Frederick Joseph Goodwin

Who was Mr Frederick Joseph Goodwin?

Mr Frederick Joseph Goodwin was a 42-year-old (forty-two) English engineer and third-class passenger aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic. Born on February 1, 1870, in Bermondsey, Surrey, England, Goodwin was traveling with his wife and six children to start a new life in Niagara Falls, New York, when tragedy struck on April 15, 1912.

Early Life and Family

Frederick was born into a working-class family, the second son of Charles Goodwin (1842-1892) and Mary Ann Tyler (b. 1840). His father worked as a printer and later as a school caretaker. Frederick had five siblings:

• Thomas Charles (b. 1868)
• Florence Emmeline Mary (b. 1872)
• Sidney Tyler (b. 1873)
• Lydia Amy (b. 1875)
• Frank Osborne (b. 1877)

Career and Marriage

Following in his father’s footsteps, Frederick initially worked as a printer and compositor. However, his career path would later change.

On Christmas Day 1894, Frederick married Augusta Tyler (b. 1868), a Middlesex native and former domestic servant. The couple went on to have six children:

1. Lillian Augusta (b. 1896)
2. Charles Edward (b. 1897)
3. William Frederick (b. 1898)
4. Jessie Allis Mary (b. 1900)
5. Harold Victor (b. 1901)
6. Sidney Leslie (b. 1910)

Relocation and Career Change

The Goodwin family’s life was marked by several relocations:

• 1901: Living at 4 Exeter Road, Edmonton, Middlesex
• 1910: Moved to Melksham, Wiltshire
• 1911: Residing at Watson’s Court on High Street, Melksham
• 1912: Temporarily living at 10 Vernon Street, Fulham, London

During this period, Frederick transitioned from printing to working as a general laborer in a foundry, showcasing his adaptability in the face of changing circumstances.

The American Dream and Titanic Journey

What inspired the Goodwin family’s fateful journey to America? Several factors came into play:

1. Family connections: Many of Frederick’s siblings had already emigrated to the USA, settling in Niagara, New York.
2. Employment opportunity: Frederick’s brother Thomas informed him about a job opening at the power station in Niagara Falls.
3. Financial assistance: Frederick’s sisters Florence and Lydia, along with Florence’s husband William, provided funds for the journey.

The Titanic Booking

The family’s original plans were altered due to a coal strike, resulting in their transfer to the Titanic. They boarded the ship in Southampton on April 10, 1912, as third-class passengers. Their ticket, number 2144, cost £46 18s (forty-six pounds, eighteen shillings).

The Tragic Fate of the Goodwin Family

Like many large families traveling in third class, especially those with teenage boys, the entire Goodwin family was lost in the sinking. This heart-wrenching tragedy included:

• Frederick Joseph Goodwin (42)
• Augusta Goodwin (43)
• Lillian Augusta Goodwin (16)
• Charles Edward Goodwin (14)
• William Frederick Goodwin (13)
• Jessie Allis Mary Goodwin (10)
• Harold Victor Goodwin (9)
• Sidney Leslie Goodwin (19 months)

In a poignant twist of fate, only the body of baby Sidney was recovered, remaining unidentified for many years.

Legacy and Remembrance

The loss of the Goodwin family had far-reaching impacts:

1. Financial assistance: Frederick’s widowed mother and disabled brother Sidney, who depended on him, received financial aid.
2. Reimbursement: The siblings who had helped fund the family’s journey were reimbursed $150.
3. Memorial: A tribute to the family stands in the Church at Melksham, Wiltshire.

What became of Frederick Goodwin’s siblings?

The fates of Frederick’s siblings varied:

• Frank: Worked as a carpenter, married Emily Margaret Lindholm, and had a son named Frank. He passed away in Walworth, Surrey, on March 1, 1941.
• Sidney: Recorded as disabled on the 1911 census, he never married and died in Kent in 1945.
• Florence: Lived in Buffalo, New York, and later Los Angeles, where she died on October 11, 1954, at the age of 82.
• Thomas: Was still living in Niagara in the 1920s, but his fate thereafter is unclear.
• Lydia: Her fate remains uncertain.

The story of Frederick Joseph Goodwin and his family serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of the Titanic disaster, illustrating how a single event can alter the course of multiple lives and generations. Their tragic tale continues to resonate, more than a century after that fateful night in the Atlantic.