Mr James Cleland was born at 46 Vere Street in Belfast, Ireland on 9 November 1881. Hailing from a Church of Ireland family, he was the son of James Cleland, a marine fireman, and Isabella Shaw.

He was married in St Anne’s Church, Belfast on 26 December 1903 to Ellen Jane Beatty (b. circa 1877), his address at the time being given as 17 Vere Street and his profession as fireman. They had two children by 1912, Robert and Isabella and they welcomed at least one more child, their daughter Eleanor, in the following years. The family appears on the 1911 census as residents of 51 Constance Street, Belfast. 

Cleland’s ship prior to Titanic had been the Atlas. He joined Titanic at Belfast for the delivery trip to Southampton where he then disembarked.

In later years James Cleland lived at 33 Dover Street, Belfast but spent his final days in a mental institution where he died on 21 April 1929 aged 47. His widow Ellen died in 1957 and both are buried in Dundonald Cemetery (plot D2 684).¹