Encyclopedia Titanica

Robert Arthur Wareham

Robert Arthur Wareham was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England on 13 September 1874. He was the son of Robert Wareham (1838-1902) and Hannah Turner (1836-1915). His father was originally from Cheshire and his mother from Ashton Under Lyme, Lancashire and they were married on 15 August 1866 in Liverpool.

Robert had four known siblings: Stephen Gaskell (b. 1867), Francis Herbert (b. 1869), Augustus Frederick (b. 1872) and Hannah Turner (b. 1877).

Robert first appears on the 1881 census when he and his family lived at 34 Longville Street, Toxteth Park; his father was described as a railway porter. None of the family seem to appear on the 1891 census.

Robert was married in early 1899 to Margaret Emma Florence Jones (b. 1877 in Birkenhead, Cheshire). Together they would have five children: Robert Arthur (b. 24 July 1900), Ethel Gladys (b. 1902), Margaret Doris (b. 2 February 1904), Cyril Augustus (b. 3 April 1906) and Norman Reginald (b. 1907).

On the 1901 census, Robert is absent, perhaps at sea, and his wife and first child live at 23 Ballington (?) Street, Toxteth Park. The family left Liverpool sometime after 1907 and settled in Southampton. On the 1911 census, they live at 4 Richmond Road in that city, but Robert is again absent.

When he signed on to the Titanic on 4 April 1912, he gave his address as 46 Park Road, Southampton. His previous ship had been the Olympic, and as a first-class bedroom steward, he could expect monthly waged of £3 15s.

Robert Wareham died in the sinking. The Mackay-Bennett later recovered his body (#246):

Image
Grave 246

 

NO. 246. - MALE. - ESTIMATED AGE, 40. - HAIR MEDIUM; MOUSTACHE.

CLOTHING - Steward's uniform; blue coat; "R. A. Wareham" on shirt.

EFFECTS - Purse; corkscrew; $1.00, and 24s. 5d.

STEWARD.

NAME - R. A. WAREHAM. 

He was buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia on 6 May 1912.

His mother Hannah died in 1915, having outlived all but one of her children, her daughter Hannah, who remained a spinster and died in Liverpool in 1952.

Robert's widow Margaret never remarried and moved back to Liverpool with her family. She died on 21 June 1968 aged 91.

His namesake son, Robert Arthur, was married in Liverpool in 1931 to May Frances Sealey, and they had two sons, Robert Arthur and Cyril. He joined the Merchant Navy and was the Second Engineer Officer on board the S.S. Aguila when that ship, en route from Liverpool to Gibraltar, was attacked by German U-boats off the coast of Ireland and sank with a death toll of 145, Robert being among the casualties. His widow died in 1970.

His daughter Ethel May later married and had at least one child. She died on February 15, 1979. His daughter Margaret Doris never married and died in Liverpool in 1972.

His son Cyril Augustus resettled in Hampshire and married relatively late in life, in 1953, to Hilda May Gage, and they had one daughter the following year. Cyril died in Southampton on 13 June 1985. His widow passed away in 2003.

Robert's youngest son, Norman Reginald, was married in Liverpool in 1937 to Doris Robinson, but he is not believed to have had any children. He died in Newton Abbot, Devon, in 1960.

Robert is remembered on the Wareham family headstone in Toxteth Park Cemetery, Liverpool. He is also remembered on his wife's family headstone also in Toxteth Park Cemetery, Liverpool.

References and Sources

White Star Line (1912) Record of Bodies and Effects (Passengers and Crew S.S. "Titanic") Recovered by Cable Steamer "MacKay Bennett"

Comment and discuss

  1. Stevoj75

    Stevoj75

    he was edith russels room steward!
  2. Linda Benedict

    Linda Benedict

    Who is Edith Russel and how do you know this?
  3. Gary Adams (3846)

    Gary Adams (3846)

    Robert Wareham was my great grandfather. His daughter Ethel was my grandmother. Ethel had one daughter (Margaret) my mother, (died 5 March 2007). My brother's first name is Robert as is his son's.
  4. Chris Wareham

    Chris Wareham

    Hi Gary, I realise this is an old Post but I would love to chat with you. I was born 2 miles from the Park rd address in Southampton. I would like to know more about your great grandfather and you and his family. Regards Chris
  5. Gary Adams (3846)

    Gary Adams (3846)

    Hi Chris, I have only just read your post. What would you like to know? So far as I know Robert's Grandaughter Carol (Cyril Wareham's daughter) still lives in Southampton. The descendants of Robert Arthur junior who was killed during WWII live in New Zealand and I believe the Nottingham area. I am not in touch with any of them. Some years ago I caught the end of a TV programme about Freemasons and Robert Arthur was featured as his masonic watch chain was apparently recovered.
  6. Arun Vajpey

    Arun Vajpey

    I recall reading somewhere that at some stage after the Titanic had collided with the iceberg Edith Rosenbaum (later Russell) made a slightly mocking remark to Steward Wareham about what she thought of "rigid" British rules or something. Since Wareham himself did not survive the disaster, that statement must have come from Rosenbaum herself. PS: I think it was in Jonathan Mayo's Titanic: Minute by Minute but at present I have no way to check.
  7. chrisd

    chrisd

    Hi Gary, just found this thread so apologies somewhat late (!) and hope that you may pick this up. I am wondering if you are able to advise if Robert Wareham has / had any descendants who live / lived at Hedge End near Botley, which is only about 7 miles from Park Road, Southampton where Robert lived? I note that you stated in 2019 that Cyril Wareham's daughter Carol was still living in Southampton and I believe that Hedge End is classed postally as Southampton, so wondering if there is a connection there? Kind regards, Chris.
Open Thread Leave a Reply

Titanic Crew Summary

Name: Mr Robert Arthur Wareham
Age: 37 years 7 months and 2 days (Male)
Nationality: English
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Bed Room Steward
Last Ship: Olympic
Embarked: Belfast on Monday 1st April 1912
Died in the Titanic disaster (15th April 1912)
Body recovered by: Mackay-Bennett (No. 246)
Buried: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on Monday 6th May 1912

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