Health insurance record for William Nutbean, a TITANIC survivor

insurance card

A 1939 health insurance and pension record for TITANIC survivor William Nutbean. Nutbean was a fireman, or stoker, but he was off duty and during the disaster he was ordered to his boat station to help load lifeboats, and then into a boat to help crew it. This meant he survived while over 100 other firemen died, many of them working in the depths of the ship until the last moments. This card predates England's National Health Service, so at this time "insurance" meant that part of the employee's salary was contributed to a fund for his use, supplemented by a limited contribution from the state. This card was issued in 1939 but shows his contributions for 1939-1943. Nutbean died in 1947 at the age of 65.