Mr Samuel Beard Risien

Who was Samuel Beard Risien?

Samuel Beard Risien was a 69 (sixty-nine) year-old English hotelier who tragically lost his life in the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. Born on June 3, 1842, in Deal, Kent, England, Risien’s life journey took him from working as a coal merchant and carpenter to becoming a hotelier and ultimately a passenger on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic.

Early Life and Background

A Family of Coal Merchants

Samuel Beard Risien was born into a family deeply rooted in the coal trade. His father, Samuel Smillie Risien (1807-1885), was a coal merchant in Deal, Kent. Samuel’s mother, Elizabeth Chambers (1908-1889), was also a Kent native. The couple married on October 28, 1833, in Deal and had eight children, with Samuel being one of the middle children.

Siblings and Early Career

Samuel had seven known siblings:

• Elizabeth Ludlam (b. 1835)
• Joseph (b. 1837)
• Jonathan Braily (b. 1839)
• Alfred William (b. 1845)
• Jonathan (b. 1846)
• Emily Turton (1850-1897)
• Edmund Ebeneezer (b. 1853)

At the young age of 9, Samuel was already working alongside his father in the coal merchant business while still attending school. The 1851 census records show him living at 121 Lower Street in Deal.

From Carpenter to Hotelier

As Samuel grew older, he transitioned from the coal trade to carpentry. The 1861 census describes him as a carpenter, living as a lodger in Newington, Surrey. This versatility in his career would eventually lead him to become a hotelier later in life.

Marriage and Family Life

First Marriage and Children

On June 8, 1867, Samuel married Mary Louisa Lellyett in London. Mary, born in 1846, was from Havant, Hampshire. The couple had four children:

1. Samuel Walter (b. 1868)
2. Katie Elizabeth (b. 1870)
3. Alfred William (b. 1872)
4. Charles James (1880-1948)

A New Life in America

Shortly after the birth of their first child, the Risien family emigrated to the United States. By 1880, they had settled in Groesbeck, Texas, where Samuel continued to work as a carpenter.

Second Marriage and Travel

After Mary’s untimely death in the late 1880s, Samuel remarried around 1889 to Emma Jane Lellyett, his late wife’s sister. The couple’s adventurous spirit led them to various locations:

• Lived in Limestone, Texas (as per the 1910 census)
• Possibly spent time in South Africa, where Emma’s family was involved in diamond mining
• Returned to Durban, South Africa in late 1910 for a 14-month stay

Family lore suggests that the couple brought back diamonds from South Africa, cleverly concealing them in large suitcases while traveling third class to avoid suspicion.

The Fateful Titanic Journey

Preparing for the Voyage

On March 30, 1912, Samuel sent a postcard to his son Charles from London, expressing his excitement about their upcoming journey:

“About the time you get this we will be leaving for N. York. We expect to sail on the new ship ‘Titanic’ largest in the world and her trip (45,000 tons) … We shall sail from Southampton on April 10th that is if they can get coal enough to go on. it is getting very scarce and dear. Both well, Papa”

Boarding the Titanic

On April 10, 1912, Samuel and Emma boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton as third-class passengers. Their ticket details were as follows:

Fate During the Disaster

Tragically, both Samuel Beard Risien and his wife Emma Jane Risien perished in the Titanic disaster on April 15, 1912. At the time of his death, Samuel was 69 (sixty-nine) years old. Their bodies, if recovered, were never identified.

What was Samuel Beard Risien’s Legacy?

While Samuel and Emma’s lives were cut short by the Titanic tragedy, their story lives on as part of the broader narrative of the disaster. Their journey from England to America, with stops in Texas and South Africa, exemplifies the adventurous spirit of many Titanic passengers seeking new opportunities across the Atlantic.

The postcard Samuel sent to his son Charles serves as a poignant reminder of the excitement and anticipation that surrounded the Titanic’s maiden voyage. It also highlights the historical context of coal scarcity at the time, which would later play a role in the ship’s fate.

Samuel Beard Risien’s life story, from his early days as a coal merchant’s son to his final voyage as a hotelier, encapsulates the social and economic changes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His tale serves as a testament to the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the Titanic’s passengers, each with their own unique story tragically cut short by one of history’s most infamous maritime disasters.