Grennan, Dan. “Titanic Shipyard Faces Closure After 160 Years as Jeremy Hunt ’is Set to Block £200m Aid Package For…” Mail Online, 15 May 2024, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13421011/Titanic-shipyard-Hunt-aid-package-Harland-Wolff.html.

The historic Belfast shipyard where the Titanic was built is facing closure after 160 years as Jeremy Hunt is ‘set to block a £200million aid package for Harland & Wolff’.  Government insiders have reportedly voiced ‘serious fears’ that the firm based on the docks in north Belfast could collapse as a result of the funding cut, which would end centuries of shipbuilding in the city. Harland & Wolff currently builds Royal Navy ships as part of a £1.6bn contract but it is believed the vessels could be constructed in the Spanish port of Cadiz if the businesses shuts down. It would be the first time in British naval history that a warship was built by a foreign yard. The historic ship building firm, which has had financial issues for decades and has a market value of £20million, was given the green light for a £200million support package at Christmas.

 Additional news:

Oliver, Matt. “Rivals Line up to Take £1.6bn Navy Contract From Titanic Shipyard.” The Telegraph, 16 May 2024, www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/05/16/rivals-line-up-to-take-16bn-navy-contract-titanic-shipyard.

Britain’s biggest defence companies are lining up to take over a £1.6bn Royal Navy supply ship contract amid fears the business tasked with delivering it could collapse. However, the Government source added that talks were still focused on helping to secure Harland & Wolff’s future, adding that contingency plans would only be looked at in a “worst-case scenario.” Harland & Wolff was plunged into uncertainty earlier this week after it emerged a loan guarantee promised by the Government was in doubt amid legal concerns it could breach state aid rules.

=

Elliott, Richard. Could Titanic Have Survived a Head-on Impact? 14 May 2024, www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/could-titanic-have-survived-a-head-on-impact.html.

Edward Wilding, a senior naval architect from Harland & Wolff shipbuilders, gave evidence to the British inquiry into the loss of the Titanic concerning the design and construction of the ship. On the 19th day of the inquiry, 7th June 1912, the following exchange took place.

=

Banim, Julia, and Julia Banim. “Inside Cottage Frozen in Time With Newspaper of Titanic Tragedy Left on Table.” The Mirror, 14 May 2024, www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/inside-haunting-cottage-frozen-time-32806392.

A clock on the mantelpiece is stuck showing 12.15, a pair of glasses are left ready to pick up and a rusted OXO tin has been left open, with two pocket watches stored inside. Hundreds of handwritten letters fill the drawers, and three kettles are sat on the stove, next to a cup which appears to have been placed there just before it was abandoned. Old books and newspapers including the Mid Ulster Mail from 1917 were left sitting in the living room which had been shut off for more than 50 years, alongside one newspaper which reported the aftermath of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

=

Kasprak, Alex. “Abandoned Castle ‘Frozen in Time’ After Owner Died on Titanic?” Snopes, 13 May 2024, www.snopes.com/fact-check/engelhart-cornelius-ostby-titanic.

One person inspired to travel there, in 2022, was urbex TikToker Ramy Awad. On that trip, he created a video, titled “Exploring a castle that was owned by passengers on the Titanic,” that went viral, thanks in part to coverage in outlets like the New York Post and Newsweek. Speaking to the Post, Awad claimed that  [The] property was once home to Norwegian businessman, Engelhart Cornelius Ostby, who died in the maritime tragedy, on April 14, 1912. […] Awad claimed he came across paperwork inside the castle linking the Norwegian with the castle. Snopes can find no evidence to substantiate the claim that Østby inhabited this residence, but we can find ample evidence against the notion. 

=

Northlines. “Antique Piano From Titanic’s Sister Ship Poised for an Encore Performance.” Northlines, 14 May 2024, thenorthlines.com/antique-piano-from-titanics-sister-ship-poised-for-an-encore-performance.

An upright piano crafted over a century ago by renowned piano makers Steinway & Sons is poised for a comeback performance, thanks to efforts by music and history lovers to restore this piece of maritime musical heritage to the public. Commissioned in 1912 for the ocean liner RMS Olympic, sister ship of the ill-fated RMS Titanic, the walnut instrument bears serial number 157550 and its origin has recently been verified through records. Currently housed at Besbrode Pianos in Leeds, England, the piano is remarkably well-preserved from its days entertaining passengers aboard the Olympic before being retired over 80 years ago.

=

Killingbeck, Dale. “Wyoming History: Wyoming-Bound Passengers Among Survivors of Titanic Disaster.” Your Wyoming News Source, 11 May 2024, cowboystatedaily.com/2024/05/11/wyoming-bound-passengers-among-survivors-of-1912-titanic-disaster.

Hugh Woolner, 45, a former stockbroker, was chairman of the National Oil syndicate of London and involved with Western Exploration company drilling northwest of Casper. He was enjoying all the perks of the first-class accommodations on the celebrated ocean liner’s first voyage. His physician advised him to take the ship as a means to avoid getting pneumonia — something he contracted on a previous crossing on a different ship.

 =

E/M Group, LLC. TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition Coming to Warsaw. 10 May 2024, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/titanic-the-artifact-exhibition-coming-to-warsaw-302142485.html.

More than a century after Titanic’s tragic maiden voyage, the stories of love, heroism, sacrifice, courage, and loss born from that fateful night endure. Now, E/M Group and RMS Titanic, Inc. are honored to bring these stories to Warsaw, Poland when TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition opens on September 1st, 2024 at the SOHO ART CENTER. SOHO ART CENTER, located in the Kamionek neighborhood of Warsaw, presents cultural exhibitions and is part of a vibrant community. For more information, visit www.titanic.pl.

=

White, Kelly. “Titanic Memories Haunt Worth Library – Southwest Regional Publishing.” Southwest Regional Publishing, 10 May 2024, southwestregionalpublishing.com/2024/05/10/titanic-memories-haunt-worth-library.

Bringing the ship back to life was the Worth Public Library on April 15 with a program called, The Haunted Titanic, with local historian Bob Trzeciak, who walked patrons through the history, the lasting impact, and why it has remained a fascination for all of those 112 years. The event was free and open to the public at the library, 6917 W. 111th St. “It’s hard to nail my favorite part about the Titanic to just one thing but the fact that what could go wrong did,” Trzeciak, of Alsip and Paranormal Radio Activity, said. “Very unfortunate circumstances.” Trzeciak was introduced to paranormal findings by brother, Ray Trzeciak, who while attending college at Governors State University, introduced Trzeciak to parapsychology, the study of mental phenomena that are excluded from conventional scientific psychology. He showed Trzeciak parapsychology textbooks and information on findings. “Some of the Titanic’s hauntings are fact and some are fiction,” Trzeciak said.

=

Liles, Jordan. “Video Shows Wine Retrieved From Titanic Wreckage Sold for $1.4 Million at Auction?” Snopes, 7 May 2024, www.snopes.com/fact-check/titanic-wine-sold-auction.

On April 30, 2024, online users began virally sharing a video on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X, with a rumor claiming the clip showed a bottle of wine recovered from the wreckage of the Titanic selling for $1.4 million at auction. “A sealed bottle of wine recovered from the Titanic has sold for a record-breaking $1.4 million at auction,” the TikTok user claimed in the text caption alongside the video. “The Oceanic Reserve Champagne, produced by the ‘Maritime Vineyards,’ is one of few intact bottles salvaged from the wreck, making it a highly sought-after piece of history. The sale underscores the enduring fascination with the Titanic disaster and the value placed on preserving its memory.” Snopes has rated this rumor “Miscaptioned.” The video was genuine and did not appear doctored but also did not show a bottle of wine recovered from Titanic selling at an auction for $1.4 million. We found no news articles describing any such auctions. Further, a Google search for “Oceanic Reserve Champagne” and “Maritime Vineyards” produced zero helpful results — indicating these were not genuine product or company names.