tauranga, Defiance, Hermione, Triumph, Nile, Implacable and Surprise. After over twenty years of service his final voyage was aboard Vivid in July 1907 after which he was pensioned. Of generally very good conduct throughout his tenure, physically he stood at 5' 3¼" and had dark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. He had a scar on his left kneecap and sported tattoos on both wrists (a bracelet on his right and "Love" on his left). At least one of his brothers, Thomas, also joined the Navy. 

When Pascoe signed-on to the Titanic on 6 April 1912, he gave his address as 68 High Street, Southampton. His previous ship had been Olympic and as an able seaman he could expect monthly wages of £5. 

Pascoe was rescued, probably in lifeboat 8. He was not called to testify at either the American or British Inquiries into the sinking but received expenses of £8, 12s, 6d for his detention at the latter. In a brief interview conducted for the Western Morning News (29 April 1912) he described that when he left the ship the forecastle head had already come flush with the ocean. He also stated that his lifeboat could have comfortably taken another forty persons aboard, having been launched just partially filled.

With the outbreak of WWI Pascoe reenlisted with the Navy and joined Eclipse as able seaman on 2 August 1914. He would serve until 30 September 1917 when he was discharged, his last ship being Vivid II. 

His later movements after that are difficult to ascertain. He married in later life in 1928 to a widow, Annie (Minnie) Broad who had a son named Leslie, a van driver.

Charles Pascoe died at his home in Penzance, Greyholm at 14 South Terrace, on 29 March 1937. He was buried on the 2nd April 1937 with his wife Minnie in the same grave in Penzance cemetery Cornwall (plot number 11-R-19 Consecrate). 

His death notice made no mention of the Titanic but did, however, go to lengths to state the nature of his coffin:

"The casket was of English elm with silver fittings. The undertaking was satisfactorily carried out by Mr F. Ancell." - The Cornishman, 8 April 1937