Cobh (formerly Queenstown) Ireland was the final stop for Titanic before setting off to New York. Titanic arrived on 11 April at 11:30 a.m and took on 120 passengers. One notable person to depart was Francis Brown (later Father Brown,SJ)whose photographs of the ship on its only sailing would become an important historical artifact.
A letter written aboard Titanic by James Danby before it sailed from Southampton is up for auction on 23 April. Danby went aboard to see his wife’s uncle and employer Adolphe Saalfeld. Saalfeld was going to America to sell essential oils to clients, survived the sinking but his satchel containing the glass vials and other things was left behind. It would not be found until 2000 by the submersible Mir 1. Danby, who had migrated to Britain from Germany, would be interned for the duration of World War I. After the war he relocated to Amsterdam and ran a successful business until the Germans invaded in 1940. Being Jewish made him a target and he was eventually arrested in 1943 and sent to Sobibor. He would be killed along with Rose and her mother Clara. His daughters Margaret and Ellen survived the war and went to Canada. Danby’s grandaughter Petra Burka would represent Canada in the 1964 Winter Olympics and bring home the bronze for figure skating.
Well known Titanic auctioneer Henry Aldridge & Son is holding the auction. The letter is expected to fetch between $14,117 to $21,175.
Source:First Letter Written Onboard The Titanic Up For Sale (Foxnews.com,8 April 2016)
The opening scene of A Night To Remember has Titanic being officially christened. In reality, Harland & Wolff never had such ceremonies for launching ships they constructed. If the ship were important enough, they might invite certain important people to watch its launch. Usually it would be just the workers and those who designed the ship at Harland & Wolff to be in attendance. Here is a video that shows the construction of RMS Olympic and its launch.
It is usually the case that when you have an increase in revenues and people attending your tourist attraction, you make money. Not so for Titanic Belfast in 2015 reports Belfast Telegraph. The Telegraph reports this is despite the fact that revenues went up by 7% during that year and that it attracted 625,000 visitors. So what caused the drop in revenue? The newspaper reports:
The drop in profit arose chiefly from the firm’s administrative expenses increasing from £6.27m to £7.42m. And the average number of staff employed last year increased from 134 to 153 with staff costs increasing from £2.17m to £2.45m.
So hiring nineteen people cut into expenses pretty seriously. That tells a lot about the cost of labor these days in NI. And probably why visiting the attraction will soon cost more.
Source: Titanic Belfast sees profits drop by a third to £800,000 (Belfast Telegraph, 24 Mar 2016)
Not a whole lot to report in terms of Titanic. Been quiet of late. Perhaps all the nonsense about Titanic II being built put a cork in it for a while. Another Titanic anniversary is coming up so I expect the news to pick soon. Perhaps another bit of Titanic memorabilia will emerge to be auctioned off. Or more likely some more drama about the actors that were in that movie.
Belfast is having its Titanic 10K Road Race on 10 April. The race is in its tenth year and doing quite well. Of course you do not have to run in the race to enjoy it. Fans line up to watch it to see if the any of their favorites will finish first. Then after all the hoopla is done, retire to a favorite place for a pint of the good stuff and a delicious meal.
The worlds largest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas, is about to embark on its maiden voyage. This ship makes every other cruise ship look like a dinghy in comparison. It is massive, and I mean massive, at 1,187 feet long and with a displacement of 227,000 tonnes. With 18 decks, it is crammed full of places to eat, entertain, and eat some more. A replica of New York’s Central Park with 10,587 plants and 52 trees is included if you miss a city landscape. As you might expect this is not a cheap trip. Plan to spend serious cash to sail on this leviathan.
And not to be outdone, the folks in Dubai who have gone seriously Titanic crazy decided to have an authentic Titanic meal. It will be at a French restaurant called Bord Eau. The dining area will be converted into a Titanic first class cabin on 14 April. Diners will have a 10 course meal similar to what first class diners had on the ship. Those attending are expected to dress up for this event. Do not think of showing up in a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops for this one or you will experience an old fashioned punishment called keel hauling. The cost is Dh406 or in U.S. dollars (at last check) $106.00. No jokes about Jack and Rose please at the table.
RV Knorr, made famous by being the Woods Hole vessel that had the researchers that found Titanic aboard, is heading to Mexico. The ship was a mainstay of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution since it was delivered to them in 1970. And logged close to a million miles in its long history with Woods Hole. The ship was officially decommissioned in 2014 and its replacement, the RV Neil Armstrong, will take its place. The ship will now serve in the Mexican Navy though it is unclear what her duties will be.
Source: Ship Used to Find Titanic Headed to Mexican Navy (ABC News from AP,13 Mar 2016)
The Belfast Telegraph is reporting that the former Harland & Wolff Headquarters, adjacent to Titanic Belfast, is going to become a boutique hotel. The four-story, 84 room hotel will be managed by Titanic Quarter Ltd. who claim it be “world’s most authentic Titanic-themed hotel.”
Titanic Foundation, with the help of a £4.9m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Heritage Enterprise programme, is supporting the restoration of the Drawing Offices. The scheme, which will include three pavilions, will be publicly accessible for tours, events and exhibitions. Both projects are due to open in 2017, creating 100 new jobs.
The announcement has generated mostly positive reports in the Belfast Telegraph and elsewhere. Certainly it will draw people and because of its close proximity to Titanic Belfast will become destination all its own.
Source: Harland & Wolff Headquarters Set To Become ‘World’s Most Authentic Titanic-Themed Hotel’(Belfast Telegraph,9 Mar 2016)
