On April 18. 1906 San Francisco would suffer a devastating earthquake resulting in a massive fire that would destroy buildings, cause many deaths, leaving a city in ruins.
Northeast View of Post & Grant Avenues, San Francisco, 18 April 1906 Public Domain (National Archives and Records Administration, ARC Identifier: 524396)
San Francisco, once a small town with a large natural bay that was once known as Yerba Buena , grew rapidly during the Gold Rush of 1849. People seeking to find wealth passed through resulting in rapid growth as businesses grew to accommodate them in every possible way. The city would expand in size to handle the new housing needs by filling in areas with sediment. Most of this area would become known locally as “South of the Slot” meaning south of Market Street called today South of Market Area (SOMA). The earthquake of 1906 would show the difference between building on bedrock and sediment.
At 5:12 am on 18 April 1906, Northern California was brought forcefully out of sleep by an earthquake that was so powerful it was felt as far away as Oregon, portions of Nevada, and even Los Angeles. Lasting only 45-60 seconds, it measured between 7.7 and 7.9 on the Richter scale, though initially it was thought higher at 8.3. The earthquake destroyed buildings, ruptured gas and water lines, buckled streets, derailed trains on tracks, and in some places opening areas of land. Ruptured gas lines in San Francisco allowed gas to escape and ignite resulting in the massive fire that would burn to city taking with it buildings and people who had survived the earthquake. The most devasted areas of the earthquake itself were built on sediment. Buildings on bedrock escaped serious damage though the fire later did destroy buildings not destroyed by the earthquake itself.
The train was standing on a siding. Beyond are the buildings of the Point Reyes Hotel, and at the extreme right the ruin of a stone store which was shaken down.Point Reyes Station, west Marin County, California. April 18, 1906 Image: G.K. Gilbert Source: Photographs from the U.S. Geological Survey Photographic Library (CD-Rom) Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Earthquake damage was not limited to San Francisco. Cities in California such as Santa Rosa were hit hard and the entire downtown was destroyed. Train tracks in many areas were damaged and trains sitting on tracks were derailed. Areas of land were split by the earthquake leaving a scar that would remain in some areas for decades. In San Francisco, the fire generated by the igniting of gas spread causing widespread damage resulting in mandatory evacuations. The U.S. Army was called in to assist with this and with putting out the fire. The attempt to use explosives to destroy buildings that would spread fire proved to make things worse. It spread embers that started other fires. Making matters worse was the lack of water. The earthquake had ruptured the water supply, and the fire chief was killed in the earthquake. Worse due to corruption, some construction of the city’s buildings was shown to have been built poorly.
People were evacuated to parks; some were able to flee on ferries across the bay; camps were set up for those displaced by the fires. When it was over, an estimated 3,000 people died from the earthquake and subsequent fires. Thousands were left homeless and needed new homes. A large part of San Francisco was in ruins with rebuilding on a large scale needed. The problem for the city leaders was that they had to convince people San Francisco was safe so they would stay. So, a scheme was concocted to make the fires, not the earthquake, the reason for the destruction. Conveniently left out was the fact the earthquake caused the gas lines to break and caused massive destruction on areas built just on sediment or better known as landfill. The city leaders made sure, and evidence later confirmed it, to downplay the earthquake and make the fires the culprit. Rebuilding began and no new rules were put into place to make sure buildings built on landfill were safer. It would not be until late in the 20th century that building codes would be altered to make buildings better able to handle earthquakes.
By the time of the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989, many new buildings were constructed to handle earthquakes such as the one I was in that day. The building swayed with the earthquake but did create some problems. Office equipment got thrown about and in a nearby office, a copier moved from one side of the room to the other, embedding itself in the wall. Chaos took place outside. Power was off and the electric buses were stopped. Traffic lights were down and the regional subway (BART) was shuttered because of the earthquake. In my building, the staff had no idea what to do so we had to fend for ourselves eventually heading down the emergency stairway to the street. There was debris on the street that fell off buildings. An old building across the street had its roof fall in. Lots of people were milling about not knowing what to do and police were not much in sight. Fortunately, I went over to the old Transbay Transit Center (now rebuilt as the Salesforce Transit Center) and caught a bus down to Daly City where I lived at the time. I would find out later that down in the Marina District buildings had collapsed and fires had broken out but fortunately the SF Fire Boat was able to assist in dousing some of the fires. The World Series at old Candlestick Park would have to be rescheduled.
Photograph of a collapsed facade of a building near Beach and Divisadero Streets in San Francisco October 1989 Photo: J.K. Nakata, United States Geological Survey Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Fascinating Horror, “The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake | a Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror,” Video, YouTube, November 21, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkz5BE6SDMY.
Front Page, New York Herald, 15 April 1912 Public Domain (U.S. Library of Congress,www.loc.gov)
As the world awaits news of who survived Titanic, the White Star Line decides to hire ships to go out and retrieve bodies. Reports of bodies floating in the Atlantic had been reported and White Star wanted to retrieve them as quickly as possible for several practical reasons. Ocean currents would eventually move them out of the area, so getting them retrieved as soon as possible would allow families to lay them to rest. Another reason for speed was that sea creatures and birds would start consuming the bodies making identification difficult as well. The cable ship Mackay Bennett was the first ship hired by White Star. Three other ships would be hired as well: Minia (a cable ship), Montmagny (lighthouse supply ship), and the sealing vessel Algerine.
CS Mackay Bennett (circa 1884) Artist Unknown Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
Each ship would carry the necessary supplies to retrieve and embalm the bodies. The Mackay Bennett emptied itself of its normal stores in Halifax, Nova Scotia and brought aboard supplies for its new mission:
Embalming supplies and coffins (100)
Chief embalmer of John Snow & Co., John R. Snow Jr.
100 tons of ice to store the bodies
Canon Kenneth Hind of All Saints Cathedral, Halifax was aboard to officiate burials at sea.
As the Mackay Bennett had capacity for 125 coffins in her hold (and ice as well), she would carry most of the coffins being brought back to Halifax. Mackay Bennet departed Halifax at 12:28 pm on 17 April 1912. Heavy fog and rough seas delayed her arrival at the location where Titanic sank. Recovery started early in the morning using skiffs to bring back bodies to the shop. They quickly realized they did not have enough embalming supplies aboard to bring them ashore in Halifax. The law required that bodies be embalmed before unloading in a Canadian port. The following procedure was established to handle this:
First class passengers were embalmed and placed in coffins.
Second class passengers embalmed but wrapped in canvas.
Third class, crew, and bodies that were too decomposed or disfigured were buried at sea.
They found the bodies of John Jacob Astor IV (identified by his unique diamond ring and initials sewn on jacket label), American architect Edward Austin Kent, and Isidor Straus (Macy’s owner). Wallace Hartley, the Titanic band leader, was found with his violin strapped to his body. It was sent back to England aboard the SS Arabic and buried on 18 May 1912 at the Keighley Road Cemetery, Colne, Lancashire. Bodies buried at sea were officiated by Canon Hind.
Bodies that were brought back were either transported by relatives to their final resting place or interred in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Back in Halifax John Henry Barnstead, the Registrar of Vital Statistics, developed a system of identifying the bodies and protect personal possessions of the deceased. With Halifax having both rail and steamship connections, families could easy come to identify bodies of loved ones. A temporary morgue was set up using a local curling rink with undertakers to assist from all over the area. Many did send bodies back to their hometowns in the United States or Europe. Unclaimed and unidentified bodies were buried in Halifax. A total of 150 bodies is interred in Halifax cemeteries with the largest number at the Fairview Lawn Cemetery followed by Mount Olivet and Baron de Hirsch cemeteries.
Bodies from Titanic were reported in May. The Oceanic found three in Titanic’s Collapsible A two hundred miles from where Titanic sank. They had been left behind when Carpathia rescued the survivors in April. Oceanic retrieved their bodies and buried them at sea. One of the last to be found was steward James McCrady on 22 May by the SS Algerine. His body was brought back to Halifax and was buried in the Fairview Lawn Cemetery.
Family photograph from late 1911 obtained from family source Public Domain (Wikipedia)
By the end of its seven-day recovery operation, Mackay Bennett had recovered 306 of the 328 bodies they found. 116 were buried at sea and of them only 56 could be identified. They would return to Halifax with 190 bodies where they were transferred to the temporary morgue. Astor’s son had put up $100,000 reward for recovering his body, which was split among the crew ($2500 each). The body of a young child, unidentified at the time, which brought hardened men to tears, was given a grave at Fairview in which the entire ship’s crew attended along with many from Halifax. The child had become a symbol of the loss of life that occurred on Titanic. In 2007 using mitochondrial DNA the child was identified as 19-month-old Sidney Leslie Goodwin.
Only 333 bodies would be recovered of the more than 1,500 dead. Many bodies were swept away by currents never to be recovered. Life jackets would eventually degrade over time allowing bodies to sink; bodies would be consumed by sea life and birds. For many there would be no opportunity to bid farewell to family or friends that perished that fateful day in the cold Atlantic Ocean.
Sources
(Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)
Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997
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)
Titanic lost: Belfast Telegraph front page on 16 April 1912 Source: Belfast Telegraph
News of the sinking stunned the world. In the United States, messages from Titanic and other ships got mixed up and jumbled together giving false hope that Titanic had survived. At one-point, White Star Line had charted a special train to take families to Halifax where Titanic would arrive with its passengers. It was stopped halfway when the truth was learned and returned to New York. At the White Star Line office where hope had turned to sorrow, people came to learn whether their loved ones had survived. Lists of the survivors were sent to Cape Race via the Olympic and then to the White Star office. The names of those who didn’t survive were shocking.
New York Times Front Page 16 April 1912 Public Domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Communications with Carpathian were limited. Outside of the list sent via Olympic and required messages about estimated time of arrival in New York, requests for information sent to the ship went unanswered even from U.S. President William Howard Taft. Taft wanted to know if his friend and military advisor Archibald Butt had survived. But the blackout remained. In Britain and elsewhere, there was no mixing of messages. They learned of it very quickly and newspapers reported it. In Belfast where the Titanic had been built, it was as if a family member had died.
Titanic was mostly hand built and employed thousands for large and small projects. Some drove the rivets sealing the metal plates to the ship. Others did detail work on the inside: doors, windows, cabinets, trimmings of all kinds. There were no prefabricated materials back then, you custom built just about everything for Titanic. Francis Parkinson Jr’s father was a skilled woodworker on Titanic. He fashioned many of the elegant doors. And he remembers vividly not only seeing the giant ship being built but the day she was reported sunk. He recalled seeing the news poster where the paper boy was selling papers and it had just two words:
Titanic Sunk
His father ran out to get the special edition and read it in shock. And then like many who had worked on it, cried. None could believe the ship they had worked on was gone. So many prominent people from both sides of the Atlantic perished as well. The sinking of Titanic was a gut punch to firmly held beliefs of man’s steady progress. It was the death of a dream for many and the world was made less certain because of it.
Colorised photo of Ned Parfett, best known as the “Titanic paperboy”, holding a large newspaper about the sinking, standing outside the White Star Line offices at Oceanic House on Cockspur Street near Trafalgar Square in London SW1, April 16, 1912. Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Sources
(Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)
Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997
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)
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.
Public Domain
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
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)
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Roches Point Lighthouse Cobb, Ireland (2017) Photo: Larry Mills Wikimedia Commons (Originally from Flickr)
At 11:30 am Titanic arrived at Cork Harbour on the south coast of Ireland. Cork Harbour is a both a natural harbour and river estuary of the River Lee. Considered one of the larger natural harbours in the world, it has been used as a working port for centuries. Roches Point Lighthouse would have been seen by Titanic. The lighthouse has been there since 1817 but was rebuilt in 1835 as it was too small. The lighthouse is operational to this day but was automated in 1995 and its surrounding buildings auctioned off.
The day was warm but with a brisk wind with some clouds in the sky. Queenstown (known today as Cobh) would be Titanic’s last European stop before heading across the Atlantic. Lacking facilities to dock a ship of its size, tenders brought passengers and their belongings to Titanic. 123 passengers would board at Queenstown: 3 First Class passengers, 7 Second Class passengers, and 113 Third Class. 7 people would disembark including Fr. Francis Browne, S.J. who as an avid photographer took photos of the ship while he was aboard. His photos, which became famous after the sinking, give us a glimpse of that unique world. Kate Odell, another cross-channel passenger who got off in Queenstown, also took some photos as well.
Titanic’s passengers on the A-Deck’s aft promenade: the six-year-old Robert Douglas Speden, throwing a spinning top, under the watchful eye of his father, Frederick. 11 April 1912 Taken by Father Browne, SJ Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
At 1:30 pm Titanic weighed anchor and departed Queenstown to complete her maiden voyage. A few rare photographs of her in port and departing have been found. Sadly, they would be the last photographs of RMS Titanic ever taken in 1912.
Titanic Leaving Queenstown 11 April 1912. Believed to be the last photograph of ship before it sank. Taken by Kate Odell as she disembarked off Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, April 11, 1912 Public Domain
Once Titanic pulled out to sea and enroute to New York, people aboard the ship settled into familiar patterns. Mealtimes were a time to meet your fellow travelers. While First and Second Class could mingle, Third Class was restricted to their area. Everyone was provided three meals a day though First-Class passengers had access to the A la Carte restaurant. Titanic and its sister ship Olympic provided ample food portions for the passengers. A dedicated crew of food professionals made sure each mealtime was an event. Many went on walks around the deck to work off their meals. Or they could make use of the exercising equipment aboard Titanic.
Titanic gym on 11 April 1912. Instructor McCawley demostrates the rowing machine. William Parr test another piece of the equipment. 11 April 1912 Photo: Father Francis Browne, SJ Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
The gymnasium was quite impressive with punching bags, cycle racing machines (stationary bikes), electric horse and camel, and a squash court. Many enjoyed the mechanical rowing machine and the Turkish bath. For those wanting to swim, there was a heated saltwater pool on Deck F but accessible only to First Class passengers. The pool was six feet deep and only thirty feet long and fourteen feet wide making it small by standards today. There was a small fee to pay to use the pool (which came with a bathing suit) but children were not allowed.
There was also an electric bath one could use, if you were brave enough. Today it would be more like a tanning bed. It was a wooden stand with a green sheet metal cabinet lid that had ultraviolet lights in it. An attendant would open the lid, the person would lie down, and the lid would be closed. A timer was set for thirty minutes and then you would get out; staying too long was considered hazardous. A similar one was also on Olympic. It certainly took courage to get inside essentially what was an iron lung.
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)
The Day Has Finally Arrived: Titanic Sets Sail On Her Maiden Voyage To New York
The day started off quiet as Titanic captain Edward J. Smith boards the ship at 7:30 am. Titanic has been docked in Southampton since 3 April and taken on crew and supplies for the voyage. The first train from London bearing passengers was at 9:30 am. The railway–London & South Western–had its station quayside to where Titanic was birthed making it a short trip to the ship. Many who were traveling Third Class or commonly called Steerage, had to undergo medical inspections before boarding. If American authorities denied them entry, White Star had to bring them back at their cost. First Class passengers were personally greeted by Captain Smith. Many knew him already having sailed with him on other ships. Back then a respected ship captain was a reason to choose the ship to sail on. After meeting the captain, they were escorted to their cabins. Second Class did not meet the captain but were escorted by stewards to their cabins.
Titanic at the docks of Southampton, 10 April 1912 Unknown Author Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Titanic would pick up a total of 920 passengers in Southampton. The biggest number at 494 were the Third-Class passengers; First Class had 179 and Second Class 247. Additional passengers (and some departing from the ship) would occur at Cherbourg and Queenstown. There is a story that some Third-Class passengers would miss the sailing owing to staying at the pub too long. By the time they ran to the ship, the gangplank had been removed. They would claim later they were saved from the disaster, but most knew it was they stayed too long enjoying their pints of ale.
At noon, the ship’s whistle signaled its departure, and many came to see not only friends off, but the ship itself. Cameras did photograph the departure, but no movie footage appears to have survived. Due to her size, Titanic created huge displacement of water. And as she departed this displacement caused ships nearby to start moving upwards. One ship, the liner New York, had its mooring cables snap due to the strain. This caused the ship to swing out stern-first towards Titanic. Captain Smith ordered the engines full astern to get more speed so Titanic would avoid colliding with the New York. It was close at four feet, but it worked. A nearby tugboat came to assist bringing the drifting ship back safely to its berth. All ships were delayed for an hour while this occurred.
Titanic reversed her course, drifts back toward the mouth of White Star Dock, as New York is manouevered to a temporary mooring in the River Itchen (Daily Mirror) Public Domain via Wikimedia CommonsSS Nomadic in Cherbourg harbour, where she served along with the SS Traffic as a tender for the Olympic-class liners and other White Star Line vessels too large for the shallow waters of the port. 1911, Author Unknown Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Titanic would then make her way out of Southampton, and after dropping off the harbor pilot, headed into the English Channel heading for Cherbourg, France. The journey was 77 nautical miles (89 miles). An overcast sky with wind and cold would keep most passengers inside during this part of the journey. Arriving at 6:30 pm, Titanic would take on passengers by tender since there were no docking facilities for a ship of this size. Two tenders, the SS Traffic and SS Nomadic, would ferry passengers to and from Titanic. 24 passengers who only bought tickets for the journey from Southampton to Cherbourg would depart. 274 passengers would board at Cherbourg: 142 First Class, 30 Second Class, and 102 Third Class. Once the loading of all passengers and luggage was done by 8 pm, Titanic blew its whistle and began heading to Queenstown, Ireland for its last stop. The weather would remain cold and windy on that leg of the journey as well.
Sources
Books
Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997
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)
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.
Fresh food was loaded in preparation for its departure on April 10. With a maximum capacity of 2,453 passengers and around 900 crew, the amount of food needed was enormous. First Class, Second Class, and Third Class were served three meals a day and was included in cost of the ticket. First Class passengers could opt to eat at the Al la Carte restaurant. This restaurant proved successful on Olympic and was replicated on Titanic and replicated eating at the famous Ritz. At 150 seats, it was bigger than Olympic and had sixty staff. None of the staff were White Star Line employees but employees of the restaurant. First Class passengers who opted to eat only at this restaurant were given a refund on that part of the First-Class ticket. Eating at this restaurant was very expensive and was open from 8 am -11 pm for only First-Class passengers.
Titanic was essentially a floating hotel, so daily consumption of food was considerable requiring the large stores of fresh food and supplies for the voyage across the Atlantic. Today it is much the same. Cruise ships today usually are required to have double the food needed in case the ship is delayed at sea due to storms or other emergencies. Here are some of the items that were stored for its maiden voyage to New York:
Meats
5,000 lb. fresh meat.
25,000 lb. poultry.
11,000 lb. fresh fish.
Produce
1,000 lb. grapes,
36,000 apples.
36,000 oranges.
16,000 lemons.
40 tons of potatoes.
3,500 lb. onions,
7,000 heads of lettuce.
Bread/Baking
50 barrels of flour.
1,000 loaves of bread.
10,000 lb. cereal.
10,000 lb. sugar.
Hot Beverages
2,200 lb. coffee.
800 lb. tea.
Eggs/Dairy
40,000 fresh eggs.
1,500 gallons of fresh milk.
1,200 quarts of ice cream.
6,000 lb. butter.
That is a lot of food and that is a short list. Some additional items include 15,000 bottles of ale, 1,000 bottles of wine, and 850 bottles of liquor. And of course, gentleman needed cigars so 8,000 of them were stowed aboard as well. Fresh drinking water was loaded as well for use during the voyage. To serve all the food required over 57,000 pieces of crockery which includes pots and pants. 29,000 glasses of various sizes, shapes, and uses were aboard as well. Cutlery of various sizes, shapes, and uses came to 44,000. Food was mostly prepared by hand though they had food mills, grinders, and other things they could use. For Jewish people who observed Kashrut (Kosher dietary laws), this was provided for as well. Separate silverware for meat and dairy use was also used as well.
Each class ate in its own serving areas. First and Second Class had the more expansive menus, but Third Class was not that bad either. Breakfast in Third Class included:
Oatmeal Porridge & Milk
Smoked Herrings, Jacket Potatoes
Ham & Eggs
Fresh Bread & Butter
Marmalade
Swedish Bread
Tea
Coffee
Lunch in Third Class was called Dinner (lunch in First and Second) since most workers ate their large meal of the day at that hour. Third Class had soup, biscuits, meat (such as roast beef with gravy), vegetables and potatoes, desert, fruit, and tea/coffee. Teatime later had cold meats, pickles, cheese, dried fruits, and of course tea! Supper, unlike dinner in First and Second class, was simple with just cheese, biscuits, or porridge (also called gruel). For many who came from impoverished backgrounds, the meals were a feast.
Max Miller over at YouTube has done wonderful videos as to what food was like on Titanic in the different classes and what the crew ate. Food eaten on the Titanic, especially in First and Second Class, was of high quality and a major social event. Dinner especially when you wore your finest clothes. Downton Abbey gets a lot of details right about how they appeared at such meals and the food they were served. The Edwardian era was short but the fashions and food made it memorable.
Sources
Books
[Please note as an Amazon affiliate I receive a small fee if you click on a link and purchase a book. Thank you if you do!]
–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)
[This has been modified to correct inaccurate information about crew, add new details and information, and include newer sources]
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
After journeying from Belfast to Southampton, the remaining crew needed for Titanic would be hired to approximately 908 crew and officers. Some members of the crew technically were not employees of White Star Line but accepted token payments to be under the command of Captain Smith. The two wireless operators, Harold Bride and Jack Phillips, were employees of Marconi. For ship organization purposes, they were made part of the Victualling Department as their service was not considered an essential to shop operation. The Titanic orchestra were employees of the Liverpool firm C.W. & F.N Black which provided musicians for many British liners. They were treated as second class passengers and thus had nicer accommodations on Titanic than on other ships.
A recent coal strike resulted in a severe shortage of coal. When the strike ended on 6 April, Titanic was in desperate need of coal to meet its sailing deadline on 10 April. Coal was transferred from other White Star ships forcing those ships to cancel their departures. Passengers on those ships were offered equivalent accommodations on Titanic. Some of the more notable persons effected was Titanic survivor Eva Hart. She and her parents were going to sail on the SS Philadelphia bound ultimately to Canada before the sailing was canceled. The Hart family was transferred to Titanic and traveled as Second Class passengers.
Many passengers planning to board Titanic in France were making their way to Cherbourg. John Jacob Astor and his wife Madeline had been celebrating their honeymoon in Egypt were now enroute along with famous artist Frank Millet. Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff Gordon, Molly Brown, and Benjamin Guggenheim were enroute as well.
Sources
Books
Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997
–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)
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.
Faithful reproduction of the painting “Christ on the Cross”, by Carl Heinrich Bloch. (1834–1890) Museum of National History (Frederiksborg Castle, Copenhagen, Denmark) Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Today is Good Friday, an important event in the Christian liturgical calendar. Some argue the word Good is a corruption and used to mean God Friday. Others argue it always meant that the day is meant to be pious or holy. For Christians, Good Friday is the day Jesus was crucified on the cross. Observant Christians will mark the day by silent meditation, prayer, and church attendance. Many will fast during the day, particularly during the hours of 12 noon to 3 p.m. Hot Cross Buns are a traditional food many cultures use on this day (and through the Easter season). Most Catholics and Christians will avoid eating meat on this day and usually the main meal will be fish. Good Friday (and sometimes Easter Monday)are public holidays in many countries. Good Friday always occurs on the Friday before Easter Sunday.
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