Albert White (R. Morrell)

Albert George White (R. Morrell) was born at 56 Hugh Street in Pimlico, London, England on 12 March 1894.

An only child, he was the son of Albert White (b. 1871), a corporal in the 1st Battalion of the Grenadier Guards, and Lilian Louisa Forehead (b. 1866), a dressmaker, who were married in their native Isle of Wight in late 1893.

Little is known of his father but he is believed to have hailed from Shorwell, Isle of Wight; his mother hailed from Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight where his grandfather William Thomas Forehead, a joiner, was verger at St John's Church in Sandown. A young White reportedly spent much of his early years in Sandown and was well known in the area.
Albert appears on the 1901 census living with his mother at 26 Lower Lyon Street, Southampton; his father was not present but his maternal aunt by marriage, Florence Julia Forehead and her son were also shown at this address.

White's father died in 1902 aged 31, still a resident of Lyon Street, and his mother was remarried in 1905 to Willoughby Morrell (1862-1938), a ship's baker originally from Somerset. Willoughby was a widower with two teenage daughters, Daisy (b. 1891) and Elsie (b. 1893).

Albert, his mother and stepfather appeared on the 1911 census as residents of 26 Ascupart Street, Southampton and he was described as a dock labourer. His mother died a short while later but where he moved to thereafter is not clear; the Morrells were not listed at the same address at the time of the 1912 street directory.

Albert signed on to the Titanic on 6 April 1912, giving his name as "R. Morrell", his age as 21 and local address as 51 Malmesbury Road, Southampton.

This was his first working sea voyage, and as a trimmer, he could expect monthly wages of £5, 10s.

Albert White died in the sinking, and his body, if recovered, was never identified.

His stepfather remarried in 1913 and remained in Southampton for the rest of his life; he died in 1938.

Albert White is remembered on his mother's and her sister's headstone in Christ Churchyard Sandown, Isle of Wight.