Henry Joseph Bailey was one of the two Master-at-Arms of the Titanic. He survived the sinking, while Thomas Walter King, the other Master-at-Arms, died.
Biography[]
Henry Joseph Bailey was born in Highfield, Southampton on 22 June 1865. He was originally named Job Henry after his paternal grandfather but was known as Henry, like his father, a labourer from Dorset. His mother, Charlotte, was from Somerset. The couple married in Southampton in 1859, had six children between 1860 and 1872 while they lived somewhere on Portswood Road.
In 1880 Henry, aged just 15 joined the Royal Navy as a deck boy on Tricomalee. Life at sea must have suited him because, three years later, he was an ordinary seaman on Minotaur and by 1885, he was working on Canada as an able seaman. He served on many ships, including Saint Vincent, Fantome, Excellent, Victory I, Boscawen and Duke of Wellington. By 1890, had become a petty officer aboard Australia.
In 1894, Henry married Mary Jane Hopper from Cucklington Wincanton. Between 1895 and 1902, they had five children, one son and four daughters, only four survived infancy, Olive, Alma, Hilda and Agnes. Although Henry spent the majority of his time at sea, his family lived in Cucklington for some time and later moved to Portland in Dorset.
Henry’s rise up the ranks continued when he was promoted to first class petty officer aboard the Royal Arthur in 1901. He was pensioned out of the navy in December 1903. According to his discharge papers he was five foot ten, had dark brown hair, blue eyes, a ruddy complexion and flags tattooed on his right forearm.
Exactly what he did for the next few years isn’t known but, by 1911, he was living with his family at 377 Portswood Road and working as a coxswain on a steam launch in Southampton Docks.
Titanic[]
On April 6, 1912, he joined the Titanic as Master-At-Arms. It was his first time serving in the merchant navy but his friend and in law, Arthur Bright, was one of Titanic’s Quartermasters. Bright was married to Mary Jane’s sister, Ada, and both men had served together in the Royal Navy. Bright left the Olympic to join Titanic and may have persuaded Henry to join him.
Several accounts (see below) indicate that Bailey survived the sinking in lifeboat 16, being in charge.
Bailey mentioned in the inquiries[]
Bailey was paid £9 7s 6d in expenses to attend the British Titanic Inquiry in London, staying several days, but was never called to give evidence.
This is all the more surprising, given that the Wreck Commissioner, Lord Mersey, had himself raised questions about the Master-at-Arms’ role, asking who had duties aboard akin to those of a policeman, ‘to see that order is kept. (...) I am told the Master-at-Arms discharges those duties,’ Lord Mersey observed.
There are several other people who mentioned a Master-at-Arms in Lifeboat 16, commanding it.
John Poingdestre[]
Able Seaman John Poingdestre told the Inquiry that ‘no doubt’ third class would be kept back if they made any attempt to gain the boat deck. He suggested (BI 3209) this would be done by ‘the Master-at-Arms and the stewards.’ ‘All barriers were not down,’ he added, squarely.
Poingdestre survived in lifeboat 12 on the after port side and knew the Master-at-Arms was on duty that evening.
Joseph Scarrott[]
Seaman Joseph Scarrott told of having to belay passengers at the intervening boat 14, using a tiller, ‘when some men tried to rush the boats’ (Br. 383)
Scarrott then was joined by Fifth Officer Lowe, who drew his revolver. But no evidence was heard of any trouble at No. 16, despite its still being on the boat deck, representing the closest port-side escape craft for the watching steerage in the stern.
Ernest Archer[]
Able Seaman Ernest Archer said he went away in No. 16 with ‘another able seaman, two firemen, a steward, and a Master-at-Arms.’ He said in America that Mr Bailey ‘came down after us’ – using one of the ropes in the lifeboat falls, a feat equivalent to the celebrated descent of Major Arthur Peuchen to lifeboat No. 6.
Archer presumed that Bailey had been sent by an officer. ‘He said he was sent down to be the coxswain of the boat. He took charge.’ Bailey, it must be remembered, was an experienced cox who had been operating a steam launch in Southampton.
‘While you were loading the boat was there any effort made… to crowd into the boat?’ asked Senator Jonathan Bourne of Archer, who blithely replied: ‘No, sir; I never saw any,’ adding that there was ‘no confusion at all.’
Archer, in boat 16, was asked by Senator Bourne what they did after the ship had sunk.
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Mr. ARCHER. Senator BOURNE. Mr. ARCHER. Senator BOURNE. Mr. ARCHER. Senator BOURNE. Mr. ARCHER. |
Charles E. Andrews[]
Steward Charles E. Andrews thought lifeboat 16 departed as early as 12.30 A.M, but offers no suggestion that Bailey descended a rope to gain entry. ‘After the boat was full [of women and children] the officer called out for able seamen, or any individuals then, to man the boat.’
Several got in, said Andrews, he himself being the sixth entrant. ‘Five besides myself. The Master-at-Arms - there was two Master-at-Arms, and one was in charge of our boat.’ It is possible, therefore, that Bailey entered at the Boat Deck.
Robert Hichens[]
A relatively early departure of 16 is supported by Quartermaster Robert Hichens, in lifeboat 6, who testified (BI 1189) that. when they stopped rowing. there was a boat ‘right alongside of us.’ In charge was ‘the Master-at-Arms, Mr Bailey.’
Bailey’s boat was ‘full right up,’ and had ‘left about the same time as we did.’ The two boats tied up together.
Frederick Fleet[]
Lookout Frederick Fleet, also in No. 6, corroborates Hichens. Fleet testified in the US Inquiry:
Mr. FLEET. And some other boat came alongside of us, and the Master-at-Arms was in charge of that boat. We asked could he give us more men. Senator SMITH. What was the Master-at-Arms’ name? Mr. FLEET. I could not say. He is the only one that survived. Senator SMITH. And you asked him if he could give you more men? Mr. FLEET. Could he give us another man to help pull. Senator SMITH. Mr. FLEET. He gave us a fireman - one of the firemen. |
After the ship sank, ‘we heard a lot of crying and screaming,’ said Hichens. ‘The cries I heard lasted about two minutes, and some of them [in Fleet's boat] were saying, “It is one boat aiding the other. There was another boat aside of me, the boat the Master-at-Arms was in."
Later life[]
On his return home, Bailey would never have a job on a passenger liner again. He stayed ashore, but willingly returned to service during the Great War, serving his country with distinction for the duration of that conflict.
He returned to the high seas with the Royal Navy aboard HMS Eagle, HMS Victory and HMS Attentive.
After the war, a descendant recalls: ‘I can see him sitting in the chair in the middle room – the breakfast room – downstairs at 659 Portswood Road, and they had Charlie the dog.’ Bailey would live in Southampton for the rest of his life.
Bailey died on March 12th, 1943 at the age of 77. The family Bible records his funeral being held at South Stoneham crematorium, Southampton.
Source[]
Special thanks and credits to Marie Keates for allowing me to use a large part of the information on her blog:
https://iwalkalone.co.uk/the-final-titanic-tales-from-portswood-part-two/ The final Titanic tales from Portswood part two – I Walk Alone