Constance Miriam West

Who was Miss Constance Miriam West?

Miss Constance Miriam West was a young English girl who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic at the tender age of 4 (four) years old. Born on August 13, 1907, in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England, Constance’s life was forever changed by her experience on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic in 1912.

Early Life and Family

Constance was born into a family with Cornish roots. Her parents were:

Father: Edwy Arthur West (born 1875), a department store floorwalker
Mother: Ada Mary Worth (born 1879)

The couple married on September 12, 1905, and Constance was their firstborn child. She had two younger sisters:

Barbara Joyce (born 1911)
Edwyna Joan (born September 1912, after the Titanic disaster)

In 1911, the West family resided at Livadia, 79 Paisley Road, Stourwood, Bournemouth, as recorded in the census of that year.

The Fateful Titanic Journey

A New Life Cut Short

In 1912, the West family made a life-changing decision to emigrate to America. Their plan was to settle in Gainesville, Florida, and start a fruit culture business. This dream led them to book passage on the grandest ship of the era – the RMS Titanic.

Titanic Ticket Details

Ticket Number: 34651
Class: 2nd Class
Cost: £27, 15s
Embarkation: Southampton, April 10, 1912

The Night of the Sinking

Mrs. West later recounted the harrowing events of April 14-15, 1912:

“We were all asleep when the collision took place, but were only jolted in our berths - my husband and children not even being awakened, and it was only the hurrying of passengers outside the cabin that caused alarm. The steward bade us all get up and dress thoroughly with plenty of warm things. Arthur placed lifebelts upon the children and then carried them to the boat deck. I followed carrying my handbag. After seeing us safely into the lifeboat Arthur returned to the cabin for a thermos of hot milk, and, finding the lifeboat let down he reached it by means of a rope, gave the flask to me, and, with a farewell, returned to the deck of the ship.”

Survival and Rescue

Constance, along with her mother and baby sister Barbara, were fortunate to be placed in Lifeboat 11. Tragically, her father, Edwy Arthur West, did not survive the disaster. The surviving West family members were later picked up by the RMS Carpathia and taken to New York City.

Life After the Titanic

Return to England

With their plans for a new life in America shattered, Constance, her mother, and baby sister returned to England aboard the RMS Celtic. They settled in Truro, Cornwall, where Constance’s youngest sister, Edwyna Joan, was born in September 1912.

Education and Youth

Constance’s education was shaped by her family’s experience:

Attended a boarding school in Purley, Surrey, run by the Worshipful Company of Drapers until age 12
Believed to have later attended Truro girls’ high school
Was heavily involved with the Girl Guides for many years

Later Life and Legacy

Constance never married and faced health challenges in her later years, becoming afflicted with multiple sclerosis. She spent her final years living at The Firs, Riverside, Lelant, Cornwall.

Final Days

Date of Death: September 12, 1963
Age at Death: 56 (fifty-six) years old
Place of Death: Manor Nursing Home, Lelant, Cornwall
Estate Value: £5,117, 9s

Memorial

Constance Miriam West was cremated at Penmount Crematorium in Truro, Cornwall, England. Her ashes were scattered in the garden of rest alongside her sister Barbara (garden R, HB22), where a memorial plaque stands in their memory.

As one of the youngest survivors of the Titanic disaster, Constance Miriam West’s life serves as a poignant reminder of the human stories behind one of history’s most famous maritime tragedies. Her survival and subsequent life in England offer a glimpse into the long-lasting impact of that fateful night in April 1912 on the lives of those who lived to tell the tale.