Karl Rudolf Brobäck

Mr Karl Rudolf Brobäck ¹ was born 2 January 1890 in Norrköping, Östergötland, Sweden.

He was the son of Karl Edvard Brobäck (b. 1864), a police officer, and Anna Sofia Blomqvist (b. 1866) and was brother to seven known siblings: Gunhild Sofia Lovisa (1888-1983, later Mrs Alfred Ferdinand Lindgren), Sven Harry (b. 1892), Nils Gustaf (1894-1955), Greta Maria (b. 1898), Gösta Fredrik (1901-1975), Ingeborg Linnea (1904-1987, later Mrs David Andersson) and Karl Erik (1908-1986). The family lived at Tunnbindargatan 22 in Norrköping.

Brobäck boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a third class passenger (ticket number 350045  which cost £7, 15s, 11d ). He was travelling to Axel Sandqvist at 3 Whipple Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. On a previous visit to Worcester he had worked as butler in different hotels. He had later returned to Sweden and worked in Stockholm and Norrköping as a painter and janitor.

Karl Brobäck died in the sinking and his body was never found. He had sent his friend Axel Sandqvist a card from Southampton on 9 April saying he would sail soon, but did not mention the name of the ship. His friends in Worcester were not sure that he had gone with Titanic, but eventually realised that to be the case.

The Mansion House Fund paid 875.52 Kr (£48) to his parents and a further 911 Kr (£50) damage claims were paid on 30 July 1914.

His mother died in 1936 and his father in 1938. It is not believed any more of his siblings ever emigrated.