Nathaniel was born in 1876, the fifth child of John and Sarah English. The family lived at number 2 Shellons Street in Folkestone where his father was a newspaper proprietor, having started the Folkestone Chronicle in 1855 and the Folkestone Express in 1888.

Nathaniel attended the Harvey Grammar School in the town, then joined the Merchant Navy, gaining his Masters Certificate on the 10th. February 1900. This enabled him to work on foreign-going vessels. Five years later he married Annie Bewick and had two daughters, Norah and Natalie.

One of the vessels Nathaniel commanded was the SS Fenay Lodge. She had been launched in 1903 for the Fenay Steamship Company but on 7th November was requisitioned for war service, being used as a collier until 21st January 1916. In January 1917 the Fenay Lodge was re-deployed as an Expeditionary Force Transport, being used to carry timber for use on the Western Front.

On 7th March that year, the Fenay Lodge was en route from Mobile, Alabama, to Bordeaux with a cargo of pit props when she was spotted by the German submarine, U44, commanded by Paul Wegenfuhr, who then attacked and sank the ship. Four seamen were lost but the remainder, including Nathaniel took to the lifeboats. They were rescued by the French ship Ohio, which was returning from New York to Le Havre with a cargo of copper. The survivors were provided with food and dry clothing when the Ohio was then torpedoed by U 44, sinking in three minutes.

Master Nathaniel English and three others from the Fenay Lodge went down with the ship.