Tag Archives: J. Bruce Ismay

Titanic Chronology-U.S. Senate Hearing into Titanic Sinking Begins (20 April 1912)

April 20, 2026 Mark Taylor Leave a comment

[This has been rewritten from 2025 and includes more source citations.]

News of the Titanic sinking and the large number that died shocked people all over the world. There were demands on both sides of the Atlantic for an investigation as to how this tragedy had occurred. Cartoonists depicted the number of dead to the lifeboats available with a large question mark as to why lifeboats for all were not there. Scathing commentary too that Ismay had survived while so many died were made as well. U.S. Senator William Alden Smith from Michigan was appalled by the tragedy and called, along with others, for a Senate inquiry into what happened. The formal proposal was made on April 17, 1912.The British were outraged believing they had sole jurisdiction since the ship was a British flagged steamer. Smith and others countered that since the ship was owned by an American corporation, that the U.S. had also the right to hold an inquiry. Attempts to stop it went right to the top where President Taft was asked to oppose it. He declined since his friend and military aide, Archibald Butt, died in the sinking.

Smith, a lifelong Republican, was more progressive than some of his party and wanted to determine if White Star had liability for what happened. He and Senator Francis Newlands along with others quickly traveled by train to New York to be there when Carpathia docked on 18 April. They boarded the ship after it was docked and had subpoenas handed out to Ismay, all the surviving Titanic officers, and Captain Rostron. Other parties-crew, survivors, and Captain Stanley Lord and crew of Californian-would be asked to testify as well. The hearings would begin at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York and later be moved to Washington D.C. at the Russell Senate Office Building. The hearings, with many recesses in-between, would run for 18 days till May 25, 1912.

The subcommittee doing the inquiry was composed of seven senators (three Republicans and three Democrats) with Smith as chair. While members could ask questions of witnesses, Smith reserved the right to question the chief witnesses. This led to some friction as some members thought he was trying to seize the limelight resulting in some members not showing up for scheduled hearings. The British press and government harshly condemned the inquiry and Smith personally. Smith was portrayed poorly as an out-of-control ego centered senator wanting to use the tragedy to gain prominence. The inquiry was condemned for having no jurisdiction in the press and by the government. President Taft was not immune either from criticism for allowing this to happen. The row carried out in front page headlines daily and the British government made very clear it was against the inquiry.

The inquiry heard testimony from the Titanic surviving officers, crew, and survivors in particular Charles Lightoller, Frederick Fleet, Harold Bride, and First-Class passenger Archibald Gracie. Captain Arthur Rostron of Carpathia, Captain Stanley Lord of California, and Captain Herbert Haddock of RMS Olympic testified. The inquiry heard expert testimony about the Marconi radio telegraph, icebergs and about the news coverage. Of particular interest was how the messages got so mixed up as to render confusing reports of the situation. Phillip Franklin, the vice-president of International Mercantile Marine, testified as well. Smith also visited the RMS Olympic when it was in port in New York on May 25, 1912 to inspect the ship and interview some of the crew.

The official report was delivered to the United States Senate on May 28, 1912. The report, nineteen pages long and with 44 exhibits, summarized over 1,145 pages of testimony and sworn affidavits. Its findings and recommendations, echoed by the British Inquiry that would come later, would make changes to safety practices on ships at sea. The key findings are:

The ship was unprepared for the emergency due, that no general alarm was given, there was no orderly routine for the evacuations nor an organized system of safety.
There was no testing of the safety and life-saving equipment.
Captain Edward Smith showed indifference to the danger and contributed to the tragedy.
The lack of lifeboats aboard was due to British Board of Trade lax regulation on lifeboats needed. The report also criticized the speed of the sea trials as hasty.
The SS Californian was nearer to Titanic than what its captain claimed it was and requested the British government act against him.
That the presence of White Star Line president, J. Bruce Ismay, may have contributed to Captain Smith’s decision to increase speed.
Third-Class passengers, while not prevented from getting to the lifeboats, did not realize until far too late that Titanic was sinking.

The report criticized the seafaring practices that had led to complacency and how each component-from the builders, owners and crew–all contributed to its demise.There was no finding of negligence by the subcommittee and while the actions that led up to the disaster were a problem, the disaster itself was considered an “act of God.”

Smith had hoped to prove negligence as that would have helped those who lost relatives and cargo get damages. However, due to laws limiting liability unless you could prove negligence, most would never get much compensation from White Star. They did settle legal claims brought against them, but the amount paid was far less than it could have been. Those who were employed by outside vendors, such as Wallace Hartley and his band, had no legal recourse against White Star. The firm that employed them tried to bill their relatives for the lost items (lyre lapel insignia or White Star logo) required to be worn. One of them sent the bill to the Amalgamated Musicians’ Union which reprinted it in the monthly newsletter. The controversy it generated showed how much had changed. Musicians were paid modest fees for their services and the fact that their employer demanded payment for lost pins or buttons that were lost when they died at sea was considered outrageous. There is no record that the company was paid nor that they sought legal action to collect.

Captain Smith, while found complacent and failed to have proper drills for the crew to handle the lifeboats, was not found negligent. Ismay was still a villain for surviving in the press, but Captain Stanley Lord of Californian faced severe criticism for the indifference he and his crew showed to the rockets that were seen. He would never shake it, and the British Inquiry also harshly judged him as well. He would be fired by the Leyland Line in August 1912 but found employment with the Nitrate Producers Steamship Co. where he stayed until 1927.

Sources
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Books

Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997

Behe, G. (2012). On board RMS Titanic: Memories of the Maiden Voyage. The History Press.

Behe, George. The Triumvirate: Captain Edward J. Smith, Bruce Ismay, Thomas Andrews and the Sinking of Titanic.History Press, 2024.

Brewster, H. (2013). G ilded Lives, Fatal Voyage: The Titanic’s First-Class Passengers and Their World. National Geographic Books.

Cameron, Stephen. Titanic: Belfast’s Own. Colourpoint, 2011.

Eaton John P. & Haas Charles, TITANIC TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY, SECOND EDITION, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, New York, 1995 First American Edition

Fitch, Tad, J. Kent Layton, and Bill Wormstedt. On a Sea of Glass: The Life & Loss of the RMS Titanic. Reprint. Amberley Publishing, 2015.

Lord, Walter, A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, Holt Rinehart and Winston, New York, New York, 1955. Multiple revisions and reprints, notably Illustrated editions (1976,1977,1978 etc.)

Lord, Walter, THE NIGHT LIVES ON, Willian Morrow and Company, New York, New York, 1986 (First Edition)

Lynch, Don & Marshall Ken, TITANIC AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY, Madison Press Books, Toronto, Ontario Canada, 1992

Marshall, L. (2019). Sinking of the Titanic: The Greatest Disaster At Sea – Special Edition with Additional Photographs. Independently Published.

Rossignol, K. (2012). Titanic 1912: The Original News Reporting of the Sinking of the Titanic. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.

Wade, Wyn Craig. The Titanic, End of a Dream, 1979.

Wilson, A. (2012). Shadow of the Titanic: The Extraordinary Stories of Those Who Survived. Simon and Schuster.

Government Reports

Titanic Disaster Report of Committee on Commerce United States Senate. United States Senate, March 28, 1912. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://www.senate.gov/reference/reference_item/titanic.htm.

“TIP | U.S. Senate Inquiry.” https://www.titanicinquiry.org/USInq/AMInq01.php.

The Titanic Reports: The Official Conclusions of the 1912 Inquiries Into the Titanic Disaster. Red and Black Publishers, 2008.

Internet Articles

Andrews, Stefan. “Families of Titanic’s Musicians Were Billed the Cost of Uniforms After the Ship’s Sinking.” Thevintagenews. Last modified June 21, 2017.

Internet (General)

“The Titanic: Sinking & Facts | HISTORY.” HISTORY. Last modified March 26, 2026. https://www.history.com/articles/titanic.

“Encylopedia Titanica.” https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/.

Documentary & Videos

Oceanliner Designs. “The First Titanic Inquiry Was a Confused Mess.” Video. YouTube, August 18, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJL4G4RKvXo.

Titanic

Titanic Chronology-Titanic Final Day and Sinking (14-15 1912)

April 15, 2026 Mark Taylor Leave a comment

RMS Titanic pictured in Queenstown, Ireland 11 April 1912
Source:Cobh Heritage Centre, Cobh Ireland/Wikimedia Commons

Helen Candee awoke early on Sunday and went out on the deck to view the sunrise. She was not disappointed. This was to be the final day of the maiden voyage for tomorrow the ship would dock in New York. Little did anyone know that it would be the last sunrise Titanic would ever see.

At 10:30 am, a religious service was held in the First-Class dining room with a nice meal that followed for both First and Second class. On the bridge, ice warnings from other ships had been received but since such sightings were common, they were not of serious concern. No one had thought it serious enough to plot them. At noon the ship’s officers got together on the wing bridge to calculate Titanic’s position.

White Star liner Baltic reported at 1:42 pm of large quantities of ice providing coordinates. The message was delivered to Captain Smith who also showed the message to J. Bruce Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line. The SS Amerika spotted an iceberg at 1:45 and provided its coordinates. By afternoon, the temperature was falling fast and by 7:30 pm was 33F (1 C). Captain Smith ordered a course change to south and west around 5:50 pm possibly due to ice warnings.

RMS Olympic’s A la Carte Restaurant, located in B-Deck level. Circa May 1911
Robert John Welch (1859-1936), official photographer for Harland & Wolff
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

Meanwhile passengers enjoyed their last night on Titanic. Many survivors believe this was the best night of the trip. The food was exemplary and everyone was dressed in their finest clothes. There was joyful celebration of their last night together on Titanic. On the bridge, Second Officer Charles Lightoller was going over a report from the California that reported three large icebergs that came in at 7:30 pm. Noting the drop in temperature to near freezing, he ordered the crew to watch the fresh water. Captain Smith returned to the bridge after dinner around 8:55 pm and conferred with Lightoller about the weather and icebergs. He then retired for the night advising Lightoller to awaken him “if becomes at all doubtful’. Lightoller at 9:30 pm advised the lookouts to watch for icebergs.

The only picture of the Marconi radio room onboard the Titanic. Harold Bride is seated at his station. Photo was taken by Father Francis Browne, SJ, while aboard Titanic.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

Down in the Marconi telegraph office, Jack Phillips was busy handling heavy passenger traffic when a message for Mesaba came in warning about heavy pack ice and icebergs at 9:40 pm. The message never made it to the bridge, so they were unaware of it. First Officer William Murdoch relieved Lightoller at 10 pm. New lookouts took over as well, Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee, who were advised to watch for icebergs. It was a moonless night with unusually calm seas, so they had to be especially alert for ice fields and icebergs. Unfortunately, the binoculars they should have had had been misplaced. By this time, the temperature had dropped to 31 F.

The captain of the SS Californian, Stanley Lord, decides to stop his ship for the night due to a large ice field in the way. The telegraph operator, Cyril Evans, sent out warnings to all ships in the area but Jack Phillips on Titanic sent back a blunt response: shut up. He was busy sending messages through Cape Race. Evans shut off his equipment and went to bed leaving the Californian with no wireless communications till morning. On Titanic, most were either asleep or heading to their cabins at 11 pm. Only a few were lingering over drinks, a card game, or reading. By 11:30 pm, around the time Cyril Evans went to bed, Titanic had settled in for the night.

Photograph of iceberg taken by chief steward of Prinz Adalbert on morning of 15 April 1912 near where Titanic sank. At the time he had not learned of the Titanic disaster. Smears of red paint along the base caught his attention. The photo and accompanying statement were sent to Titanic’s lawyers, which hung in their boardroom until the firm dissolved in 2002. Public Domain

Then just before 11:40 pm, the lookouts spotted an iceberg 500 feet away. Frederic Fleet rang the bell three times and calls the bridge telling Murdoch ‘Iceberg, right ahead.’ Titanic was going 21 knots (or slightly less) at the time. Murdoch ordered hard a starboard,” orders the engines stopped then full astern, and seals the watertight doors. Due to its size, Titanic had a larger turning radius, and this made it look like it would hit the iceberg dead on. Then it slowly veered to port making it appear the ship would pass the iceberg on the starboard side. Some speculate that it may have been a rare blue berg meaning it flipped over and was much larger underwater. The iceberg impacted on the starboard ship resulting in large and small punctures as it scraped the ship. Captain Smith came to the bridge to determine what happened learning they had struck an icebox. At first the damage reports seemed okay then it turned ominous with reports of water in the mailroom and other areas of the ship. Thomas Andrews assesses the damage himself and reports to Captain Smith that the ship is doomed. He tells Smith that the forward five compartments had been compromised and water is coming in. With water pulling the ship down at the bow, there was no way to prevent sinking. Titanic could stay afloat with one or two taking water but not all five at the same time.

Titanic Captain Edward J Smith, 1911
Author unknown. Published after sinking in 1912
Public Domain/Wikipedia Commons

For Captain Edward J. Smith, who had an illustrious career and set to retire after this voyage, this was a major shock. Unlike what has been dramatized, he had to be prodded by his officers to order lifeboats be lowered, muster the crew, and evacuate the passengers. Worse, despite having more than the required lifeboats per British Board of Trade regulations, it was still woefully short since the regulations were based on tonnage and not capacity. Of the 2,227 passengers and crew, only 1,178 would fit into them providing that they were filled completely to capacity. Wireless operators Jack Phillips and Harold Bride were ordered by Smith to send a distress call at 12:15 am. They first used the older one, CQD, and later switched to the newer one SOS. While many ships received the distress message, most were too far away to help. The SS Carpathia, about 58 miles away, received the distress call at 12:20 am. Harold Cottam quickly responded back to confirm the distress call and got the reply:

“Come at once. We have struck a berg. It’s a CQD, old man.”

Capt. Arthur H. Rostron, R.D., R.N.R, while serving as master of the Cunard liner RMS Carpathia in 1912
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Cottam awakened Captain Arthur Rostron to inform him of the news. Rostron immediately gave out numerous orders to prepare the ship to take on survivors. And Carpathia quickly moved at high speed through the dangerous ice field in the hopes of getting there fast; they would arrive in three hours. However back on Titanic Andrews had told Smith that Titanic that the ship would sink in about 1 ½ hours to 2 hours making getting there before the ship sank impossible. Aboard Titanic, there was no central way to notify passengers, so stewards and others knocked on doors to rouse and inform them they had to put on life jackets and go topside. Many doubted they were in serious trouble and many of the staff did not know how dire the situation was. Up on deck, the crew had not any training–nor any drills–on how to operate the lifeboats. They required manual operation to be lowered into the water, and some were not sure if the davits were strong enough. And no one had told them that the lifeboats could carry 65 people, which is why some lifeboats that left could have taken on a lot more. Lightoller was strict in implementing the “women and children first “rule but seemed to interpret it meant no men could go aboard lifeboats (except for crew to steer it). However, on the other side of the ship, that rule was not carried out and many men boarded lifeboats there.

To try and get other ships in the area to respond, Titanic fired rockets. The crew on the Californian saw them but did not know its source nor did they investigate or awaken the wireless operator. They did think there was a ship that was ten miles away that appeared to be moving away, so it obviously was not in distress. Titanic tried using its Morse lamp as well but to no avail. Some believe it was a mirage while others wonder if it was an illegal Norwegian sealer, but that has never been confirmed. By 12:55 am lifeboats 5 and 6 were being lowered. Molly Brown was aboard Lifeboat 6 along with lookout Frederic Fleet and Quartermaster Robert Hitchens. Hitchens had been at the helm when Titanic hit the iceberg, and his testimony would prove valuable at the inquiries. However, his refusal to look for survivors would bring harsh criticism later.

Lifeboats 1 and 3 would be lowered around 1:00 am. Lifeboat 1, Emergency Cutter 1 has only 12 people (and can carry 40 people) while Lifeboat 3 has 39. Aboard Lifeboat 1 is Sir Cosmo Edmund-Duff Gordon and his wife, Lucy Duff-Gordon. She was a well-known British fashion designer known for innovative designs. Sir Cosmo handed out £5 notes to each of the crew aboard the lifeboat. Some argued later it was to keep others off the lifeboat. He strenuously denied the allegation and pointed out it was to help them replace lost clothing and gear. At 1:10 am Lifeboat 8 was lowered containing only 28 people that had aboard Noel, the Countess of Rothes. Both Isidor and Ida Straus were offered seats on the lifeboat but declined. Isidor, who had helped found Macy’s department store, believed only women and children should go first but Id did not want to leave her husband. She said famously: “Where you go, I go.” They would both perish when Titanic sank.

Lifeboat 9 launched at 1:20 am only had 30 people on it and was loaded by Purser Hugh McElroy and First Officer William Murdoch. It had 30 people on it with 17 crew members, possibly stewards and cooks according to one survivor. Another account puts it between 35-40 with 12 ladies, 6-7 men passengers, and 18 male crew members. The mistress to Benjamin Guggenheim, Léontine Aubart, was on this lifeboat. He and his valet choose to dress properly and go down with the ship as gentleman. Lifeboat 10 is launched at 1:47 am had 57 people when it was launched but some transfers to other lifeboats brought it down to 50. Nine-week-old Milvina Deam was on this lifeboat. She along with her mother and brother would survive while her father died on Titanic. She became known later to many in the Titanic community living a long life dying at the age of 97 in 2009.

RMS Olympic Arrives In New York on Maiden Voyage, 21 June 1911
Source: U.S. Library of Commerce/Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain

Olympic received Titanic’s distress call but there was confusion because of many mixed signals and messages bouncing around; they did not know the severity of the disaster. They thought at one point Titanic was sailing towards them but got a quick message back they were putting women off in the lifeboats. They would learn of Titanic’s sinking later from Carpathia. Meanwhile on Titanic panic was setting in as it was obvious Titanic was sinking. Near Lifeboat 14 Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall was forced to discharge his gun to calm things down, He would take command of Lifeboat 14 later transferring people to other boats so they could look for survivors. Lifeboats 13 and 15 are lowered but 15 starts drifting underneath the other lowering lifeboat. Quick action in 13 by crew averts disaster.

Sometime between 1:35 -1:40 am Lifeboat 16 and Collapsible C is lowered. White Star chairman J. Bruce Ismay is aboard C. Criticism that he boarded before women and children would haunt him after the sinking. He claimed that neither were around when he boarded C, so he boarded. Emergency Cutter 2 is lowered and not long afterwards Lifeboats 11 and 4. A pregnant Madeline Astor is aboard Lifeboat 4. John Jacob Astor did ask if he could join her, but Lightoller denied the request. By 2 am only the collapsible boats remain but Titanic was slowly rising in the stern with its propellers visible. Collapsible D was the only one successfully launched and would carry 20 in it. A is washed off the deck and fills partly with water while B falls and is swept off before it is righted. Before this Captain Smith has released the crew saying it is now “every man for himself.” Wireless operator Phillips sends the final distress signal at 2:17 am. He would get to Collapsible B but would die later from exposure and his body would never be recovered.

By 2 am only the collapsible boats remain. Titanic had sunk low enough that the stern propellers were visible. Collapsible lifeboat D is launched from the roof of the officer’s quarters and would have 20 people in it. Collapsible A is washed off the deck and partly filled with water. Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in lifeboat 14 finds only 12 of the 20 that got into it are alive. Collapsible B falls and is swept off before it can be righted. The now overturned lifeboats are used by 30 people including Lightoller and wireless operator Bride. At this point, Captain Smith releases the crew saying, “it’s every man for himself.” Smith was last seen on the bridge and his body was never recovered. Wireless operator Phillips sends the final distress signal at 2:17 am. He made it to collapsible lifeboat B but died from exposure. His body would not be recovered.

Meanwhile the ship was plunged into darkness as the power went off. People frantically ran to the stern. Some would jump into the water while others hoped that by some miracle they would be spared. It is around 2:18 am when Titanic, suffering tremendous strain midsection would break in two between the third and fourth funnels. The bow sank into the water and for a time the stern seemed to float on its own but slowly sank. Those remaining on the stern would just swim away since there was no suction. Then it too slowly began to rise becoming vertical and sink beneath the waves. By 2:20 am, Titanic was gone. J. Bruce Ismay turned away before this; he did not want to see Titanic sink. The cries of those in the water was a sound no one in the boats would ever forget. And would haunt many for the rest of their lives.

RMS Carpathia (date unknown)
Image: public domain

Carpathia would arrive in the area firing rockets to get attention at around 3:30 am. Lifeboat 2 was the first to reach the rescue ship. It would take several hours to pick up all the survivors. Ismay would send a message to the White Star Line office informing Titanic sank. He then would isolate himself in a cabin for the remainder of the voyage to New York. The Californian arrived on scene at around 8 am. Carpathia asked her to look for any bodies, but they would find none and depart. Meanwhile aboard Carpathia, they held a service for the four bodies they had recovered. They would see one more as they steamed around the area but did not pick it up. Before 9 am, Carpathia sounded its whistle and began steaming towards New York

Meanwhile the Carpathia’s purser compiled a list of the Titanic survivors, which Rostron ordered Cottam to transmit the list to Cape Race but due to the limited range of their transmitter, this could not be achieved. They could get signals from Cape Race but not send them back. Cottam was besieged with messages wanting information and Titanic survivors wanting to send messages as well. Harold Bride, the surviving Titanic wireless operator, assisted him so he could get sleep. Rostron allowed no communications with the press. Eventually they were able to use Olympic, which had a more powerful transmitter, to transmit the names of those who were aboard Carpathia.

Outside the White Star Line Office after Titanic Disaster, New York, April 1912.
Bain News Service, U.S. Library of Congress, digital id#ggbain 10352

In New York, bedlam had reigned. Due to mixed up messages, there were many false reports about Titanic. Some reports indicated all was well and people picked up by Olympic. People gathered outside the White Star Line offices in New York for information. Initially White Star was hopeful and believed Titanic was safe. But the New York Times realized communication from Titanic had stopped after 2:20 am and ran the story she had sunk. The message from Ismay from Carpathia ended all doubt; people wept. Titanic, the pride of the White Star Line, had sunk taking with her over 1,500 plus lives and only 705 survivors. Now they awaited the arrival of Carpathia.

Sources

Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997

Behe, G. (2012). On board RMS Titanic: Memories of the Maiden Voyage. The History Press.

Ballard, Robert D. Exploring the Titanic. Reprint. Madison Press Books, 2014.

Ballard, Robert D., and Rick Archbold. The Discovery of the Titanic. New York, N.Y.?: Warner Books, 1987.

Ballard, Robert D., Lost Liners: From the Titanic to the Andrea Doria the Ocean Floor Reveals Its Greatest Lost Ships(Hyperion, 1998).

Brewster, H. (2013). G ilded Lives, Fatal Voyage: The Titanic’s First-Class Passengers and Their World. National Geographic Books.

Cameron, Stephen. Titanic: Belfast’s Own. Colourpoint, 2011.

Eaton John P. & Haas Charles, TITANIC TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY, SECOND EDITION, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, New York, 1995 First American Edition

Fitch, Tad, J. Kent Layton, and Bill Wormstedt. On a Sea of Glass: The Life & Loss of the RMS Titanic. Reprint. Amberley Publishing, 2015.

Lord, Walter

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, Holt Rinehart and Winston, New York, New York, 1955. Multiple revisions and reprints, notably Illustrated editions (1976,1977,1978 etc.)

THE NIGHT LIVES ON, Willian Morrow and Company, New York, New York, 1986 (First Edition)

Lynch, Don & Marshall Ken, TITANIC AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY, Madison Press Books, Toronto, Ontario Canada, 1992

Titanic News Channel is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Titanic

Titanic News for the New Year

January 1, 2026 Mark Taylor

Lee, Sue. “‘They Called Him the Coward of the Titanic but I Can Tell You the Real Story.’” Liverpool Echo, December 30, 2025. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/they-called-him-coward-titanic-33110286.

It was other people’s reactions to his surname which later set him off on a quest for the truth about what really happened the night the magnificent ocean liner sank on her maiden voyage with the loss of 1,500 passengers and crew. “I used to meet people, on a business or social level, introduce myself and they’d often ask me: ‘Are you related to the coward of the Titanic?’ ” That’s how he’s been portrayed down the years in films and books – as a villain – but I wanted to know the truth,” says Cliff, who has written a book on his ancestor. “I don’t think he was a hero but he was no coward either. During my own research I found he was responsible for actually saving lives as he patrolled the boat deck boats, both starboard and port sides, encouraging women and children to get into the lifeboats.

Davies, Hannah J. “Titanic Sinks Tonight Review – It’s Like You’re Reliving That Terrifying Night.” The Guardian, December 28, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/dec/28/titanic-sinks-tonight-review-its-like-youre-reliving-that-terrifying-night.

Titanic Sinks Tonight is a part-documentary, part-drama series playing across four nights, its episodes constructed from letters and diaries written by those on board, as well as interviews the survivors would give in the decades after. On the strength of the two episodes released for review, there’s no denying that it sates our appetite for Titanic-themed content. However, in centring the words and memories of those who lived through the terror of that night, it restores much-needed agency to those people. It also does well to bring a sense of reality to events that can sometimes feel unreal on account of their ubiquity, and that uncanny valley of Titanic-themed media. Central to its success is the presence of experts such as historian Suzannah Lipscomb and former Royal Navy admiral Lord West, to sharpen the corners of the story that Hollywood has sanded down.

Lloyd, Howard. “The Man From Cornwall Who Was at Titanic’s Wheel When Disaster Struck.” Cornwall Live, December 22, 2025. https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/man-cornwall-who-titanics-wheel-10719329.

When Robert Hichens, the quartermaster, took over the helm of RMS Titanic at 10pm on 14 April 1912, he had no inkling that in a few hours, he would be at the heart of one of the most catastrophic maritime disasters in history. Less than two hours into his shift, the 29 year old found himself wrestling with the wheel of the colossal ocean liner as it desperately tried to evade an iceberg in the icy North Atlantic. Hichens’ legacy has been marred by controversy. Post the sinking, he faced accusations ranging from steering in the wrong direction to avoid the iceberg, to being intoxicated in his lifeboat. He also declined to return to the site of the sinking to search for survivors – despite his lifeboat only being half-full – and later served time in prison for attempted murder.

Wednesday Titanic News: Madeline Astor, Titanic Last Meal, Molly Brown and was Ismay a Coward?

May 21, 2025 Mark Taylor

M.M. Cloutier, “History: How the Titanic’s Richest Survivor Enjoyed Her Time in Palm Beach,” The Palm Beach Post, May 20, 2025, https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/2025/05/20/history-the-palm-beach-years-of-titanic-survivor-madeleine-astor/83344203007/.

Madeleine Astor, wife of John Jacob Astor IV, circa 1910
U.S. Library of Congress
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

After the death of her husband, John Jacob Astor IV, Madeline Astor would give birth to a son who she named for his father. She decided to reside in Palm Beach, Florida where her husband had spent winters. Becoming a prominent figure locally, she would remarry twice. The first marriage was to a childhood friend and the other a boxer. Both marriages ended in divorce. She died in 1940 at age 46 in Palm Beach, Florida. She is buried next to her mother in a mausoleum at Trinity Church Cemetery in New York City.

Rhys Gregory, “Re-enact the ‘Titanic’s Last Meal’ at Mid Wales hotel’s dining experience,” Wales247.Co.Uk, May 20, 2025, https://www.wales247.co.uk/re-enact-the-titanics-last-meal-at-mid-wales-hotels-dining-experience.

Titanic Lunch Menu 14 April 1912
Photo: AP

The Metropole Hotel & Spa in Llandrindod Wells is inviting guests to attend a theatrical re-enactment of the Titanic’s last meal in a ‘Queen of the Ocean’ themed dining experience on October 11. Captain Smith and his crew, from Histoire Productions, will welcome guests on board the RMS Titanic on her maiden voyage and is encouraging them to “embrace the elegance of 1910s fashion” by wearing era-specific clothing, although it’s not mandatory. The evening will begin at 7 pm when Mabel Bennett, the first class stewardess, calls guests to their tables, imagining that it’s April 10, 1912 and first-class passengers are about to board the “unsinkable” Titanic. A three-course meal, replicated from an actual menu found on a first-class survivor, will be served throughout the evening, as guests watch the captain and some of the female crew respond to the impending disaster.

Maria Okanrende, “Incredible True Story of Forgotten Titanic Hero: Socialite’s Courageous Mission to Rescue Passengers…,” Mail Online, May 19, 2025, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-14703323/Real-hero-Titanic-helped-survivors.html.

Mrs. J.J. “Molly” Brown presenting trophy cup award to Capt. Arthur Henry Rostron, for his service in the rescue of the Titanic.
Photo:Public Domain (US Library of Congress, digital id# cph 3c21013)

However one moneyed woman did, and the story of her selfless deeds in the hour of disaster is perhaps as striking as any told in a Hollywood blockbuster. Margaret Brown was a wealthy American socialite who boarded the Titanic as a first class passenger at Cherbourg, France, the vessel’s first stop after leaving Southampton. Ironically her bravery on the doomed ship posthumously earned her the nickname ‘The Unsinkable Molly Brown’; her actions so revered that her life was later celebrated in a 1960 Broadway musical of the same name. Those in the know have hailed Margaret for her courageous attempts to rescue fellow survivors that night, despite the undertaking threatening her own safety.

Harry Howard, “Did The ‘Coward’ of the Titanic REALLY Do Anything Wrong? Moment Relative of Maligned White Star…,” Mail Online, May 19, 2025, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14719491/Did-Coward-Titanic-REALLY-wrong-Moment-relative-maligned-White-Star-Line-chief-says-sorry-granddaughter-woman-husband-died-1912-disaster.html.

J. Bruce Ismay, president of White Star Line (1912) Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons — J. Bruce Ismay, president of White Star Line (1912)
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Shipping chief Joseph Bruce Ismay famously survived the sinking of his own pride and joy, the Titanic, by mysteriously finding a place in a lifeboat even though they were reserved for women and children. His fifth cousin and chief defender, author Cliff Ismay, has long insisted that the White Star Line boss has been unfairly treated by history. But in a Channel 4 documentary airing tonight, Mr Ismay goes as far as apologising to the granddaughter of a survivor of the 1912 disaster whose new husband died after being told that her spouse was turned away from the same lifeboat.

Titanic at the docks of Southampton, 10 April 1912
Unknown Author
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Maddie Rhodes, “New Titanic Exhibit Opens in Denver With ‘Immersive’ Experience,” KDVR.Com, last modified May 16, 2025, https://kdvr.com/denver-guide/new-titanic-exhibit-opens-in-denver-with-immersive-experience/.

There’s a new Titanic exhibit in Denver that has an “immersive” experience involving the final moments of the shipwreck. The Titanic: An Immersive Voyage opened at the Exhibition Hub Art Center in Denver. The exhibit includes the history of the Titanic with over 90 artifacts, recreations of rooms and immersive videos with 3D views that take you on board as a passenger.

For information on tickets, dates and hours of operation, go to Titanic: An Immersive Voyage.

Suggested Titanic Books

Behe, G. (2012). On board RMS Titanic: Memories of the Maiden Voyage. The History Press.

Brewster, H. (2013). G ilded Lives, Fatal Voyage: The Titanic’s First-Class Passengers and Their World. National Geographic Books.

Eaton John P. & Haas Charles, TITANIC TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY, SECOND EDITION, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, New York, 1995 First American Edition

Lord, Walter, A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, Holt Rinehart and Winston, New York, New York, 1955. Multiple revisions and reprints, notably Illustrated editions (1976,1977,1978 etc.)

History, Titanic

Titanic History: U.S. Senate Hearing into Titanic Sinking Begins (20 April 1912)

April 21, 2025 Mark Taylor

The shocking news of the Titanic sinking had people on both sides of the Atlantic wanting an inquiry into how it happened. The United States would be the first to do so, but not without criticism from the British. U.S. Senator William Alden Smith, a Republican from Michigan, believed that rapid action was needed. He was also concerned that many of the surviving witnesses aboard Carpathia would disperse and head home. This led to his proposal on 17 April 1912 that an official inquiry be held on the sinking. President Taft concurred having lost his good friend and military advisor Archibald Butt in the sinking. Taft ordered a U.S. naval escort for Carpathia as well.

Smith along with fellow subcommittee member Francis G. Newlands (and other officials) quickly traveled to New York by train in order to meet Carpathia when it docked on 18 April in the evening. Smith, Newlands, and the other officials boarded Carpathia and served subpoenas upon J. Bruce Ismay and all the surviving officers requiring them to stay in the U.S. for the hearings which started the next day in New York. Survivors and other witnesses who had knowledge would also testify as well. The hearings would begin at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York and later be moved to Washington D.C. at the Russell Senate Office Building. The hearings, with many recesses in-between, would run for 18 days till May 25, 1912.

Witnesses who attended the United States Senate inquiry into the sinking of the RMS Titanic
Author: Louis Grant, The Graphic, 11 May 1912
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

The subcommittee was composed of seven senators (three Republicans and three Democrats) with Smith as chair. The composition was carefully chosen to include the various wings of the two parties. Members of the committee asked questions, but Smith personally handled the questioning of the chief witnesses. This led to friction within the committee as some felt he was trying to seize the limelight. The result was some members would only infrequently attend the hearings as there was little for them to do. Harsher criticism came from the British press and also the British government as well. Smith was not portrayed well and was called an opportunist. The British government (and the press as well) said the U.S. had no jurisdiction since this was a British ship. This conveniently forgot that White Star Line was owned by an American, J.P. Morgan. The British would hold their own inquiry much later after the American one had concluded.

Sources

Books

Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997

Behe, George (2012). On board RMS Titanic: Memories of the Maiden Voyage. The History Press.

Eaton John P. & Haas Charles, TITANIC TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY, SECOND EDITION, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, New York, 1995 First American Edition

Lord, Walter, A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, Holt Rinehart and Winston, New York, New York, 1955. Multiple revisions and reprints, notably Illustrated editions (1976,1977,1978 etc.)

Lord, Walter, THE NIGHT LIVES ON, Willian Morrow and Company, New York, New York, 1986 (First Edition)

Lynch, Don & Marshall Ken, TITANIC AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY, Madison Press Books, Toronto, Ontario Canada, 1992

Internet

Tikkanen and Amy, “Titanic | History, Sinking, Rescue, Survivors, Movies, & Facts,” Encyclopedia Britannica, last modified April 7, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Titanic.

Encyclopedia Titanica, last modified April 9, 2025, https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/.

History.com Editors, “The Titanic: Sinking & Facts | HISTORY,” HISTORY, last modified February 27, 2025, https://www.history.com/articles/titanic.

Titanic Historical Society, Inc., “Titanic Museum | Titanic Historical Society Collection,” Titanic Historical Society, Inc., last modified January 19, 2023, https://titanichistoricalsociety.org/titanic-museum/.

British Pathé, “Titanic: The Facts Told by Real Survivors | British Pathé,” Video, YouTube, August 1, 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xKDRmhp6lQ.

Wikipedia contributors, “Titanic,” Wikipedia, last modified April 6, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic#Collecting_passengers.

History, Titanic

Titanic History: Titanic Strikes Iceberg And Sinks (14-15 April 1912)

April 14, 2025 Mark Taylor

Sunday, 14 April 1912 was what many survivors’ thought was the best day of the journey so far. Religious service was held in the First-Class dining room at 10:30 am. Many in first and second class had a very nice meal afterwards, followed by a stroll around the deck. Ice warnings had been received from other ships in the past two days, but no one had plotted them or gave them deep thought. Icebergs were common and no one thought they were that serious of an issue at the time. At noon the ship’s officers got together on the wing bridge to calculate the Titanic’s position.

About 1:42 pm, White Star Liner Baltic reported large quantities of field ice along with the coordinates. The message was delivered to Captain Edward J. Smith who passed it on to Joseph Bruce Ismay, chairman of White Star Line. The Amerika sighted a large iceberg at 1:45 pm and transmitted notice and its coordinates as well. As the afternoon progressed, air temperature began to drop and by 7:30 pm was at 33F. At 5:50 pm, Captain Smith orders the course to south and west of the usual course taken, possibly, due to the ice warnings.

At 7:30 pm, the Californian reported three large icebergs, which were reported to the bridge while Second Officer Charles Lightoller is on duty. Captain Smith was attending a dinner in the First-Class Dining Room. Contrary to what is shown in A Night to Remember, messages were not delivered by the wireless operators but by the Titanic crew. Lightoller would order the crew to watch the fresh water supply as the temperature was dropping to freezing. Smith would return to the bridge at 8:55 pm and discuss with Lightoller the weather and icebergs. Captain Smith would retire for the night at 9:20 pm telling Lightoller to wake him “if becomes at all doubtful.”At 9:30 pm, Lightoller would advise the lookouts to watch for icebergs.

The Mesaba sent a warning of heavy pack ice and icebergs at 9:40 pm. However, due to heavy wireless passenger traffic, Jack Phillips was too busy to have it sent to the bridge. At 10:00 pm, First Officer William Murdoch would relieve Second Officer Lightoller. Lightoller would tell Murdoch of current conditions. The lookouts were also relieved by the new watch. Lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee are advised to watch for icebergs. Since it is a moonless night and the sea calm, they will need to be extra alert in looking for any ice fields or icebergs that might appear. Also, they have no binoculars as they have been misplaced. The temperature continues to drop and is recorded at 31F.

The Californian decides to stop at 10:55 pm due to large field ice in its way. Warnings were sent out to all shipping in the area. The wireless operator contacts Titanic with additional ice warning. Jack Phillips sends back a blunt response telling him to shut up as he was sending messages through Cape Race. At around 11:00 pm, most people are either in bed or heading back to their cabins. A few might still be enjoying a drink, a card game, or reading. By 11:30 pm, the Californian wireless operator, after listening to Titanic’s message traffic, shuts down and goes to bed.

Just before 11:40 pm, lookouts spot an iceberg 500 feet away. Lookout Frederick Fleet rings the bell three times and calls the bridge telling Murdoch ‘Iceberg, right ahead.’ Titanic was doing around 21 knots (or slightly less) at the time. Murdoch gives the order “hard a starboard,” orders the engines stopped then full astern, and seals the watertight doors. Due to the size, ships of this size have a larger turning radius then most. At first it looked like Titanic would hit the iceberg dead on but then slowly veered to port to pass by on the starboard. Some speculate the iceberg may have been inverted making it larger underwater than on top. The iceberg makes contact with the ship causing large and small punctures in the process as it scraped the ship.

Thomas Andrews, 1911
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

Captain Smith would come to the bridge to determine what happened and was informed they struck an iceberg. Reports started coming in of water in the mail room and other areas of the ship. Titanic designer Thomas Andrews assesses the damage along with Captain Smith. With water coming in the mail room and in the first five compartments of the ship, Andrews informs Smith that Titanic will stay afloat for 1 ½ to 2 hours. The ship could survive one compartment being damaged but all not all five with water coming pulling it down at the bow. Captain Smith was in a state of shock at this news and had to be prodded to order lifeboats be lowered, muster the crew, and evacuate the passengers. Since lifeboats were based on tonnage (per British Board of Trade regulations) and not capacity, 1,178 of 2,227 passengers could be put into them if filled to capacity.

At 12:15 am, Captain Smith orders wireless operators Jack Phillips and Harold Bride to send out distress messages. While SOS is the new distress signal, they also send out the older one CQD (come quick distress). Many ships will hear the distress but many like the Frankfurt are too far away to respond. On Carpathia, approximately 58 miles away, its wireless operator heard the message at 12.20 am, “Come at once. We have struck a berg. It’s a CQD, old man.” Once informed of this, Captain Arthur Rostron immediately orders his ship make to the coordinates provided by Titanic. As the ship speeds to the scene at top speed, he issues a flurry of orders to make ready the ship for receiving survivors. It would take three hours for Carpathia to arrive.

Since Titanic lacked a central alarm system to notify passengers to evacuate the ship, it fell to stewards and others to knock on passenger’s doors to rouse them. At first many did not believe the ship was in any danger but that would become apparent as time went on. Since the crew had not had any training or drills in lowering the lifeboats, they were unsure if the davits were strong enough or the capacity of the lifeboats. And the system of who could board lifeboats varied from port or starboard side. Lightoller was strict about women and children first. At 12:45 am, lifeboat number 7 on the starboard side was lowered but only had 27 people instead of full capacity of 65.

Titanic fired distress rockets as well to get the attention of any nearby ships. They were seen by the Californian, but they did not know the source and did not investigate. A ship appeared to be ten miles away but did not respond to rockets or the Morse lamp. Later some thought this was a Norwegian fishing vessel illegally hunting seals, but evidence did not confirm it. Whether this ship was a mirage caused by conditions on the sea or atmospherics, or the real thing, has never been confirmed. By 12:55 am, lifeboats 5 and 6 are lowered. Number 6 had passenger Molly Brown and lookout Frederick Fleet. Quartermaster Robert Hitchens, who was at the helm when Titanic struck the iceberg, would be criticized later for refusing to look for survivors.

By 1:00 am, lifeboat 3 is lowered and only carries 39 people, 12 from the crew. Lifeboat 1 is lowered with only 12 people. It is one of the emergency cutters designed for quick lowering and raising in cases of a person overboard. It can hold up to 40. Both Sir Cosmo Edmund-Duff Gordon and his wife, Lucy Duff-Gordon, are aboard this lifeboat. They would be accused, but denied it, of bribing the crew by giving them £5 each to keep others from using the boat. Sir Cosmo would say the money was offered to them for them to replace lost clothing and gear.

At 1:10 am, the first lifeboat on the port side is lowered. Number 8 only had 28 people on it and included the Countess of Rothes, Lucy Noel Martha. Ida and Isidor Strauss were offered seats on this lifeboat but declined. Isidor believed women and children should go first and Ida did not want to leave her husband. “Where you go, I go,” she said. Both would remain aboard Titanic and perish when it sank. Lifeboat 10 is launched at 1:20 am and had the nine-week-old Milvina Dean on it. She would become later one of the survivors often interviewed about Titanic and lived a long life till dying in 2009 at the age of 97. Lifeboat 9 is launched and is near capacity at 56 people aboard. Benjamin Guggenheim’s mistress was aboard, but he remained with his valet aboard the ship dressed in formal attire.

On Olympic, there was some confusion about the distress call they received. It is possible that with all the signals going out that night, that some got jumbled up (this proved true later when apparently confusing messages were received in New York). About 1:25 am, they radioed Titanic asking if they were steaming to meet them. The response was simple: that they were putting women off in the boats. Later Olympic would be informed by Carpathia of the sinking. Panic was starting to set in aboard the ship as it became very obvious by this time she was sinking and filling up with water. A panic near lifeboat 14 caused Fifth Officer Boxhall to discharge his weapon. He took command of the lifeboat and would later transfer people into other lifeboats so they could look for survivors. The lowering of lifeboat 13 is quickly followed by 15. However, it drifts underneath the lowering lifeboat but quick action by crewman in 13 saves it by cutting the ropes and rowing away.

Between 1:35-1:40 am lifeboat 16 and collapsible C is lowered. On C is White Star chairman J. Bruce Ismay. Later he would be criticized for boarding before women and children. He would claim that neither were around when he boarded the lifeboat. True or not, it would stick with him for the rest of his life with some calling him a coward. By 1:45 am, Emergency Cutter 2 is launched with Boxhall with 20 people. Lifeboats 11 and 4 would be launched as well. Madeline Astor, five months pregnant, is aboard number 4. Her husband, John Jacob Astor, would ask to join her but Lightoller, who followed the order of women and children first, declined. Astor’s body would later be recovered.

By 2 am only the collapsible boats remain. Titanic had sunk low enough that the stern propellers were now visible. Collapsible lifeboat D is launched from the roof of the officer’s quarters and would have 20 people in it. Collapsible A is washed off the deck and partly filled with water. Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in lifeboat 14 finds only 12 of the 20 that got into it are alive. Collapsible B falls and is swept off before it can be righted. The now overturned lifeboats are used by 30 people including Lightoller and wireless operator Bride. At this point, Captain Smith releases the crew saying, “it’s every man for himself.” Smith was last seen on the bridge and his body was never recovered. Wireless operator Phillips sends the final distress signal at 2:17 am. He made it to collapsible lifeboat B but died from exposure. His body would not be recovered.

Titanic is plunged into darkness as its power generators fail. The bow continues its inexorable pull downward as the stern rises higher out of the water. Around 2:18 am, the tremendous strain on the midsection of the ship causes it to break in two between the third and fourth funnels. The bow would disappear beneath the waves while the stern settled back in the water. At this moment, those on the stern can literally swim away before it starts rising. Water would fill into the stern causing it to rise and becoming vertical. At 2:20 am, it would begin the final plunge and disappear. The Titanic was gone.

Collapsible lifeboat D photographed by passenger on Carpathia on the morning of 15 April 1912.
Public Domain(Wikipedia)

At 8:50 am, Carpathia sounded her whistle and began heading to New York with the 705 survivors aboard. Due to garbled and mixed-up messages, the American press believed at first disaster had been averted and she was in tow. People were gathering outside of the White Star Liner offices in New York, London, and other offices for information. The White Star Line office in New York believed Titanic was okay and conveyed that to the public that morning. However, that changed by the afternoon when Ismay’s message from Californian was received, and other information also confirmed it as well. Titanic, the pride of the White Star Line, had sunk on her maiden voyage taking 1,500 lives with only 705 survivors.

Sources

Books

Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997

Behe, George (2012). On board RMS Titanic: Memories of the Maiden Voyage. The History Press.

Eaton John P. & Haas Charles, TITANIC TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY, SECOND EDITION, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, New York, 1995 First American Edition

Lord, Walter, A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, Holt Rinehart and Winston, New York, New York, 1955. Multiple revisions and reprints, notably Illustrated editions (1976,1977,1978 etc.)

Lord, Walter, THE NIGHT LIVES ON, Willian Morrow and Company, New York, New York, 1986 (First Edition)

Lynch, Don & Marshall Ken, TITANIC AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY, Madison Press Books, Toronto, Ontario Canada, 1992

Internet

Tikkanen and Amy, “Titanic | History, Sinking, Rescue, Survivors, Movies, & Facts,” Encyclopedia Britannica, last modified April 7, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Titanic.

Encyclopedia Titanica, last modified April 9, 2025, https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/.

History.com Editors, “The Titanic: Sinking & Facts | HISTORY,” HISTORY, last modified February 27, 2025, https://www.history.com/articles/titanic.

British Pathé, “Titanic: The Facts Told by Real Survivors | British Pathé,” Video, YouTube, August 1, 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xKDRmhp6lQ.

Wikipedia contributors, “Titanic,” Wikipedia, last modified April 6, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic#Collecting_passengers.

Titanic

Monday Titanic News: Harland & Wolff Falkland Contract in Peril; Village Ismay Retired To; Inside Icon of the Seas; Inflatable Titanic Door

July 29, 2024 Mark Taylor

Harland & Wolff David and Goliath crane in Belfast, 2006
Plastic Jesus (Dave) via Wikimedia Commons

Taylor, G. (2024, July 29). Harland & Wolff at risk of losing £120m Falkland Islands port contract. CityAM. https://www.cityam.com/harland-wolff-at-risk-of-losing-120m-falkland-islands-port-contract/

Harland & Wolff is at risk of losing out on a £120m contract to redevelop a major port in the Falkland Islands, in what marks the latest struggle for the embattled company. But as it battles to stave off collapse after the new Labour government refused to guarantee a vital £200m loan, officials in the Falkland Islands are reconsidering the decision.

O’sullivan, J. (2024, July 27). Scenic Irish village that “hid” the Titanic owner after the infamous sinking. Irish Star. https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/titanic-owner-hides-irish-village-33339629

After his reputation was left in ruins, Ismay, who had been exonerated from blame in the Titanic disaster by a British inquiry faced public scorn, with incidents of him and his wife being mocked in the streets of both the UK and the US. In 1913, the Lancashire-born mogul and his partner, Julia, sought solace in Connemara, making their new home at Costello Lodge in Casla. Locals in the Irish-speaking region of Co Galway greeted the Ismays warmly, seeing them as employers and remarking on their generous nature. Nonetheless, J Bruce was given the moniker “Bru sios me”, an Irish phrase meaning “lower me down,” a nod to his infamous role in the Titanic saga regarding lifeboat provision.

(Note this article gets some basic facts wrong about the lifeboats on Titanic. It directly says that Ismay declined a Board of Trade request for more lifeboats and slashed them. However, the number of lifeboats did meet (and exceed) the then Board of Trade rules which used tonnage rather than the number of people aboard for setting the number of lifeboats. It did turn out later White Star wanted to reduce the number so they would not clutter up the deck, but that didn’t occur. Ismay did reject adding more lifeboats for that reason (cluttering up the deck).

RMS Titanic beginning sea trials, April 2, 1912.
Public Domain (National Archives and Records Administration,ARC Identifier#306 RG 306)

Ramanand, L. (2024, July 25). This gripping Titanic exhibit is finally open & anchored in Seattle. Secret Seattle. https://secretseattle.co/titanic-exhibit-seattle-open/

The compelling experience that is “Titanic. The Exhibition” is now open to guests at the Maritime Building at 906 Alaskan Way and tickets are available! The space displays numerous artifacts from passengers and other historical items connected to the ship and it’s open in Seattle all summer long.

For information and tickets, go to https://titanicexhibition.com/seattle/.

TACKY TITANIC ALERT!

Titanic Door Float on Amazon
Screenshot Amazon 29 Jul 2024
©Mark E. Taylor All Rights Reserved

You know there have been a lot of tacky Titanic products over the years. Titanic shaped ice cube maker so you can have the ship in your cocktail. And don’t forget the infamous Titanic slide. Shaped like Titanic in its final moments, you can slide down on it in your backyard. So, it seems fitting they got around to the iconic end scene in James Cameron’s Titanic. You know what I am talking about. It is the scene where our heroes, Jack and Rose, are in the water. Rose is able to get on a floating door, but Jack cannot jump on as it may not hold the both of them. Well, the folks at SCS Direct decided to create a door float inspired by the movie so you can find out if both could have been saved. It sells for $35 on Amazon (note the price is subject to change) and appears to have some good things said about it.

Here are a few things posted about it on Amazon:

“My son wanted this for Christmas last year & im so glad I got it for him! First off, when it comes in the box, it’s HEAVY. Not like a normal floatation device heavy, heavier than that! It is HUGE which he was hoping for & he absolutely LOVES using it! Best $30 ever spent on a floatie!”

This was a gift for a friend who was throwing a pool party. It was a hit and everyone wanted to try to see if they could fit on it. Blowing it up was a bit difficult, but easy with a ball airpump. My friend has had it for over a month and has used it daily and it is still holding up well.

I am Huge Titanic fan and I bought this instantly upon seeing it . Yes, Jack could have fit. But the question is with the waves would buoyancy would it work? Oh well my Heart Will Go On.

There were a few negatives as well. Some said it did not hold air long, changed color when out in the sun, and was defective. The UK Sun did an article about it. James Cameron did a test to see if two could fit on the door. The short answer-yes, but just long enough for a lifeboat to reach them. But why speculate when you can have your own inflatable Titanic door to answer that question for yourself. And I bet the company has made some decent money on this product. Yet it once again trivializes the fact that over 1,500 died on that cold night. If only they did have some flotation devices like this, some might have survived.

Source

Jiang, N. (2024, July 25). ‘It’s the king of the world,’ Titanic fans rave about iconic door-shaped pool float that proves ‘Jack could. . . The US Sun. https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/12011854/titanic-door-pool-float-jack-saved-survive/

You can view the product on Amazon.

History, Titanic

U.S. Senate Hearing into Titanic Sinking Begins (20 April 1912)

April 20, 2024 Mark Taylor

Sources

Books

Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997

Eaton John P. & Haas Charles, TITANIC TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY, SECOND EDITION, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, New York, 1995 First American Edition

Lord, Walter, A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, Holt Rinehart and Winston, New York, New York, 1955. Multiple revisions and reprints, notably Illustrated editions (1976,1977,1978 etc)

Lord, Walter, THE NIGHT LIVES ON, Willian Morrow and Company, New York, New York, 1986 (First Edition)

Lynch, Don & Marshall Ken, TITANIC AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY, Madison Press Books, Toronto, Ontario Canada, 1992

Wade, Wyn Craig. THE TITANIC: END OF A DREAM. Penguin Mass Market, 1992.

Internet

Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/search?query=Titanic.

“Encyclopedia Titanica.” www.encyclopedia-titanica.org.

“The Titanic: Sinking and Facts | HISTORY.” HISTORY, 12 Mar. 2024, www.history.com/topics/early-20th-century-us/titanic

Titanic Inquiry Project – Main Page. www.titanicinquiry.org.

History, Titanic

Titanic Strikes Iceberg And Sinks (14-15 April 1912)

April 14, 2024 Mark Taylor

At 7:30 pm, the Californian reported three large icebergs, which were reported to the bridge while Second Officer Charles Lightoller is on duty. Captain Smith was attending a dinner in the First-Class Dining Room. Contrary to what is shown in A Night to Remember, messages were not delivered by the wireless operators but by the Titanic crew. Lightoller would order the crew to watch the fresh water supply as the temperature was dropping to freezing. Smith would return to the bridge at 8:55 pm and discuss with Lightoller the weather and icebergs. Captain Smith would retire for the night at 9:20 pm telling Lightoller to wake him “if becomes at all doubtful’. At 9:30 pm, Lightoller would advise the lookouts to watch for icebergs.

Sources:

Books

Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997

Eaton John P. & Haas Charles, TITANIC TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY, SECOND EDITION, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, New York, 1995 First American Edition

Lord, Walter, A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, Holt Rinehart and Winston, New York, New York, 1955. Multiple revisions and reprints, notably Illustrated editions (1976,1977,1978 etc)

Christmas, Titanic

Titanic News for New Year’s Eve 2023

December 31, 2023 Mark Taylor

“Look Inside ‘Titanic’ Mansion That Went Unseen for Over 100 Years.” Liverpool Echo, 30 Dec. 2023, www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/gallery/photos-inside-titanic-mansion-went-28318363.

These photos offer a look inside a historic mansion with links to the Titanic which went unseen by the public for 140 years. Beach Lawn House is a stunning Victorian Villa in Waterloo, that was built for Thomas Henry Ismay who founded the White Star Line. He paid £2,500 for the Grade-II listed house on December 17, 1860.

“New Titanic-inspired Cookbook Plays Out Against the Real — and Reel — Worlds of the Ship – Chicago Sun-Times.” Chicago Sun-Times, 26 Dec. 2023, chicago.suntimes.com/taste/2023/12/27/24012380/new-titanic-inspired-cookbook-recipes.

Hinke’s latest book, “Titanic: The Official Cookbook: 40 Timeless Recipes for Every Occasion” (Insight Editions, 144 pages), celebrates the culinary elegance and history of the ship as seen through the lens of James Cameron’s Oscar-winning film “Titanic,” which celebrated the 25th anniversary of its release in 2022.

“Charles Joughin: How Whiskey Saved the Head Baker of the Titanic.” History Defined -, 24 Dec. 2023, www.historydefined.net/charles-joughin.

Although the extravagance of the voyage is well known, the pastries that Joughin was responsible for creating are not why he is remembered. Instead, Joughin is best known for his remarkable survival in the face of imminent death. Historians and scientists attribute his survival to one thing: the sheer amount of alcohol he consumed that night.

A Massive Titanic Exhibition ‘Using Imagery and Audio’ Is Sailing Into Birmingham in 2024.” Secret Birmingham, 21 Dec. 2023, secretbirmingham.com/titanic-exhibition-birmingham.

[I guess this comes under the heading of advanced notice! This exhibition does not begin till July 2024, so I guess the promoter sent out notices to the local media. People will rush to the article thinking that this opens soon in Birmingham (UK) only to find they have many months to wait. I guess you can watch several Titanic movies and books while you wait for it to open.]

But a titanic ‘Titanic Exhibition’ will soon tell its tragic story like you’ve seen never before when it comes to Birmingham in 2024. Tracing the ocean liner’s journey from its construction at a shipyard in Belfast, through its fateful voyage, to its rediscovery at the bottom of the ocean. You’ll be able to see everything from interactive exhibits to footage of the wreckage, as well as props from the 1997 blockbuster film.

Sailing into the NEC Birmingham from Saturday, July 27 to Sunday, August 25, 2024, the exhibition will use imagery, audio and real objects from the Titanic to convey life onboard the ship. Visitors will be able to see items and read stories about the first, second and third-class passengers, plus crew and engineers. There’s even a photographic collection from onboard passenger and survivor, Father Browne.

Wishing Everyone a Joyful and Prosperous New Year.

Wishing Everyone a Joyful and Prosperous New Year.

Titanic, historic ship, and general history news.