TITANIC TALKS & LECTURES, ILLUSTRATED ENRICHMENT LECTURES & THEATRE SPACE PRESENTATIONS

TITANIC TALKS & LECTURES Tel: 01733 345581 julianbray@aol.com isdn:+44 (0)1733 345020 Everything you have ever wanted to know about the whole RMS Titanic story, culled from a lifetime of research and reaction from our at sea lectures and theatrical presentations. A series of 45 minute lectures lavishly illustrated and packed with fascinating facts. Julian Bray NUJ Equity and Morag Irving Dip Lit & BA (Open)

Contact Details

The most entertaining and compelling series of five lectures covering all aspects of the RMS Titanic Story. Morag Irvings, encyclopaedic technical knowledge of the intricate detail, made the wide ranging Q&A sessions, an event to remember.
Julian Brays delivery of the story was deeply moving and powerfully illustrated with pictures and documents, many not seen before. The personal stories of the passengers on board were all brilliantly researched.
We had to move them from the 400 seat Conference Centre into our 1,200 seat theatre, and repeat some of the lectures, such was the sustained demand for places, on the maiden voyage of the Independence of the Seas which retraced the RMS Titanic journey to Queenstown (COBH) Ireland. Julian and Morag were as always a professional delight to work with.
On subsequent voyages with us, when they have been asked to repeat the series, it was noted that all of the subjects had been updated, and the theatrical on-screen presentations infused with new material reflecting the actual 100th Anniversary of the sinking.

Cruise Director, Royal Caribbean

Julian Bray NUJ Equity

Julianbray@aol.com 01733 345581

UK Tel: 01733 345581 Intl. Tel: +44 1733 345581 Moragirving@virginmedia.com

Friday, 24 June 2011

Titanic Lectures

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.

Nomadic in Restoration at Harland & Wolff

I was delighted to hear today that Nomadic is now at her original makers Harland & Wolff starting her programme of restoration. I would love to show you some of the pictures but they are subject to copyright. The sash windows were taken out years ago but they are now being re-made from a White Star line sash window recoverd from 'RMS Calgaric'
You could though join Nomadic Preservation Society and they will send you a copy too:-
http://www.nomadicpreservationsociety.co.uk/
You can also read about the only surviving White Star Line lifeboat, also undergoing restoration.

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

And the Band Played On...

The article below recently ran in the Daily Mail. It tells the story (with a lot of artistic licence) of what happened following the sinking to the girlfriend of Titanic violinist Jack 'Jock' Law Hume. It is certainly true that his father wrote to the disaster fund asking for funds. Mr Hume's letter also mentions he has also written to J Bruce Ismay; but 'failed to obtain any satisfaction'. The final page of Mr Hume's letter is also fascinating for what it tells us about 1912 working class life, Mr Hume mentions he is 50years of age and alone he has no hope of clearing any debts. Its one of several books planned to coincide with the 100 year anniversary. If you would like to read a factual account of Titanic I would recommend you start with Michael Davie's book 'Titanic, The full story of a Tradgedy'.

Wallace Hartley, the bandmaster, nodded at his musicians — his usual signal that they should stop and put away their instruments. He followed this with his customary bow, though he was having difficulty keeping his balance.

‘Gentlemen, thank you all. A most commendable performance. Good night and good luck.’

The bandsmen shook hands with each other, according to witnesses.

Jock Hume placed his violin in its case, then wound the strap round his body until it was tight against his lifejacket. The extra buoyancy, he hoped, might increase his chances.

It was 2.11am, on April 15, 1912. The bow of the ship was completely under water now, the icy sea slapping the musicians’ thighs. They moved further back towards the stern.

Wednesday, 22 June 2011

I wanted to say how sorry I am to hear about the riots in Belfast. So much work has been done,and it is so sad to see this great City portrayed in this way. The Titanic as you know was built in Belfast and the pictures in the news show the new Titanic Centre in the background. I hope things are soon resolved for everyone in Belfast.

The extract below is from Channel 4 News:-

BELFAST RIOTS

Tonight we're leading on the riots in East Belfast - where a press photographer was shot in the leg: police are blaming the loyalist UVF for the violence but say dissident republicans were behind the gunshots. Alex Thomson is there talking to residents on both sides of the sectarian divide, amid the worst disorder in their neighbourhood for years. Police are holding secret talks with various representatives in an effort to prevent more trouble, and politicians are appealing for calm - but there are fears it could all kick off again tonight. Alex will be explaining why this is something out of the ordinary and why there is concern.

Northern Irish police blame dissident republicans for gunshots http://bit.ly/iR4IYK

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

TITANIC AWARD WINNING ILLUSTRATED POWERPOINT LECTURES

We have a series of five important CORE lectures on RMS Titanic with full PowerPoint support and a useful Q&A unscripted session optionally follows each lecture.

All enquiries and availability direct to: Tel: 01733 345581 or leading agents. E-mail: julianbray@aol.com

It should be noted that each of the five main lecture strands above can also be broken down into further subject strands giving a total of 20 composite lectures.

The objective is to provide a total but flexible lecture package that can not only be adapted for a variety of different audiences, but essentially retains the core highly researched elements that have given the series excellent audience satisfaction ratings. The lectures were originally developed for the maiden voyage of Independence of the Seas which retraced the orginal RMS Titanic voyage from Southampton to Cobh [Queenstown] in Ireland.

Since that time, the lecture package has been further evolved with additional high quality presentational images and a raft of new material researched and verified for several media projects. Simply the lectures presented are always fresh and very up to date. Telephone UK 01733 345581
email julianbray@aol.com

RMS
Titanic: 2012 Special Lecture & Theatre Presentations Series

After an intensive period of new research, Julian Bray and Morag Irving have updated their acclaimed series of lectures and educational presentational packages on five very different aspects of RMS Titanic.

All the lectures from the previous series rolled out as a curtain raiser last year and presented to large diverse audiences on major cruise ships and in European theatres. Several
thousand feedback responses have been excellent and the quality of questions at each live presentation has been challenging but all were fully answered and in
great technical detail!

The lectures and / or presentations
are presented as podium lectures with advanced Powerpoint and audio reinforcement by experienced international broadcaster and Equity member Julian Bray, Morag Irving, research historian, optionally joins for the live and totally unscripted question and answer sessions. Depending on the location.

The stage or theatrical presentation lends itself to a variety of presentational formats. Simply there is currently no other presentational series of talks on RMS Titanic (and we include recent TV and Film series) with this depth of knowledge and information on the whole event.

During the Q&A's a further fascinating photographic carousel of little seen RMS Titanic images are projected. Research Historian Morag Irving has been drawn to the whole RMS
Titanic story since the early 1970's and has built up one of Europes' leading libraries and data on the whole tragedy and how it still impacts on travel and shipping today.

Due to the copiously recorded and highly detailed UK and USA Official Inquiries and the vast Father Browne photographic library (the good Father took all his glass negative pictures and then safely left the ship at Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland (the ship was to perish two days later) this brief moment in time has uniquely been minutely and dramatically recorded.

The presenters also have access to the RMS Titanic tender 'Normandy' which is being refurbished in Belfast having been recovered from France on a pontoon and returned to its birthplace in Northern Ireland.Questions are gathered
using a roving mic and others pre-submitted,some by i-phone, and all answers and reactions are LIVE and TOTALLY unscripted.Clearly 2012, is a special period, some 100 years following the sinking, so expect strong demand for
confirmed dates. The ITV 'Titanic' television fictional mini series, although the pre-publicity package for the series is fictional and in places not
histricallt correct, will in any case raise the profile of the RMS Titanic story
and generate many Radio and TV strands worldwide. We have already taken up with
the producers the many historical and factual points needng revision, but should
this prove deficient than it is additional word of mouth publicity for the
factual RMS Titanic Talks Series presented by Broadcaster and Writer Julian
Bray.Each RMS Titanic lecture
presentation is highly flexible from 20 to 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 each half. RMS TITANIC THE
LECTURES #1 RMS Titanic Films, Myth and
Mystery How the RMS 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 RMS Titanic story and the myths they created
along the way...#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 others had
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
RMS 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 from 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 retracing the leg from
Southampton to Cobh. Elements of the lectures can also be used as an After
Dinner Speech or Club presentation.Call UK 0044 (0)1733 345581 for
detailse-mail: julianbray@aol.comBroadcast 01733 555319 All CodecsBBC ref: 10476435
###Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail:
moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581