Wilde's family

[Susan Alby]

Thanks, Brian and Inger.

How terrible for Wilde's children to loose BOTH their parents, and infant twin brothers, in less than a year. Since Wilde had been so close to the recent deaths of his wife and two children, he might have sensed his own ending on the Titanic. And that might also explain him not entering a life boat to save himself so that he could be reunited with them, we will never know.

Wow, he was quite a handsome chap in his 'summer whites'!

 

[Susan Alby]

Sorry Folks, my Brain has not been working too well (for the past 30 odd years!)

Wilde's 4 children lost their mother and father in a period of 16 and a half months. Which was still very devastating.

Inger, you are very lucky to have the opportunity to talk with his surviving family. Enjoyed your 'On Watch' web page.

Regards,
Susan

 

[Inger Sheil]

Absolutely, Susan. According to one remark attributed to him, Wilde was said to have commented that he didn't care how he went or how soon he was to join his wife. However, he also seems to have had a strong committment to his surviving children.

Many thanks for you kind comment re. On Watch!

 

[Aino Turunen]

Does anyone know Wilde's children's birthdays? Thanks!

 

[Charlene]

How old were they when the Titanic sunk?

 

[Charlene]

Today is the 76th anniversary of the D-Day.
I read that Wilde's son, Harry, fought and was condecorates.
Anyone knows more details about him?

 

[Steven Christian]

He was decorated for his work as a beachmaster during the Normandy landings. Not a lot out there on him. Pretty much what was written in post#9 of this thread is whats out there. Found it interesting his wife was born the night Titanic sank.

 

[WildeDescendant]

I know this thread is old but thought I would add my contribution. Henry Tingle Wilde was my great-great-grandfather. My father's mother's father's father. Most of what I know about Henry Tingle Wilde is publicly available so not a lot to add there. Though I have seen some people saying that his letter to his sister saying he had a bad feeling about the ship did not exist--everything I've heard from my family says it definitely does, though I have not seen it.
As for my great-grandfather, Henry Owen Wilde, post #9 is quite accurate. He joined the Merchant Navy, was initially apprenticed and trained sailing tall ships. Left the merchant navy, supposedly because there was talk of him ending up on a whaling ship? which his wife quite rightly disapproved of, at least this is the story my father told me (my father did meet his grandfather Henry Owen Wilde quite a lot of times as a child)--and became an accountant for a time, and then joined the Royal Naval Reserve (I was able to find documents online a while ago confirming that he was Temporary Lieutenant in 1940 and Temporary Acting Lieutenant-Commander by 1945). He then served in WW2 as previously mentioned, I get the impression he never talked much about this, though I have heard some talk of Arctic convoys as well as him definitely being a beach marshal in the Normandy landings, my father believes on Sword Beach. I can confirm he did get an OBE. I don't know a lot about what he was like as a person...the main anecdote I remember hearing from my father is that he smoked cigars, rather than anything about his personality.
His son, my great-uncle, also named Henry ("Harry"--though I believe both Henry Owen and Henry Tingle were nicknamed Harry) Wilde, is still alive and has many of Henry Owen Wilde's possessions, though I don't think he has much in connection to Henry Tingle Wilde. He's been talking about giving some of them to various family members, saying he doesn't have room for all this stuff in his house...I'm quite interested in the ceremonial sword from his time in the Navy, though I know my uncle also has some interest in it so I don't know if I will get it. I think my uncle is going to take the OBE itself, which I'm fine with, not having much interest in it myself. Otherwise I don't think anything else has historical significance. Though I do have a slightly entertaining story about the pair of silver candlesticks that I believe also belonged to Henry Owen Wilde--there was supposedly so much arguing about who the silver should go to, that it was eventually split in exactly halves between my great-uncle and my great-aunt? including one silver candlestick for each of them...hence why my great-uncle only has the one, which I find slightly ridiculous given that they are meant to go in pairs.
That's about all I can think of off the top of my head, though if I get the sword I might return to share some photos?

 

[Dan E. Parkes]

Thanks for the extra information - very interesting!

Though I have seen some people saying that his letter to his sister saying he had a bad feeling about the ship did not exist--everything I've heard from my family says it definitely does, though I have not seen it.

The problem is that Wilde's alleged quote "I still don't like this ship... I have a queer feeling about it." does not align with any of the other letters he wrote at the time. In the other letters, he is very positive about Titanic, for example, he writes that "she is an improvement on the Olympic in many respects and is a wonderful ship the latest thing in shipbuilding" and then repeats the phrase "she is an improvement on the Olympic" in two other letters - written on the 11th of April including his daughter Jennie, in which he adds the phrase "she is a very fine ship." The only mention of a "queer feeling" is in Geoffrey Marcus's book 'The Maiden Voyage'. Without the actual letter, it is difficult to verify that it is nothing more than a retrospective family rumour.

Incidentally, there are two more letters from Wilde up for auction at Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd (Apr 23, 2022):

R.M.S TITANIC/OLYMPIC: Henry Tingle Wilde, Chief Officer of R.M.S. Titanic RNR (21 September

bid.henryaldridge.com

R.M.S TITANIC/OLYMPIC: Henry Tingle Wilde, Chief Officer of R.M.S. Titanic RNR (21 September

bid.henryaldridge.com

if I get the sword I might return to share some photos?

I think I can speak for many that any extra information on Wilde and his descendants is definitely welcome.

 

[WildeDescendant]

Thanks for the extra information - very interesting!



The problem is that Wilde's alleged quote "I still don't like this ship... I have a queer feeling about it." does not align with any of the other letters he wrote at the time. In the other letters, he is very positive about Titanic, for example, he writes that "she is an improvement on the Olympic in many respects and is a wonderful ship the latest thing in shipbuilding" and then repeats the phrase "she is an improvement on the Olympic" in two other letters - written on the 11th of April including his daughter Jennie, in which he adds the phrase "she is a very fine ship." The only mention of a "queer feeling" is in Geoffrey Marcus's book 'The Maiden Voyage'. Without the actual letter, it is difficult to verify that it is nothing more than a retrospective family rumour.

Incidentally, there are two more letters from Wilde up for auction at Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd (Apr 23, 2022):

R.M.S TITANIC/OLYMPIC: Henry Tingle Wilde, Chief Officer of R.M.S. Titanic RNR (21 September

bid.henryaldridge.com

R.M.S TITANIC/OLYMPIC: Henry Tingle Wilde, Chief Officer of R.M.S. Titanic RNR (21 September

bid.henryaldridge.com

I think I can speak for many that any extra information on Wilde and his descendants is definitely welcome.

Sadly, my uncle took the sword...I had been hoping to get it but I decided best not to cause family drama by demanding it...

 

[Dan E. Parkes]

Sadly, my uncle took the sword...I had been hoping to get it but I decided best not to cause family drama by demanding it...

That's a shame. But please stay in touch. I am presently updating my biography on Wilde with a load of new information and pictures I have accumulated in the last few years. It is my desire that he is no longer labeled the so-called "enigma" of the night due to the limited amount of information on his life and actions. If you have anything to add in the way of corrections etc please do let me know:

Titanic's Officers - RMS Titanic - Chief Officer Wilde

A website devoted to collating information on Titanic's officers, as well as the officers involved in the disaster such as the Carpathia and Californian.

titanicofficers.com