Edward Self

Albert Charles Edward Self (E. Self) ¹ was born in Southampton, England on 11 January 1888.²

He was the son of James Self (b. circa 1849) and Harriett Cosser (b. 13 July 1859; d. 1952). His mother was from Salisbury, Wiltshire and his father is believed to have been from Southampton; they were married in South Stoneham in late 1882.

One of four children, Self’s siblings were: James (b. 13 April 1883), Mabel Ellen (b. 9 March 1884; d. 1909) and George William (b. 10 November 1885).

Although what became of his father is not certain, Albert’s mother was remarried in 1890 to housepainter (later a dock labourer) Henry Walter Hatch (b. 1 September 1870 in London; d. 1956). Through this marriage, Albert gained four half-siblings: Henry Walter Kenneth (b. 1892), Mark Gilbert (b. 1894), Violet Dorothy (b. 1897) and Agnes Elizabeth Kate (b. 1901).

On the 1891 census Albert is listed with his mother, siblings and stepfather 19 Edward Road, Freemantle, Southampton. They would move to 36 Kingsley Road in Freemantle by the time of the 1901 census. 

As a youth, Albert was friends with Arthur Curtis and George Kemish and with them and others, he became involved in petty criminality. In 1902 Self and Curtis, along with another boy, received fines for stealing from a bakery on English Road, Southampton. A repeat offender, another misdemeanour in 1906 saw Self sentenced to hard labour.

On the 1911 census Albert, listed as Bert, was still living with his mother and stepfather, then at 3 Kingsley Road. Also present, besides his half-siblings, was his fiancée Henrietta Janette Candy (b. 1888 in Southampton). Albert was then described as a dock labourer.

When he signed-on to the Titanic on 6 April 1912, Self gave his address as Kingsley Road, Southampton and stated that he had transferred from the Oceanic. As a fireman he could expect monthly wages of £6.

Albert Self survived the sinking but it is not known in which lifeboat he was rescued; he was not required to provide evidence to either the American or British inquiries into the disaster.

Returning to Southampton he was married within weeks of the Titanic disaster to Henrietta Candy and they went on to have five children: Albert George (1913-1997), Gilbert William (1915-1983), Dorothy Mary (1918-1998), Andrew John (b. 1924) and Peggy May (b. 1928). The family continued to live on Kingsley Road for many years.

Albert remained at sea with the merchant fleet throughout WWI but later took land-based work near the docks. His wife passed away aged 41 in 1929 and he remained a widower for over twenty years until he remarried in 1952 to widow Minnie Kate Murphy (née Davidson, b. 18 October 1899). That same year he lost his mother at the ripe age of 93.

Albert Self remained in Southampton until his death in 1954; he was buried in Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton (section C3, plot 90) in an unmarked grave. His second wife Minnie passed away in 1976.