Charles Whilems

Who was Charles Whilems?

Charles Whilems was an English glass worker and Titanic survivor who gained recognition for his vivid eyewitness account of the ship’s sinking. Born on March 13, 1881, in Sunderland, England, Whilems worked as a factory foreman and was a second-class passenger on the ill-fated RMS Titanic. His survival story and detailed recollections provide valuable insights into the events of that tragic night in April 1912.

Early Life and Family Background

Charles Whilems came from a family deeply rooted in the glass-making industry. His father, Joseph Whilems, was a French-born glass flattener who had settled in England. Charles’ mother, Elizabeth Cornforth Hachet (née Engledow), was English. This multicultural background was typical of many skilled workers in the industrial towns of late 19th century Britain.

A Complex Family Tree

Charles’ family history was marked by remarriages and step-siblings:

• His father, Joseph, had been previously married to Josephine André, with whom he had seven children.
• His mother, Elizabeth, had also been married before, to Louis Hachet, a Belgian-born glassmaker, with whom she had six children.

Charles was born into this blended family, gaining four more siblings after his parents married in 1885. This large, diverse family likely influenced Charles’ adaptability and social skills, traits that would serve him well in his later life and career.

Career in the Glass Industry

Following in his father’s footsteps, Charles entered the glass-making trade. By the time of his marriage in 1900, he described himself as a glass bender. His skill and dedication in this craft led to his promotion to foreman at Messrs Robinson Kings Glassworks, a position he held at the time of his fateful Titanic journey.

Marriage and Family Life

On August 4, 1900, Charles married Eliza Eames in St Stephen’s Church, Tower Hamlets, London. The couple had several children:

• Eileen Victoria (1901-1983)
• Leonie Adeline (1909-2000)
• Charles (born 1911)
• Enid Cecilia (born 1913)

Their growing family was a testament to the stability Charles had achieved in his personal life, despite the upheavals of his childhood.

The Titanic Journey

Why was Charles on the Titanic?

Charles boarded the Titanic in Southampton on April 10, 1912, as a second-class passenger. His ticket (number 244270) cost £13, a significant sum at the time. Charles was traveling to Manhattan to visit relatives at 2270 Broadway, with the intention of returning to England on the same ship.

Charles’ Experience of the Sinking

Charles’ account of the Titanic’s sinking is both harrowing and insightful. He was in the second-class smoking room playing cards when the ship struck the iceberg. Initially, like many passengers, he was unaware of the severity of the situation.

“A party of four of us had been smoking and playing cards in the second cabin smoking room when the shock came… We felt a slight jar, and hastened to the deck. Even as we did so, we saw the iceberg, huge and white against the dark blue sea, go whizzing past on the starboard side of the ship, just clear of the stern.”

As the situation became dire, Charles showed quick thinking and compassion:

1. He returned to his cabin to retrieve his lifejacket, waking his cabin mates to warn them.
2. He assisted women and children into lifeboats before boarding Lifeboat 9 himself.
3. He provided a detailed account of the ship’s final moments and the rescue operation.

Survival and Immediate Aftermath

Charles was one of about 55 people in Lifeboat 9. His vivid description of the sinking and the aftermath aboard the Carpathia provides historians with valuable insights into the disaster.

Life After the Titanic

After returning to England, Charles resumed his work as a glass bender. The Titanic experience didn’t deter him from expanding his family; he and Eliza welcomed another child, Enid Cecilia, in 1913.

Later Years

The family later moved to Ilford, Essex, settling at 21 Highcliffe Gardens. The 1939 register shows Charles, then 58 (fifty-eight) years old, still working as a glass process worker, living with his wife Eliza and son Charles L.

What was Charles Whilems’ legacy?

Charles Whilems’ legacy lies primarily in his eyewitness account of the Titanic disaster. His detailed recollections, from the moment of impact to the rescue by the Carpathia, provide historians and Titanic enthusiasts with valuable first-hand information about one of the most famous maritime disasters in history.

His survival story also represents the experiences of second-class passengers, a group often overlooked in Titanic narratives that tend to focus on the stark contrast between first-class luxury and third-class hardship.

Charles Whilems died on February 15, 1940, at the age of 58 (fifty-eight). His wife Eliza passed away just over a year later on March 28, 1941. While he may not be as well-known as some other Titanic survivors, Charles Whilems’ story remains an important piece of the Titanic’s complex human tapestry, reminding us of the individual lives forever changed by that fateful voyage.