Moving deck chairs on the Titanic

No one alive has seen Titanic as she was on the day she sailed. As we now all know she lays on the sea floor in 2 massive pieces with debris scattered across a two mile area. Yet, we use Titanic daily as part of our language. We 'move the deckchairs on the Titanic', we compare everything large in size to Titanic; although we have never seen her. Almost 100 years after that fateful voyage we are still fascinated with Titanic.

Titanic is often described as a catalyst for the First World War, but the events that would cause this were already happening. Germany was building larger and more luxurious ships to carry passengers to the anticipated German Empire. The UK government was partly funding ship building with Cunard (then a UK Company) with the codicil those ships would be requisitioned should war break out. During the First World War Titanic's sister ship Olympic became known as 'Old reliable' as she carried more troops than any other merchant vessel.



Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

The Hawke

Titanic’s sister ship Olympic had collided with a naval ship the ‘Hawke’ in September of 1911. It was repairs to Olympic following this collision which delayed Titanic’s own maiden voyage. The Hawke had an underwater steel and concrete ram. This ram caused the most damage, when her bow struck Olympics hull the sound could be heard one mile away. Fortunately the incident happened just outside Southampton water so passengers were disembarked on the Isle of Wight.

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

Molly (Maggie) Brown

The unsinkable Molly Brown commandeered lifeboat number 6, she only became Molly Brown after her death, so she never heard herself called Molly in her lifetime.  During her lifetime friends called her Maggie Brown. Number 6 was possibly the only boat which went back to look for survivors. The image of a brash woman as portrayed in films about the disaster is a far from the truth. Maggie or Molly had a fascinating life. Molly and her estranged husband became very rich when JJ Brown discovered an iron ore seam on his property. Molly travelled the world on her $700 per month allowance.  Molly learned three languages, and was fluent in French, German and Russian. In 1909 she became the first woman to run for senate, albeit unsuccessfully. She campaigned for women’s rights and child welfare issues.

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

RMS Titanic: All new lecture series now ready with full audio visual support

RMS Titanic: 2011 Special Lecture Series

After an intensive period of new research, we have created five lectures and presentational packages on RMS Titanic. All the lectures have been rolled out and presented to large diverse audiences on major cruise ships and European theatres.  Feedback has been excellent and the quality of questions at each presentation has been challenging but we fully answered all of them in great technical detail!

The lectures are presented by Julian Bray, Morag Irving, research historian, joins for the live and totally unscripted question and answer sessions. Morag has been fascinated by the whole RMS Titanic story since the early 1970's and has built up one of the UK's leading libraries and data on the whole tragedy. Which due to the copiously recorded UK and USA Official Inquiries and the vast Father Browne photographic library (the good Father took all his glass negative pictures and then left the ship at Queenstown Cobh), Ireland (the ship was to perish two days later) this brief moment in time has been minutely recorded).

Questions are gathered by using a roving mic in the audience and all answers and reactions live and unscripted.

Clearly 2011, is a special year, 100 years following the sinking, so we expect strong demand for confirmed dates. The ITV 'Titanic' television fictional mini series, although the pre-publicity package for the series is riddled with mistakes, will  in any case raise the profile of the RMS Titanic story and generate many Radio and TV strands worldwide

Each RMS Titanic lecture presentation is of roughly 40 minutes duration and can either be stand-alone or delivered as a series, we then offer an open house Q&A session. Nothing is off limits. 

All lectures are fully supported with layered, animated digital slides. For theatre presentations, we would present 2 of the lectures (2 x45 mins.) with an audience interactive Q&A at the end of the second half. Although the usual presentation is the first half a complete RMS Titanic presetnation and the second half a Q&A with the anwwrs fully extended to fill the 45 minutes second half.

#1 RMS Titanic Films, Myth and Mystery How the Titanic Story is portrayed in films, on radio and in the press. We look at the storytellers and scriptwriters down the decades; their contribution to the Titanic story and myths they created.

#2 A Superliner is born: The RMS Titanic Story. Generations of irish shipbuilding families put their craft skills into building RMS Titanic not realising that othershad deliberately cut corners, specified sub-standard materials and unproven systems cynically creating a disaster in waiting.

#3 RMS Titanic and her Ugly Sisters. Why build one when you can build three? From the Titanic blueprint, two further near identical ships were built, all had the same design flaws and a cut down, money saving cheaper materials specification. Why did the White Star Line board feel the risks were worth taking or did some directors rebel?

#4 RMS Titanic Passengers: First Class or Steerage? Kidnappers & Murderers to Dukes & Bankers. We look at several untold fascinating ‘Upstairs & Downstairs’ stories culled from the RMS Titanic passenger manifest, featuring images ffrom the Queenstown (Cobh) Ireland Titanic Museum.

#5 RMS Titanic: The unsinkable Molly Brown, so why did she sink? We delve into recently released material to discover the shocking truth behind the sinking of the RMS Titanic, the lack of safety systems, unworkable lifeboat boarding and drills, loading of volatile firedamp bunker coal, faulty rivets and the use of condemned pig iron.

We also have a unique RMS Titanic presentation on Queenstown (Cobh) in Ireland, orginally prepared and presented during the maiden voyage of the Independence of the Seas from Southampton to Cobh.

Elements of the lectures can also be used (without PowerPoint) as an After Dinner Speech or Club presentation.

Call 01733 345581 for details
e-mail: julianbray@aol.com

BBC ref: 10476435

 

Extracts from Talks (Passengers)

A snippet from our passenger lecture today. If you'd like to hear the full thing please contact us.

In the mailbags taken off at Cobh is a letter written by officer Wilde to his sister. Officer Wilde writes he doesn’t like this ship ‘I have a queer feeling about it’ he is correct, Officer Wilde will not complete the journey.

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581.

A few myths explored

The new series reminds me that one myth that is always shown is that somehow third class passengers were discriminated against; and that is why the majority of those saved were from first class. Well no, (the majority saved were from second class) but why let the truth get in the way. The extract below is from the Official Transcript of the 1912 Senate Investigation.

The US enquiry heard evidence from 3rd class passenger Bert Pickard (32). Mr Pickard states:-

The steerage passengers so far as I could see, were not prevented from getting up to the upper decks by anybody, or by closed doors or anything else.
Another myth concerns the conduct of the crew. However the engineers on the ship stayed at post until the end although many could have saved themselves. As a result of their bravery the insignia for merchant navy insignia was changed by George V to add a purple background. It is disparaging to some very brave men to say they were ill prepared.







Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

Not Titanic but....

I know its not Titanic but this is so unusual I hope you'll excuse one digression.

We are very excited to have today taken delivery of a large collection of vintage ship's earthenware crockery dating from the late 1940s. This is in immaculate condition and is offered on a first-come-first-served basis.

According to the National Maritime Museum this was in service from 1950 until about 1970. It was recovered from the RMS Windsor Castle which was part of the famous Latsis fleet. It found its way to the Windsor Castle from its original home onboard SS Strathmore and SS Stratheden, which were originally owned by P&O, but later purchased by Latsis.

Both the Strathmore and Stratheden were built by Vickers for the India to Australia run. When these ships were scrapped their best crockery was moved to the Windsor Castle, which was the magnate Latsis's favourite ship.

Never quibble guarantee and free returns
Call us on: +44 (0)1330 850400 Email us at: marlene@pedlars.co.uk

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

US ruling Titanic salvage

The article below is from the New York Times. It attempts to answer the sticky question of who owns the artifacts brought up from Titanic. It must also be remembered this only covers US Law. (The case in the US is still ongoing).

Nothing that has been salvaged from the Titanic can tell us anything about 1912 that we don't already know. Personal items could still form part of an estate and it can be argued are rightly the property of the descendents.



National Briefing | South
Virginia: Ruling Favors Titanic Salvage Company

The company with exclusive rights to salvage the Titanic is entitled to full compensation for artifacts worth about $110 million that it has recovered in a half-dozen perilous expeditions, a federal judge in Richmond has ruled. However, the ruling by Judge Rebecca Beach Smith of Federal District Court late Thursday did not determine how RMS Titanic Inc. would be paid. Courts had previously declared RMS Titanic salvor-in-possession, but explicitly stated that it did not own the artifacts or the wreck itself. Judge Smith said she could take up to a year to decide whether to give RMS title to the 5,900 artifacts or sell them and turn the proceeds over to the company. Meanwhile, RMS will retain possession of the items, which its parent company, Premier Exhibitions Inc., has been displaying around the world. The artifacts include pieces of china, ship fittings and personal belongings. Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

Q & A's

I thought you may like to share a few of the questions asked at our recent lecture series onboard the Independence of the Seas. (Apart from the chap who asked where the bus tour leaves for Barcelona).

Would the Titanic have sunk if the impact had been head on?

Good question, I don’t think so.
The Olympic (her sister ship) suffered a head on collision with a naval ship. Olympic although damaged, stayed afloat and offloaded all her passengers. The incident occurred in Southampton water so the danger was not as severe as it was easy to offload her passengers on the Isle of Wight.
Titanic’s collision resulted in flooding her water tight compartments and the weight dragged her down from the front. The damage was along her sides.

Why wasn’t Titanic full when she sailed?

Titanic sailed towards the end of a six week coal strike. Coal had to be moved from other ships to Titanic for her maiden journey. Another result of the coal strike is that it would have caused delays in connections to join the ship. It is rumoured that Titanic’s sister ship Olympic sailed from New York with extra coal stored in empty passenger cabins – I doubt that happened, but she may certainly have had some extra coal loaded.

Did the Titanic’s open windows add to the disaster?

I don’t think so. Titanic was in the Atlantic in April, it was a very cold night. The open windows were though a factor in the loss of Titanic’s younger sister Britannic.

Would the main safe be loaded with jewels?

This was a prestige maiden voyage. First class ladies would be wearing their jewellery. When removed the jewellery was under the care of the maid. You may remember from ‘Upstairs downstairs’ the maid returns with the family jewellery box.

These are just a few of the questions asked, if you would also like to ask something drop me a line and I’ll do my best to help.



Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581