Domingos Fernandeo Coelho

Who was Mr Domingos Fernandeo Coelho?

Mr Domingos Fernandeo Coelho was a 20 (twenty) year-old Portuguese agricultural laborer who tragically lost his life in the Titanic disaster. Born in Madeira, he was a third-class passenger aboard the ill-fated ship, embarking on a journey to New York City in pursuit of new opportunities.

Early Life and Family

Roots in Madeira

Domingos Fernandeo Coelho was born on June 19, 1891, in Torreão, Madalena do Mar, Ponta do Sol, on the picturesque island of Madeira, Portugal. He was the son of José Fernandes Coelho and Jesuína da Ponte, growing up in a large family with eight siblings. This upbringing in a close-knit, sizeable family likely instilled in him the values of hard work and community that would later propel him to seek better prospects across the Atlantic.

Career and Aspirations

A Young Laborer’s Dream

At the young age of 20 (twenty), Domingos was already working as a general laborer, specifically in agriculture. This occupation was common for many young men from Madeira at the time, but Domingos harbored ambitions that stretched beyond the shores of his island home. His decision to embark on a journey to New York City speaks volumes about his determination and courage, willing to leave behind all that was familiar in search of new opportunities.

The Journey to Titanic

Preparation for a New Life

In preparation for his life-changing journey, Domingos took the necessary legal steps to travel abroad. On March 20, 1912, he was granted passport number 518 by the Civil Government of Funchal. This official document was his key to a new world of possibilities, with New York City as his intended destination.

From Madeira to Southampton

Domingos’s journey began on his home island of Madeira. From there, he traveled to England, a significant voyage in itself for a young man who had likely never left his island before. It was in the bustling port of Southampton that Domingos would board the majestic RMS Titanic, marking the beginning of what he hoped would be an exciting new chapter in his life.

Aboard the Titanic

A Third-Class Passage

Domingos boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a third-class passenger. His ticket, numbered SOTON/O.Q. 3101307, cost £7 1s, a significant sum for a young laborer, underscoring the importance he placed on this journey. This ticket represented not just a means of transportation, but Domingos’s investment in his future.

Friends and Fellow Travelers

Importantly, Domingos was not alone on this grand adventure. He was accompanied by his friends José Neto Jardim and Manuel Gonçalves Estanislau. The presence of these companions likely provided comfort and excitement as they embarked on their journey to a new life in America.

The Fateful Night

A Dream Cut Short

Tragically, Domingos Fernandeo Coelho’s dreams of a new life in America were cut short on the night of April 15, 1912. Like many third-class passengers, Domingos did not survive the sinking of the Titanic. His body, if recovered, was never identified, leaving his family without even the solace of a proper burial.

Legacy and Remembrance

Support for the Bereaved

In the aftermath of the disaster, the Titanic Relief Fund provided some financial support to the families of those lost. Domingos’s parents received £60 from this fund (case 136), a sum that, while unable to compensate for their loss, may have provided some small measure of assistance during their time of grief.

A Life Remembered

Though his life was cut tragically short, Domingos Fernandeo Coelho’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the hopes and dreams carried aboard the Titanic. His journey from a small island to the decks of the world’s most famous ship encapsulates the spirit of ambition and the search for a better life that drove many passengers to embark on that fateful voyage.

Domingos Fernandeo Coelho, like many others lost in the Titanic disaster, reminds us of the human cost of the tragedy - each victim a person with hopes, dreams, and loved ones left behind. His story, brief as it was, continues to be told, ensuring that he and others like him are not forgotten in the annals of history.