Master Harold Victor Goodwin was born in Edmonton, Middlesex, England on 29 July 1901.

He was the son of Frederick Joseph Goodwin (b. 1870), a printer and compositor, and Augusta Tyler (b. 1868), natives of Surrey and Middlesex respectively who had married on 25 December 1894.

He had five siblings: Lillian Augusta (b. 1896), Charles Edward (b. 1897), William Frederick (b. 1898), Jessie Allis Mary (b. 1900), and Sidney Leslie (b. 1910).

In the few months prior to Harold's birth his family had been shown on the 1901 census living at 4 Exeter Road, Edmonton, Middlesex. Harold first appears on the  1911 census living at Watson Court, Watson's Yard, High Street in Melksham, Wiltshire. By 1912 it seems the family were back living, at least temporarily in London at 10 Vernon Street, Fulham.

Several of his father's siblings had emigrated to the USA and settled in Niagara, New York. His uncle Thomas Goodwin notified the family of a position for his father at the big power station at Niagara and plans were made for the family to settle there. Funds for travel were borrowed from several of his uncles and aunts.

The family had originally planned to cross on another steamer but the coal strike changed their plans and they were transferred to the Titanic. They boarded Titanic in Southampton on 10 April 1912 as third class passengers (ticket number 2144 which cost £46, 18s).

Like most large families travelling in third class, especially those with teenage boys, the entire family was lost in the sinking. Only the body of baby Sidney was recovered (remaining unidentified for many years).

There is a memorial to the family in the Church at Melksham, Wiltshire.