Harry James Smither was born on 13 November 1889 in Kilburn, Middlesex, England.
He was the son of Harry James Smither (1857-1930), a police constable, and Louisa Bergin (1857-1930). His father originated in Hampshire, and his mother in Paddington, London; they married in Hampshire in 1882.
Harry was one of six children, his siblings being Archibald (1883-1950), Gertrude (1884-1963), Elizabeth (b. 1887), Maud (b. 1892) and Clara (b. 1894).
He first appeared on the 1891 census, and at that time, he and his family were living at 7 Dennington (?) Park Road, Hampstead, London. When he was enrolled as a pupil at the Netherwood Street School on 1 July 1897, the family address was 20 St George's Road.
The Smither family would be listed as living at 2 St George's Road, Hampstead, at the time of the 1901 census when young Harry was still listed as a schoolboy. When the 1911 census was conducted, Harry and his family were recorded at 1 St Bernard, Ashtree Road, Bitterne Park, Southampton; Harry was then described as a stoker at a stationary engine.
Harry was married in Southampton in late 1911 to Daisy Farmer (b. 1894 in Eastleigh, Hampshire), and they had a daughter named Louisa Mary shortly after.
When Harry signed on to the Titanic in Southampton on 6 April 1912, he gave his address as 1 Ashtree Road, Southampton. His previous ship had been the Oceanic; as a fireman, he could expect to earn monthly wages of £6.
Harry Smither died in the sinking; his body, if recovered, was never identified.
His widow Daisy was remarried in 1914 to Walter Edmond George Whitlock (1891-1973) and had three more children, Harold, George and Bessie. She died in 1917, aged 23.
What became Harry's daughter Louisa remains uncertain.
Harry is remembered on the family headstone in Old Common Cemetery, Southampton (section F191, plot 185). The headstone is in a bad state of repair.
(Courtesy of Trevor Baxter)
Comment and discuss
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Hi According to my family my great uncle Harry Smither, a fireman, was not suppose to be on the Titanic, but on the sister ship Olympia. It seems one of the firemen on the Titanic was takem ill and Harry took his place...... i have a collegue at work who said that her grand father, Mr Norton, was due to sail on the Titanic as a fireman in the engine room, but due to illnes was unable to under take the trip.. Does anyone one know of any connection?? Paul
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Hallo, Paul. Most of the firemen were signed on for the Titanic on 6 April, several days before the ship sailed. Harry Smither's signature appears with the others on that date, so he wasn't a late replacement for somebody else.
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Daisy farmer was my great grandmother she went on to marry for a third time and had a total of 13 children.
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Ummm...who's Daisy Farmer?
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My Mams been looking into her family tree it does say on hear that she died 1917. My mam has found the same daisy farmer that married Smithers,...
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I will check but I think My mam said Louisa had one son and the records show someone from their side had been looking into my grandmother. Louisa would of been her half sister.
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I was unable to...
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All genealogical records that I searched indicate that Daisy Farmer-Smither-Whitlock passed away in 1917 aged 23...
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Thanks.
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