Encyclopedia Titanica

Edward Beane

Edward Beane
Edward Beane

Mr Edward Beane was born in Hoveton, Norfolk, England on 19 November 1879.

He was the son of George Beane (1857-1914), a brewery worker, and Mary Ann Cox (1855-1945). Both his parents hailed from Norfolk and had married on 29 November 1877 and Edward was one of ten children, his siblings being: Sarah (b. 1878), George Herbert (b. 1881), William (b. 1882), Charles Archie (b. 1884), Caroline Augusta (b. 1886), Ernest Christmas (b. 1887), May Christine (b. 1890), Robert (b. 1892) and Bertie Stanley (b. 1893).

Edward first appears on the 1881 census living with his family at Armes Street in Heigham, Norfolk but they would have moved to 231 Northumberland Street, Heigham by the time of the 1891 census and just down the street by the time of the 1901 census, then living at 188 Northumberland Street. Edward was described as a bricklayer on the latter record and was still in that profession and still living with his family by the time of the 1911 census, then living at 43 Bond Street in Norwich. He had spent time living in New York, having departed England on 13 April 1907 aboard the Philadelphia but had returned home aboard Adriatic, arriving in Southampton on 22 December 1910, with the intention of finding a bride.

Edward was married in early 1912 to Ethel Louisa Clarke (b. 1889), a dressmaker and furrier and a former neighbour who also spent time living in Northumberland Street. The couple made plans to settle in New York and they boarded the Titanic at Southampton as second class passengers (ticket number 2908 which cost £26).

On the night of the sinking Edward and his wife managed to escape in lifeboat 9, Mr Beane being one of a very few number of second class males who survived. He would later claim that his wife was placed in the lifeboat which was lowered and he leapt off the deck into the ocean to swim to her lifeboat.

The couple settled in Rochester, New York and lived at 44 Michigan Street in that city for the rest of their lives and never returned to England. Edward continued to work as a bricklayer and was a member of the Bricklayers' Union. Edward and Ethel welcomed two sons: Edward (1913-1982) and George (1916-1998) and during the rest of their lives spoke about the Titanic on seldom occasions, only giving the odd newspaper interview.

Edward Beane died in the Rochester State Hospital on 24 October 1948, just shy of his 69th birthday. He and his wife are buried in White Haven Memorial Park.

References and Sources

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, April 15, 1931, Sinking of Titanic Still Horror to Couple Honeymooning on Ship
New York State Department of Health Certificate of Death
The Rochester Democrat October 26, 1948, Obituary
Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279])
List or Manifest of Alien Passengers for the United States Immigration Officer At Port Of Arrival (Date: 18th-19th June 1912, Ship: Carpathia) - National Archives, NWCTB 85 T715 Vol 4183
Peter Boyd-Smith (1994) Titanic, From Rare Historical Reports. Southampton, Steamship Publications.
Unidentified newspaper, 20 September 1985 How City Pair Fared in the US
Unidentified newspaper, 14 April 1992 Dream of new life ended with tragedy

Newspaper Articles

The Globe (18 April 1912) Tragic Honeymoons
Among the passengers of the ill-fated Titanic were a number of honeymoon couples
Norwich Mercury (20 April 1912) Mr and Mrs Edward Beane
The Times (20 April 1912) OTHER STATEMENTS BY SURVIVORS
New York Times (21 April 1912) WOMEN WORK HARD FOR RESCUED FOLK
Margaret Frawley Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (15 April 1931) SINKING OF TITANIC STILL HORROR TO COUPLE HONEYMOONING ON SHIP
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (26 October 1948) BEANE
New York Times (20 September 1983) Ethel Beane, Who Survived Titanic Sinking, Dead at 90

Images

Documents and Certificates

Search archive online

Comment and discuss

  1. roger harry wakefield

    roger harry wakefield

    My fathers auntie ( my great aunt) was a honeymooning couple on the titanic they were mr.&mrs Beane ethel &edward. If anyone has any information of any living family that they know of, or you are a relative i would love to here from them. If you could help please e-mail me on my name is roger i live in the u.k thank you

  2. Bonnie Beane

    Hi Roger, My Name is Bonnie Beane. I am the great niece of Edward Beane and new to this site. I hope you receive this message and respond. I live in the USA but I know a number of Beanes stayed in England.

  3. Lester Mitcham

    Hello Bonnie, When you click onto Roger's name it comes up that he is no longer a member of this board. - "The profile that you have requested no longer exists. The user who created this profile has been deleted from the system." To make contact you should use Roger's e-mail address:

  4. Bob Godfrey

    Hallo, Bonnie. I'm not sure where he is now, but several years ago I corresponded with Roger and we met several times to exchange information about the Beane and Clarke families in Norwich, UK (Ted's wife was Ethel Clarke). So if the email address doesn't work I might be able to help. Can I ask what exactly is your family connection to Ted Beane? Did he have a brother who emigrated to the US? As far as I know there are no longer any direct descendants with the name Beane, as all of Ted and Ethel's grandchildren were girls.

  5. Bob Godfrey

    Here's a bit of info about the Beane family. Ted's father was George Beane, who married Mary Ann Cox, the daughter of a fish merchant, in 1877 in the village church at Smallburgh in the county of Norfolk. Their birthplaces were Knapton and Barton Turf, nearby villages in the NE corner of the county, not far from the sea. After several moves, they settled in the city of Norwich, where most of their children were born in the suburb of Heigham. Ted had been born earlier in Hoveton St John, a nearby village. George and Mary had ten children that I know of. In order of birth these were: ... Read full post

  6. Bonnie Beane

    Hi Bob, I am so thrilled to hear from you!!!!!!!!!! I never knew ANY of the things that you told me about my great-grandparents. My grandfather was Ernest C. My father, Ernest George, told me father's middle name was Christmas. NO kidding. Allegedly he was born on or around Christmas day. My grandfather came from England when he was approximately 20 years old, give or take. He went to Canada and met my grandmother, Winifred Hallam, who was from Quebec, of English descent. My father, Ernest George was born in Eustus, Quebec, Canada on December 1, 1911. My dad was the... Read full post

  7. Jessica Nedwetzky

    Hello bob, I would also like to know some of the things that you know. i know little about Edwards brothers and sisters. accsept Ernest C.. I hope to learn alot more. Feel free to e-mail me. - Jessica

  8. Bob Godfrey

    Bonnie and Jessica, it's good to see you both here. I'll need to search through my files (bits of information written on the backs of old envelopes and scattered about the house!), then I'll be in touch by email very soon. Bob

  9. Bonnie Beane

    Jessica, what do you know about Edward's siblings? The only sibling of Edward's that I know anything about is my grandfather. Clue me in. Bonnie

Reply Watch Thread

Titanic Passenger Summary

Name: Mr Edward Beane
Age: 32 years 4 months and 26 days (Male)
Nationality: English
Marital Status: Married to Ethel Louisa Clarke
Embarked: Southampton on Wednesday 10th April 1912
Ticket No. 2908, £26
Rescued (boat 9)  
Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912
Died: Sunday 24th October 1948 aged 68 years
Cause of Death:
Buried: White Haven Memorial Park, Pittsford, New York, United States

Linked Biography

Page Options

Watch this page

Improve this Biography

If you have any corrections or something to add please  get in touch