William Henry Harrison was born on the first of January 1866 in Sudbury, Derbyshire, England. He was a Secretary to White Star Line President Mr. Joseph Bruce Ismay and travelled in First Class.
Letter from William Harrison
William was baptised on 9 December in Sudbury Parish Church. He was the illegitimate child of Caroline Harrison. It seems that he was raised by his grandparents, it is unclear what became of his mother.
William married Ann Elizabeth Riley on 26 December 1889 and they had two children, Ellen and Thomas Leslie.
The 1901 census shows Harrison and his family living in Wallasey and his profession as a clerk at a steamship office. By 1911 he is then described as a private secretary to J. Bruce Ismay.
Harrison perished in the disaster. When his body was recovered, his personal effects were recorded as follows:
NO.110 - MALE - ESTIMATED AGE, 40 - HAIR AND MOUSTACHE, FAIR
CLOTHING ? Green overcoat; dark suit; white shirt, blue stripe; purple socks.
EFFECTS ? fountain pen; cigarette holderhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh; three memo books; pair cuff links; gold stud; bill book; pipe; keys; silver knife; £10 in gold; £1.18s.8d in bag; and £10 in notes.
FIRST CLASS - NAME - W.H.HARRISON
It is these personal effects that have recently come to light, as a direct descendent has prepared the papers for auction. These papers included a four page letter from Harrison to his wife.
The water stained letter told how he was "fed up" spending hours writing letters to post for Mr. Ismay. He concluded that he wanted a shore based job in the future. "I had to work all the afternoon writing letters to post at Queenstown, I expect dose in the morning". Interestingly he talks of his journey to Southampton and his meeting up with Ismay. "I found the boss in good shape"
His body was recovered by Cable ship Mackay Bennett. He was buried at the Fairview Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia. His estate was worth £840, 11s, 6d and administered to his widow. She never remarried and settled in London, dying in Pinner,
Further effects included an extremely rare book with the timetable for Titanic Atlantic crossings scheduled for the year and a telegram from Ismay to Harrison's wife four days after the disaster stating:
"Words fail to express my sorrow at your terrible loss. Am overwhelmed by this frightful calamity. Heartfelt sympathy with you in this dark hour".