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A chair from Titanic’s First Class Dining Saloon (top), found floating near the site of the sinking and recovered during the search for bodies. Although the dining saloon was located well inside the ship on D Deck, Titanic split through the aft area of the saloon, allowing objects like the chair to float freely from the ship. While this may have been the only chair recovered, Titanic’s First Class Dining Saloon had five hundred and fifty four of these chairs. The bottom photo shows Olympic’s saloon, identical to Titanic’s, with the chairs in place.

Images courtesy - 1) Daily Mirror, May 1912 via TOCL - 2) The Discovery of the Titanic by Bob Ballard

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1) RMS Olympic (launched 1910) at Harland & Wolff, Belfast.

2) RMS Olympic arrives in New York on it’s maiden voyage in 1911.

3) RMS Olympic (left) back in Belfast in 1912 for repairs after throwing a propeller. Her famous sister ship RMS Titanic is on the right.

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The Manchester Guardian - Monday, December 11, 1911

Pictured above, under the “Shipping, Tours, Cruises. &c.” section of the paper is the White Star Line's schedule of their ships’ services to different ports of call. 

The Olympic’s maiden voyage had been the past June, and this clipping shows her next voyage between Cherbourg and Queenstown to be coming up on Wednesday, December 20. 

Titanic was launched (not yet completed) back in May of that year and while not yet having made any voyages, she is mentioned at the top along with her sister, a reminder to readers of their triumph in making the “largest steamers in the world”.

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Charles Joughin, the chief baker of RMS Titanic, photographed during his service aboard RMS Baltic prior to the sinking of the Titanic.

Photograph: Unknown

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that said, anyone have any specific types of articles they’d like to see?

i’m honestly overwhelmed at the amount of research and content i could clip, provide, analyze.. and maybe i’ll “forget” to cancel my subscription and i can spread this out a little more

stay tuned...

haven’t been on here in a while. BUT hi, hope you’re all good, here are some updates

1.) LAUNDRY post coming soon (i finished the book and am drafting up the post FINALLY)

2.) i made the mistake of signing up for a free trail of newspapers.com to search something unrelated to titanic.. only when the database opened up to me did i realize my mistake (great idea?)

i have 2 weeks before i have to pay for 6 months, and HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of pages and articles at my fingertips.

might need to just take the next two weeks off of work. SHIT

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haven’t been on here in a while. BUT hi, hope you’re all good, here are some updates

1.) LAUNDRY post coming soon (i finished the book and am drafting up the post FINALLY)

2.) i made the mistake of signing up for a free trail of newspapers.com to search something unrelated to titanic.. only when the database opened up to me did i realize my mistake (great idea?)

i have 2 weeks before i have to pay for 6 months, and HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of pages and articles at my fingertips.

might need to just take the next two weeks off of work. SHIT

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Hello everyone, tomorrow is the big day! Britannic: Patroness of the Mediterranean releases on Steam! We hope everyone loves this experience and loves getting to experience aspects of both RMS and HMHS Britannic. We are excited as you are for this, and have really enjoyed making it for you!

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hi friends.. i’ve been recently using this time as others to educate myself more, be an ally and protest. i will continue to post next week. but i feel that my time be spent using my privilege for good. i know i have a platform here and could use it to share more, but have been focused on my larger social media platforms. that said.. if you want to learn more.. please do. just log onto twitter, instagram or scroll through here to find resources. i do have some documentary recs though that i loved! 13th on Netflix, and now the movie Just Mercy with Michael B Jordan and Jamie Fox is free to rent! stay safe friends and remember #blacklivesmatter

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May 31, 1911

The launch of the RMS Titanic at Harland and Wolff.

Also today, the RMS Olympic was handed over to White Star Line upon her completion.)

(Before you tell me this is Olympic, she was white when launched and Titanic’s promenade was not closed in until after her maiden voyage.)

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A ticket to the launch of RMS Titanic on May 31, 1911, at the Harland and Wolff Shipyards.

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New Titanic photos released!

Over the decades since Titanic’s brief existence above water, many new images have been found of the Titanic, usually in family albums hidden in trunks and cabinets, or otherwise kept under lock and key in private collections. Sometimes, when these are found, they are finally shown to the public.

Some of you may recall that in October of 2014, a collection of photos showing the launch of Titanic were shown to the public for the first time. Well almost exactly a year later, another small collection of Titanic photos has been released to the public for the first time!

Taken on May 31st, 1911, these five photos show the launch of the Titanic from the Harland and Wolff shipyard, taken at various points as it slid down the slipway and out of the gantry, and into the water. Like the photos released last year, these new images offer yet another new perspective on the event.

Read more about the photos here.

Photos courtesy Henry Aldridge & Son

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American Inquiry Last Day Post

Yes, it was slightly late but i just finished the 18th and last day summary of the American inquiry. 

I hope if any, you read this one and the Final Report post I will be making in the next week or so. This last post I have some questions of you (if you feel so inclined to answer) at the beginning, and also a conclusion before the Final Report section, which I think is worth the read.

Hang with me as I continue to develop the content I provide (less frequently as I no longer work remotely and it is not April), navigation and updates of the blog itself. I have fun ideas, I just need the time, patience, headspace and creativity to provide.

And I swear to god, there will be a glorious post answering @notanothermikey ‘s laundry question which holy shit I am sorry, was ages ago. I wish I could say it was because it just wasn’t perfect yet, but it was because I am not perfect. But it is coming I swearrrrr.

Thanks for continuing on the voyage with me, liking and sharing my posts, and interacting with me. You all are appreciated, I don’t have people who share my fascination in my everyday life, so coming on here, where some people care what I post, is a blessing.

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May 25th, 1912 - American Inquiry Day 18

Day 18: The last day. You would think that it being the last day and being off of work, I could get this one done on time. But life gets in the way. SO, here we are, to cover the final day of witness testimony, submitted affidavits, letters and “process-verbal” entered into record. Are you tired of these posts? Did you read or like them or find them interesting? Well if you are tired of them, it is just this and a Final Report summary post left to go. Jury is out on whether I will be back next year to do the British inquiry, day by day. (Maybe I should just do it now so each day will be on the correct day, protect me from my own laziness, personal issues and procrastination.) Enough about me, let’s dive in.

Today, testimony was taken on board the RMS Olympic, in the New York Harbor.

Witnesses:

Herbert James Haddock, Captain, RMS Olympic;

E.J. Moore, Wireless Operator, RMS Olympic;

Frederick Barrett, Leading Fireman, RMS Titanic;

Submitted: (All submissions are linked)

Proces-Verbal – E.J. Moore, Wireless Operator, RMS Olympic; 

Affidavit – James McGough, First Class Passenger, RMS Titanic; 

Affidavit – Catherine Crosby, First Class Passenger, RMS Titanic; 

Affidavit – Imanita Shelley, Second Class Passenger, RMS Titanic; 

Affidavit – Eleanor Widener, First Class Passenger, RMS Titanic; 

Correspondence – Letter from Stanley Lord, Captain, SS Californian;

Correspondence – C.C. Adams, Vice President, Postal Telegraph-Cable Company;

Correspondence – H.C. Wolfe, New York World; 

Correspondence – P.A.S. Franklin, Vice President, IMM; 

Correspondence – B. Brooks, GM, Western Union Telegraph Co.; 

Statement – Mrs. Lucian P. Smith, First Class Passenger, RMS Titanic; 

Notable Quotes/Lines of Questioning or Summarized Testimony:

Smith starts by questioning Captain Haddock, about where they were, when and how he heard of the Titanic situation, and what his actions were. He is also questioned about any notifications of ice sightings they received, of which the first they heard was from the Asian on Saturday morning.

“Fear absolutely no hope searching Titanic's position. Left Leyland S. S. Californian searching around. All boats accounted for. About 675 souls saved, crew and passengers, latter nearly all women and children. Titanic foundered about 2.20 a. m., 5.47. GMT in 41.16 north. 50.14 west; not certain of having got through. Please forward to White Star - also to Cunard. Liverpool and New York - that I am returning to New York. Consider this most advisable for many considerations.” – Rostron (read from the record by Haddock)

Haddock then reads for the record, the exchange of messages between himself and Captain Rostron of Carpathia. They discuss location, ice, particulars of letting the appropriate channels know what has happened, Ismay and that they believe it best that survivors do not see Olympic, that no transfer take place.

Haddock continues to read from Moore’s report, detailing how the names of passengers were passed on by a “half-asleep” Cottam, who asked to be excused for his sending. Moore wrote in his report, “during the transmission of names it was evident the operator on Carpathia was tired out”. Cottam had testified earlier in the inquiry that once he heard Titanic’s distress call on the night of the 14th, he got about a handful hours of sleep over the next few days until they reached New York. He was working the wireless non-stop, with and without assistance from an immobile, frost bitten Bride.

Moore relates to Smith that he received seven or eight messages to the effect of a request for compensation for the story of Titanic. Moore makes note of these in his report, however did not reply to any requests from papers such as the New York Herald, the Sun and the World. He also indicates that he was never told not to give out any information, however he and the captain held information back in a desire that it be more accurate.

In addition to answering Smith’s questions, Moore submitted his wireless report (listed above as process-verbal) that both he and Haddock referred to during their testimony.

The correspondence from Stanley Lord that was submitted into record is a letter to Smith in which Captain Lord corrected a statement he made while testifying, which ultimately is inconsequential in my opinion, and probably more of a formality correction than anything.

As you all know, I love a passenger story or affidavit. So instead of pulling a whole bunch of quotes, as I am so wont to do, I now have just linked all submissions above, for you to peruse at your leisure. Is it being lazy? Maybe a bit, but I wanted to end this day, with a sprinkling of quotes, (of which I hope to have not included any similar before) a few thoughts in regards to any submissions or quotes, and my conclusions prior to the final report.

McGough asked a dining-room steward whether there was any danger, shortly after he left his stateroom. At that time the steward told him “not in the least” and suggested he return to bed. Fortunately for McGough, he did not. This seems a theme throughout this inquiry, where immediately after or even some time after, Titanic crew members, such as stewards, were not totally sure of what was going on or, if they were aware, the severity of it. Personally, I believe part of this to be due to the inability to inform due to technology limitations of the time, solved by walkie-talkies and earpieces today. Additionally, if a steward were on watch, and had not heard anything yet, he or she would have no reason to say anything other than everything is fine. I would also consider the desire to not cause panic had some impact as well. Clearly, it would have been helpful if some sort of light or alarm or notification had been in place, for passengers and crew alike, but word of mouth, on an incredibly large ship, with over 900 crew members, some of whom are sleeping, would be time consuming. Time, unfortunately the Titanic and the souls on board did not have. This does not even take into account the time that would have been necessary to figure out the extent of the damage. So while I personally feel, there should have been some better systems in place, criticism of stewards who only passed on what they knew at the time, or what a higher up told them, should be discouraged. (As you might know, I am currently learning more about crew hierarchy and things of this nature in my new book)

“It was reported on the Carpathia by passengers, whose names I do not recollect, that the lookout who was on duty at the time the Titanic struck the iceberg had said: ‘I know they will blame me for it, because I was on duty, but it was not my fault; I had warned the officers three or four times before striking the iceberg that we were in the vicinity of icebergs, but the officer on the bridge paid no attention to my signals.’ I can not give the name of any passenger who made that statement, but it was common talk on the Carpathia that that is what the lookout said.” – Crosby (hearsay)

Imanita Shelley has an interesting story about her accommodations and slight mishap of rooms that happened upon the start of her journey. See above for a link to her affidavit. I would be interested to see the rooms which were referred to. It does not seem in her affidavit that she makes any mention of actual room numbers. This is also the first, I have read, mention of issues with the heat onboard Titanic.

“Afterwards, on board the Carpathia, a first-cabin passenger a Mme. Baxter, of Montreal, Canada, told Mrs. Shelley that she had sent her son to the captain at the time of the collision to find out what to do. That her son had found the captain in a card game, and he had laughingly assured him that there was no danger and to advise his mother to go back to bed.”- Shelley (a very strong accusation that if true is concerning, however others have testified that this was not the case)

 “I borrowed money from a gentleman and took this Marconigram myself and asked the operator to send it for me… it was not received… This is the only complaint I have to make against the Carpathia… He also said it was not necessary to pay him, because the White Star Line was responsible. I insisted, however, because I thought that probably the money might have some weight with them, as the whole thing seemed to have been a monied accident.” – Mrs. Smith

“On the night of Sunday, the 14th of April, 1912, my husband and I gave a dinner at which Capt. Smith was present. Capt. Smith drank absolutely no wine or intoxicating liquor of any kind whatever at the dinner.” - Widener

 Conclusions prior to the Final Report: 

You could really get into the weeds with the last 18 days of testimony, what people/boats had drinking water, saw her go down and thought she broke in half vs. went down in one piece, who was afraid of suction, who heard explosions, I could go on. Part of me wants to do this, I think it would be quite interesting, especially diving into the distant light/boat testimonies. However, I do not have the time for that these days, and you probably don’t either (if you do please share what you find). What I will say, on my last day-by-day summary post is this: If you are a Titanic crazed person like I am, and love the history, the nuances of what went wrong, what went right, specific passenger experiences directly from their hand or mouth, do yourself a favor, and dive into this. The Titanic Inquiry Project is the most complete, well organized, and informative Titanic site I may have ever had the pleasure of using. They link out to passenger and crew and witness bios, they have the particulars on every ship mentioned, and it continues to add more and more. I am not done with this site now that I am done with this inquiry, I still have the British, and if you remember my post about liability, they now have those hearings. I cannot sing the praises of this enough. So if you have a rainy day, and an inquisitive mind, check out titanicinquiry.org . You will not be disappointed. And, if you like, you can use my American Inquiry posts, all under one link on my page, to help navigate, or pick and choose what you want to read.

SEE American Inquiry Day 17 post HERE.

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The launching of the Titanic. An advert which appeared in various Belfast newspapers.

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“The most surprising thing about this work is that, despite the dry nature of historical material, the Titanic comes to life.”

-Günter Bäbler, Guide to the Crew of Titanic

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you know you’re a real nerd when you annotate the bibliography... “read this one”, “haven’t heard of this” *must read, etc. most people don’t even read that part and i’m out here using it to find more

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y’all i haven’t even started the first chapter (there’s a foreword, intro, acknows, and “The Aim” first) and i’m super excited about this book... it’s the first comprehensive book about the crew of its kind and i can just tell that the information within will be things i did not know. including about laundry... the main reason i wanted it was because i was looking for more information about crew hierarchy, and this book literally gives that in tree diagrams and etc. can’t wait to dive in to this and also finish my laundry post!

got a new book today, found it while researching Titanic laundry, and I’m pretty excited as it is exactly the type of information about the crew (like who reports to who and hierarchy, what each job entails,etc) that i’ve been wanting!

@notanothermikey i promise your laundry post will be up today or tomorrow!