Walter William Binstead was a Trimmer on the Titanic.
Background[]
Walter William Binstead was one of no less than 13 children begotten by the pair of Charles Binstead and Caroline Jane Silvester, from different regions. Father Charles was a Sontonian from origin, whilst his wife, who he wed in Southampton in 1872, was an islander. She had lived her early days on the Isle of Wright. November 9, 1891, marked the day that the first could be seen of their son, who was preceeded by many brothers and sisters, but, sorrowfully, half of them didn’t make it through their younger years.
Joseph James was the one that made the Binstead pair into parents in 1868. Their eldest daughter was Elizabeth Eliza Letitia Jane, who could have arrived in either 1871 or 1873. Next, in 1875, was Charlotte Caroline. For less than a few years they had a younger sister in 1878: Jennie or Jessie Julia, whose life was soon over, perhaps that same year, or in 1880. That year saw Laura see the light. She survived her youth, as did Mathilde Florence since 1883. The same couldn’t be said of 1884 born George Peter, who would not see the next year. His brother Charles also died within the same year as he was born: 1885. Another Charles was dropped in 1886 and would live a full life. Alice Mary Ann was ready to see life outside the womb in 1888, with James Peter Isaac George being there in 1890. He also made it through.
Walter William was the second youngest, the honor of being the youngest was given to Bob, in 1894, however, he was yet another early death that same year. He was the last. Since then, Walter was obviously the youngest of 9 surviving children. It looks as though Southampton would be their permanent place when they had all their off-spring. Father Charles was a smithy for the shipping industry in 1891.
Ten years later, in 1901, they still owned the same house. That year, the family would lose another son: their first-born. Another decade further, mother Caroline had made herself available as accoucheuse whilst her husband was not always around, as he was likely at the briny deep. Walter also saw his opportunities of bread-winning on the open water, but first he cleaned furnaces as a daily job. He had not found himself a wife yet.
Titanic[]
At the relative young age of 20, in April 1912, Walter had done a crossing with the White Star Line’s New York and was back for more. When he got back from his trip, he was adopted as Trimmer for the inaugrual crossing of a new, larger steamer in Southampton on the 6th of April. Every day, Walter’s working hours were from 4:00 to 8:00, both night and morning as well as afternoon and evening, as he was with the second shift.
Ironically, he would be close to his former ship again by April 10, the day Titanic caused a bit of havoc close at port, as she had been released by the tugs and went full ahead. Her large suction caused New York to drift towards her after her moorings had snapped off. Some other tugs had assisted into avoiding an ugly contact and a huge delay or perhaps even a cancelled trip. With this close encounter, Titanic was on her way to Cherbourg, but an hour late. The further voyage should’ve led Titanic via Queenstown, where she made another stop, to New York.
Unlike everyone expected, this proved to be a challenge. It was a pitch-black, moonless night on the 14th of April, when Titanic was steaming along at 22,5 knots, when a bell in the lookout’s position rang three times. An iceberg had been spotted and was ominously close. The Officer of the Watch shouted ‘Hard to Starboard’ to have the helm hard over to the right to make the ship go portside, in the hope to get around this massive obstacle. Titanic turned painfully slowly, even though the engines were reversed, there was not enough time. When the ship’s nose began to point away from the iceberg, the starboard side grazed it and several holes appeared beneath the sea. Water was rushing in 6 areas seperated by thick walls, called bulkheads. These would normally make Titanic an unsinkable ship, but on this rare occurance, so many had picked up damage, filling up with ocean water by the tons, which made her bow very heavy and the water could simply overcome the bulkheads, which reached to E-Deck mostly, with only a few reaching D-Deck.
At midnight, April 15, on the bridge, Captain Smith, with the Titanic’s architect, Thomas Andrews, had gone down to inspect the damge and they knew by now that the ship was a lost cause. They could not save Titanic, all they could do was let the Engineers delay the sinking with the pumps and meanwhile transport people off her with the lifeboats. Captain Smith called his men to get everything in prgoress.
The Engineering Crew meanwhile, would have to battle against the sea, but some men chose to help to evacuate. Fate was good for Binstead. He was one out of 20 Trimmers who would be able to contiune their life. Hardly anything noteworthy is known of his experiences on the Titanic, it is unclear which lifeboat he escaped on, but it was hinted to have been lifeboat 3.
The rising seawater slowly took over the ship and by 2:20 A.M, Titanic was brought to her end, having also been broken and crumbled.
After the sinking[]
Thanks to Titanic’s Marconists, a life line was later thrown out by a steamer that had hestatited no moment when she learned of Titanic’s peril. At 4:00 A.M, this steamer, RMS Carpathia, was at the position Titanic had passed through via the wireless. Yet, she only found the lifeboats with a cominbed 706 people in it. It was later in the morning when she was finished taking everyone onboard. After a treacherous voyage, the ship Carpathia arrived in New York Harbor on the rainy evening of April 18. Walter wasn’t interrogated by either of the Inquiries that took place in America and Britain.
Later life[]
Walter's career proceeded as it were and he did plenty more sailings, still his occupation in the 1920s. He found the love of his life at a very late stage in his life. Her name was Cecilia Frances Lahey, originally Cecilia Whitcombe. Walter made the life’s promise to her in Southampton in 1941. Cecilia was much younger and had lost her former man, John Lahey along with her son Kenneth J, both in 1940. The new bond produced two children, the first being welcomed the same year as they married: Michael Walter. His brother was named Kenneth Charles in 1943.
Walter and Cecilia were Sontonians for live. Southampton would see the last of Walter in 1959, as his time to leave earth came by then, on the first day of the new year.
Cecilia would live on for much longer. She was taken to the afterlife in 1981.