Arthur Percy Pugh, better known as Percy, was born in Gosport, Hampshire, England in the first half of 1881. He was the son of Samuel Pugh (b. 1845 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire), a dock labourer, and Lydia Mary Winder (b. 1852 in Isfield, Sussex) who had married in Alverstoke, Hampshire on 2 December 1872.

He had eight known siblings: Samuel Henry John (b. 1873), Lydia Alice (b. 1876), Rhoda (b. 1878), Lilian Mary (b. 1880), May (b. 1883), Ada (b. 1886) Daisy (b. 1888) and Alfred (b. 1891.

In the months prior to Percy's birth his family were recorded on the 1881 census whilst living at 21 Chapel Street, Alverstoke. He first appears on the 1891 census and that the time he and his family were living at 15 Church Street. His father died in 1895 and his mother never remarried, working as a charwoman to support her family. By the time of the 1901 census Percy was still at home, 15 Bulls (?) Cottages, St Mary, Southampton, and was already working at sea, being described as a coal porter. Percy would be absent from the 1911 census but his mother was listed as living with her married daughter Ada Northover at 72 Orchard Lane, Southampton.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 6 April 1912, he gave his address as 22 Peel Street, Northam, (Hampshire). His last ship had been the Oceanic. As a leading fireman he received monthly wages of £6, 10s.

Percy, together with his brother, third class steward Alfred Pugh, nearly missed the sailing. According to Alfred another brother had to turn back and missed the sailing¹.

Percy Pugh was lost in the sinking. His body, if recovered, was never identified. His mother conitnued to live in Southampton and died in 1935.