Charles William Warren

Who was Charles William Warren?

Charles William Warren was a 31-year-old English bricklayer who tragically lost his life as a third-class passenger aboard the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. He was a devoted husband and father, embarking on a journey to the United States with hopes of starting a new life for his family.

Early Life and Family

Born in the summer of 1881 in Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, Charles William Warren came from a working-class background. His parents were:

• Father: Henry John Warren (1854-1916), a bricklayer
• Mother: Emily Jane Sansbury (1852-1929)

Charles was one of eight children, with four surviving siblings:

• Henry James (b. 1874)
• Alfred George (b. 1876)
• Samuel Sidney (b. 1879)
• Nellie Beatrice (b. 1888)
• Harold Edgar (b. 1894)
• Sidney Rupert (b. 1897)
• May Gladys (b. 1900)

Where did Charles Warren grow up?

The Warren family moved several times during Charles’ childhood, all within the Portsmouth area:

1. 1881: 70 Grigg Street, Portsea
2. 1891: 15 Staunton Street, Portsea
3. 1901: 15 Chapel Street, Portsmouth

Career and Marriage

From Seaman to Bricklayer

The 1901 census reveals an interesting detail about Charles’ early career:

The 1901 census shows the family living at 15 Chapel Street, Portsmouth and the record indicates that Charles was an unmarried seaman.

However, Charles didn’t pursue a long-term career at sea. Following in his father’s footsteps, he eventually became a bricklayer.

Marriage and Family Life

Charles married Sophia Dine (b. 1883), a native of Brighton, Sussex, in late 1902 in Portsmouth. The couple had five children:

1. Charles Henry (1903-1983)
2. Delcie Alice (1905-1983, later Mrs. Edward Abery)
3. Frederick John (1907-1988)
4. Ivy Louisa (1910-2003, later married Ernest Abery)
5. Olive May (1912-1976, later Mrs. Arthur Knipe)

By 1911, the Warren family was living at 31 Hyde Street, Southsea, Portsmouth, with Charles continuing his work as a bricklayer.

The Titanic Journey

Why was Charles Warren on the Titanic?

Charles boarded the Titanic in Southampton on April 10, 1912, with a specific goal in mind:

Two brothers already lived in the USA, George and Samuel, the latter having crossed the previous July aboard the Oceanic. They settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and it was Charles’ intention to join them there and set up as a tobacconist.

Titanic Ticket Details

• Class: Third Class
• Ticket Number: 49867
• Cost: £7 11s (7 pounds, 11 shillings)

The Tragedy and Its Aftermath

Charles William Warren, aged 31 (thirty-one), perished in the sinking of the Titanic. His body, if recovered, was never identified. The tragedy left behind his widow, Sophia, and five young children, including three-month-old Olive, born on January 14, 1912.

Memorials and Remembrances

The family’s grief was evident in the memorials published in the Portsmouth Evening News:

1. May 8, 1912 (Death Notice):

   “WARREN–On the 15th April, Charles William Warren, the dearly-beloved husband of Sophie Warren, 3rd class passenger, who heroically lost his life in the ill-fated Titanic aged 30. A most devoted husband and father. Gone, but not forgotten.”

2. April 15, 1913 (Wife’s Memorial):

   “WARREN–In loving memory of Charles William Warren, who lost his life on SS Titanic on April 15th, 1912, aged 30. Sadly missed by his wife and children.”

3. April 16, 1915 (Parents’ Memorial):

   “WARREN–In loving memory of our dear son, Charlie, who lost his life through the foundering of the Titanic, April 15th, 1912. One of the best–Mother, father, sisters and brothers.”

Legacy and Family’s Future

• Charles’ father, Henry, died in 1916 following a tragic accident involving a motorcar collision.
• His mother, Emily, passed away in 1929.
• Charles’ widow, Sophia, remarried in 1915 to Robert Horsley (1861-1949) and had several more children.
• Sophia died in Portsmouth in 1967.
• Ivy, Charles’ last surviving child, died in Portsmouth in 2003.

Charles William Warren’s story is a poignant reminder of the many lives cut short by the Titanic disaster, leaving behind grieving families and unfulfilled dreams of a better future.