Walter James Brown

Mr Walter James Brown was born at 8 Moor Street in Ormskirk, Lancashire, England on 3 June 1871.

He was the youngest child of William Whittle Brown (b. 1840), a druggist and grocer, and Jane Range (b. 1842). Both his parents hailed from Prescot, Lancashire and were married in 1864.

He had four siblings, all brothers: William Edmund (1865-1925), Edward Johnson (b. 1867), Frederick Charles (b. 1868) and Arthur George (1870-1870).

In the months prior to his birth Walter's family were recorded on the 1871 census as living at 8 Moor Street in Ormskirk, the site of the family druggist and grocer store.

His father died on 16 September 1872 and the 1881 census shows Walter, his widowed mother and his siblings living at the same address, his mother by then running the grocery. Aged 19 by the time of the 1891 census, Walter and his family were still living at Moor Street but he was described as unemployed. His mother died on 13 October 1896 and his brother William took over the grocer's business at 8 Moor Street. Walter was listed on the 1901 census living with his brother Frederick at Whitby Trees in Fulwood Lancashire and was described as an unmarried grocer, a profession he apparently left behind shortly after.

According to an article in the Ormskirk Advertiser, besides being a gifted musician, before becoming a sea steward Brown not only worked as a grocer for his brother but had also painted ceramics and porcelain for Royal Doulton. By 1912 he had been a ship's steward for 10 years but it is reported that in April 1912 he was working his voyage to the USA to visit his brother Edward. Edward had reportedly left Ormskirk in disgrace in 1890 after fathering a child out of wedlock, being sent out of the way to Boston, Massachusetts.

Brown initially joined the Titanic in Belfast, having signed-on on 1 April 1912. After the delivery trip he signed-on again in Southampton on 4 April 1912. He gave his address as Hillside Avenue, Bitterne Park, Southampton, a lodgings address.

Brown was one of the many stewards to have transferred from the Olympic and as a first class steward he could expect monthly wages of £3, 15s. 

Walter Brown, who was unmarried, died in the sinking. His body, if recovered, was never identified. The following death notice appeared in the Hampshire Independent (April 1912):

BROWN--April 15th, on s.s. Titanic, Walter Brown, aged 36. Gone, but not forgotten.