Edwy Arthur West

Who was Mr Edwy Arthur West?

Mr Edwy Arthur West was a 36 (thirty-six) year old English passenger aboard the RMS Titanic who heroically sacrificed his life to save his family during the ship’s sinking on April 15, 1912. Born in Cornwall in 1875, West was a carpet salesman who was emigrating to America with his wife and two young daughters to start a new life in Florida.

Early Life and Family

Edwy Arthur West was born on November 20, 1875, in Perranzabuloe, Cornwall, England. He was the son of Edwy Alfred West, a customs clerk, and Elizabeth Mary Wheeler. The West family was quite large, with Edwy being one of seven children:

Frederick E. (b. 1860)
Mary Elizabeth (b. 1864)
William Edwy (b. 1866)
Frank Alfred (b. 1867)
Edgar Louis (b. 1873)
Edwy Arthur (b. 1875)
Herbert Martin (b. 1881)

Education and Early Career

The West family moved frequently during Edwy’s childhood, residing in various locations including Hampshire, Kent, and Essex. By 1891, at the age of 15, Edwy was still attending school while living in Kenwyn, Truro.

As a young man, Edwy struck out on his own. The 1901 census records him as an unmarried house furnisher’s assistant, boarding in Portsmouth. This early experience in the furnishing trade would later lead to his career as a carpet salesman.

Marriage and Family Life

On September 12, 1905, Edwy married Ada Mary Worth, a native of Truro. The couple started their family in Bristol, where their first daughter, Constance Miriam, was born in 1907. They later moved to Bournemouth, where Edwy worked as a shop floor walker for the department store JJ Allen.

By the time of the 1911 census, the family was living at Livadia, 79 Paisley Road, Stourwood, Bournemouth. Edwy’s occupation was listed as a carpet salesman. Later that year, the Wests welcomed their second daughter, Barbara Joyce.

The Titanic Journey

Why were the Wests on the Titanic?

In 1912, the West family decided to embark on a new adventure. They planned to emigrate to Gainesville, Florida, to start a fruit culture business. This decision led them to book passage on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic.

Titanic Ticket Details

Ticket Number: 34651
Passenger Class: 2nd Class
Price: £27 15s (equivalent to about £3,300 or $4,100 in 2023)
Embarked: Southampton on April 10, 1912

The Night of the Sinking

Mrs. Ada West later recounted the events of that fateful night:

“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.”

Edwy West’s Heroism

Edwy Arthur West’s actions on the night of the Titanic’s sinking were nothing short of heroic. He ensured the safety of his wife and children, even returning to their cabin to fetch a thermos of milk for them. Despite having the opportunity to join his family in the lifeboat, he chose to return to the ship, sacrificing his own life.

The Mining World newspaper eloquently captured the essence of West’s heroism:

“It is impossible to write without emotion of the conduct of this heroic Cornishman who unquestionably might have saved his life had he chosen to take the place that, we suppose, was subsequently occupied by one of the women saved. Of such heroes the world is not worthy. Arthur West may be one of the least known of the Titanic heroes, but none will deny him the distinction of being one of the noblest.”

Legacy and Remembrance

A memorial to Edwy Arthur West was placed in Truro Cathedral, where he had served as a chorister in his youth.
His wife Ada, who was pregnant at the time of the disaster, gave birth to a daughter named Edwyna Joan on September 14, 1914.
The education of West’s daughters up to the age of 12 was sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Drapers.
His daughter Barbara, who survived the Titanic disaster, lived to be 96 years old, passing away in 2007 as the second-to-last living Titanic survivor.

Edwy Arthur West’s story is a testament to the selflessness and bravery displayed by many during the Titanic tragedy. His actions ensured the survival of his family, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire more than a century later.