René Pernot

Mr René Pernot was born in Brotte-lès-Ray, Haute-Saône, France on 7 September 1872.

He was the son of François Pernot (1839-1907), a wheelwright, and Célestine Royer (b. 1837) and had two known siblings, Adelphine Augustine (1863-1921, later Mrs Emilien Taponnot) and Charles (b. circa 1865).

He was married on 20 September 1894 to Marie Émilie Mantrand (b. circa 1872) and with her had two sons, René Félix (b. 1895) and Raymond Émile (b. 1897).

A resident of Paris, he later came become employed as a chauffeur by wealthy American businessman Benjamin Guggenheim although when is not certain. He boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg and travelled in second class (ticket number SC/PARIS 2131 which cost £15 1s) whilst his employer Guggenheim and his mistress Leontine Aubart and their personal servants travelled in first class. 

During the sinking it appears unlikely that Pernot crossed paths with his employer; the steward who attended Mr Guggenheim, Henry Samuel Etches, does not make mention of him in any interviews.

Daniel Guggenheim told a reporter for The Times last night that his brother had had a chauffeur aboard named Rene Pernot. The chauffeur, he said, had travelled second class and had not been heard from. He said that Mrs. Guggenheim, with the receipt of the steward's message from her husband, had been greatly consoled. - The New York Times, 20 April 1912

René Pernot died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.

He is commemorated on a family grave in Haute-Saône:

En mémoire de René Pernot,
naufragé du Titanic le 14 Avril 1912,
à l'âge de 40 ans.
Priez pour lui