John Henry Barnstead

John Henry Barnstead (June 12, 1845–June 13, 1939), tanner, barrister, and Justice of the Peace, was the Registrar of Vital Statistics (births, deaths, and marriages) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1921, at age 67, Barnstead coordinated the retrieval, cataloguing, and burial of RMS Titanic victims, devising a system of cataloguing mass disaster remains that is still in use.

Life & Family[]

A lifelong resident of Halifax, Nova Scotia, John Henry Barnstead was born on June 12, 1845.^[1] The son of Charles G. Barnstead and Agnes Meek, he was married to Harriet Tupper Creelman (1847-1941) in 1872.^[2]

Two of Barnstead's children, Dalhousie University graduates Arthur Stanley Barnstead (1873-1967) and Winifred Glen Barnstead (1884-1974) were also notable. Arthur was Deputy Provincial Secretary and Clerk of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia, and used his father's method in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion. While Barnstead's daughter Winifred graduated from Princeton University, and was a tenured professor and the founding director of the University of Toronto Library School.^[3][4]

Career[]

Barnstead's father Charles was a merchant, whose holdings included a tannery.^[5] The tannery occupied much of what is now bordered by Spring Garden Road, Cathedral Lane, and College Street in Halifax. Upon his marriage, and in local almanacs, Barnstead was listed as a tanner and with his father, "tanners & curriers", and also as a "leather dealer" until at least 1884,^[6] however by 1889, the tannery operations were gone from Spring Garden Road, although parcels were still in the family's possession.^[5] At what point Barnstead entered his career as barrister or registrar is unclear, but his retirement party in 1932 indicates it was in 1890, at age 45.^[7]

On January 12, 1912 at 12:45am, a catastrophic fire destroyed 12 buildings along Barrington, George, and Granville Streets, including Barnstead's marriage license office at 98 Granville Street, and his brother William Lithgrow Barnstead's retail store, "Barnstead's & Sutherland's" dry goods on Barrington Street.^[8]

RMS Titanic[]

In April 1912, Halifax was the closest city to the sinking of the Titanic. As registrar, Barnstead was charged with documenting remains. Working with the White Star Line and rescue vessels, CS Mackay-Bennett, CS Minia, CGS Montmagny, and SS Algerine, Barnstead coordinated body identification operations, including local burial for 121 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, 19 at Mount Olivet Cemetery and 10 at Baron de Hirsch Cemetery. The large number of bodies would normally require a mass grave, but Fairview Lawn's size allowed for burial in one zone, with one plot per body.^[9] An additional 119 bodies were documented but buried at sea.^[10] 59 bodies were shipped to their relatives.^[11]

As bodies arrived in Halifax, they were transported to the Mayflower Curling Club.^[12]

As registrar, Barnstead wrote the death certificate for each victim. Despite his noted meticulousness, he wrote "accidental drowning, RMS Titanic" on all certificates,^{[citation needed]} although many deaths were as a result of exposure on the open ocean. When a body was unable to be immediately identified though personal effects, Barnstead arranged photos showing their face to aid future identification.^{[citation needed]}

The Halifax Explosion[]

On December 7, 1917, in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion the day before, Barnstead's son, Arthur, was appointed Chief Mortuary Officer by Deputy Mayor Henry Stubbs Colwell and District 2 Alderman Robert B. Colwell.^[13][14] in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion where he organized application of his father's system.^[15]

Barnstead retired from office on January 30, 1932, at age 87, celebrating 42 years as registrar during an event held by the Minister of Health.^[7] Barnstead died the day after his 94th birthday, on June 13, 1939, and was buried in Camp Hill Cemetery, Halifax, on June 16, 1939.^[16][2]

Barnstead's method[]

Each body is placed in a sealed bag stenciled with a unique number. The body is stripped. Clothes and shoes are destroyed to avoid souvenir hunters. Personal belongings are catalogued and placed in a sealed bag with the same number. Hopefully the persona effects include some ID, but with or without ID the body is referred to by its unique number. A catalogue of all is made including a description of the body: height, weight, rough age and appearance. At least two people must be present to deter theft. If a body has no belongings then a shoe may be kept to help identification. If a body lacks any ID a photograph is also taken.^[9][17]

On the CS Mackay-Bennett a log book was created using one page per body: the next body found taking the next sequential number.^[18]

Continuing use[]

In 1992 and 2001 Barnstead's meticulous records, combined with modern DNA methods, allowed identification of several further Titanic victims.^[11]

Popular culture[]

Barnstead is a central figure in the documentary/docu-drama TV film, Titanic: The Aftermath (2012) in which he is portrayed by then-71 year old, Richard Donat.^[19]

References[]