Author: Sir Donald Guenther, House of Wynne
Compiled: 1/5/2014

SPOILER: William Thomas Stead at the very best could have been a cousin of ours.
Sir Uncle Professor Ronald Benardus Guenther, House of Wynne, requested that I look into the old family story that we had a relative die on the Tintanic. He’d heard this story from Aunts Mamie and Girthy. 
With the source identified I looked for anyone that died on the Titanic, 1912, with the last name of Stead.  Uncle Ron says it was Aunt Noma that told him the story so that means it’s a Stead. Sure enough the famous William Thomas Stead went down on the Titanic. 
Little problem, if you look up his ancestors using the references below you will find no mention of a William Stead born 1838-1842. 
“Stead occupied cabin C-87 (? C-89) but while the ship sank he sat quietly reading a book in the First Class Smoking Room.” 
Conclusion:
William Thomas Stead was born in 1849. At the very best this could have been a cousin.
References:
encyclopedia-titanica
pksharpen