Mr Robert David McIlroy was born in Belfast, Ireland on 2 October 1887. He was the son of James McIlroy, a mariner, and Annie Bingham. The eldest of five children, Robert grew up in a Presbyterian household.

He was married in St Anne’s Church, Belfast on 7 December 1908 to Jane Elliott (b. circa 1888) and the couple went on to have three children: Jane, Doris and James. Robert appears on the 1911 census residing at the home of his parents, 25 Rowan Street in Belfast, and he is described as a general labourer. 

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