On Board RMS Titanic

Memories of the Maiden Voyage

George Behe

• Publisher: The History Press
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9780750982689, 9780752483061
• eBook ISBN: 9780752483054
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Literary Collections
• Index: Technology & Engineering

'It would make the stones cry to hear those on board shrieking' - Daniel Buckley, third-class passenger

For the first time, in this moving new book, Titanic 's passengers and crewmen are permitted to tell the story of that lamentable disaster entirely in their own words.

Included are letters, postcards, diary entries and memoirs that were written before, during and immediately after the maiden voyage itself. Many of the pre-sailing documents were composed by people who later lost their lives in the sinking and represent the last communications that these people ever had with their friends and loved ones at home. The subsequent letters and postcards give an unparalleled description of the events that occurred during the five days that Titanic was at sea, and the correspondence by survivors after the tragedy describes the horror of the disaster itself and the heartbreak they experienced at the loss of those they loved.

This poignant compilation, by Titanic expert George Behe, also contains brief biographies of the passengers and crewmen, victims, as well as survivors, who wrote the documents in question.

PRELUDE: 31 MAY 1911

JOHN KIRKWOOD

Toronto Businessman

In 1912 Mr Kirkwood, the manager of Toronto’s Walter Thompson Advertising Agency, wrote a letter describing the launch of the Titanic, an event he witnessed on 31 May 1911:

When the Titanic was launched at Belfast last May, I saw the event from the vantage point of the harbour master’s boat.

The occasion was tense with interest and expectation. Countless thousands were gathered to witness the immense hull slip from its steel cage into the sea. A year or so before the Olympic had been similarly launched but no multitudes of citizens and workmen thronged the nearby wharves, for it was feared that these would be submerged by the wave arising from the plunge into the water of so vast a vessel. But there was no wave – only an 18-inch ripple, so gently did the Olympic slide from the slips.

The signal for the liberation of the Titanic was the explosion of a rocket. Almost imperceptibly the black monster began its first short voyage, its easy descent being assured by the use of £300 worth of soap.

Some of us expected to see the huge hull take the water heavily, with splash and foam, but she breasted her element so lightly that we felt no swell, and she was pulled up in her own length. The journey down the slips took only 62 seconds. Without a minute’s delay tugs were hauling the Titanic to her berth to be completely fitted up before a year should pass.

Three days previously the Olympic had occupied the place to which the Titanic was being shifted. Before she left Belfast the public were given an opportunity of inspecting the largest and most magnificent ship ever built up to that time. I remember seeing Lord Pirrie, the distinguished head of Harland and Wolff shipbuilders, guiding a little company of friends over the noble vessel. I was told that his firm was given the contracts for the building of the Olympic and Titanic without submitting a tender, only an estimate so implicit is the reliance of the White Star authorities in the integrity of Lord Pirrie’s firm and in the thoroughness of their work. I was told also that on the very day named for delivery the Titanic, ready for her maiden voyage, would surely be handed over to her owners.

At the launching of the Titanic there were no forebodings of catastrophe. The skies were blue. The hearts of all were gay, enthusiasm was unbounded. The pride of every citizen of Belfast was at its zenith. Today, less than a year afterwards, on its first brave venturing the great ship shattered and a sepulchre lies two thousand fathoms deep on the ocean’s bed.¹

PRE-SAILING DAYS

THE TITANIC’S PASSENGERS AND CREWMEN MAKE PREPARATIONS FOR THEIR UPCOMING VOYAGE TO AMERICA

THOMAS ANDREWS

First Class Passenger

On 2 April, after the Titanic completed her trials at Belfast, Ireland and was being delivered to Southampton, Mr Andrews, her chief designer, wrote a letter to his wife in Belfast:

Just a line to let you know that we got away this morning in fine style and have had a very satisfactory trial. We are getting more ship-shape every hour, but there is still a great deal to be done.

After the Titanic arrived at Southampton, on 4 April Mr Andrews wrote a letter to his wife which contained the following statements:

I wired you this morning of our safe arrival after a very satisfactory trip. The weather was good and everyone most pleasant. I think the ship will clean up all right before sailing on Wednesday.

(Andrews also mentioned that Lord Pirrie’s doctors refused to allow him to sail on the maiden voyage.)

Mr Andrews inspected the Titanic and wrote two subsequent letters, one of which recorded serious trouble with the vessel’s restaurant galley hot press and directed attention to a design for reducing the number of screws in stateroom hat hooks. The other letter agreed with the Titanic’s owners that the hue of the pebble dashing on the private promenade decks was too dark, and he noted a plan for staining green the wicker furniture on one side of the vessel. On 9 April Mr Andrews wrote another letter to his wife and stated:

The Titanic is now about complete and will I think do the old Firm credit to-morrow when we sail.²

ROGER BRICOUX

Crew (Bandsman)

On 17 March 1912, while serving on board the Carpathia, Mr Bricoux wrote the following letter to his parents in Monaco:

On Board the Cunard RMS Carpathia

17/3/12.

Dear Parents, Just a few quick words as the ship is about to reach Gibraltar and I had no time to write from Naples as we left for a tour of the city. You can tell Vissotty that I accept what he proposed me. As for Dad being ill, you told me in your letter your father is slightly ill, but you never told me he was suffering from an illness that could prove grave. As for sending postcards I no longer can. We are going to New-York where I will board the Mauretania, the biggest ship in the world 32,000 tons and when in Liverpool, I will head for Southampton, where I will board the Titanic which will be launched on 10 April and will be the biggest ship in the world 50,000 tons it is a city: Turkish baths, bicycle (yeah, there’s a bike on board), gymnasium, a swimming pool that is 100 metres long the ship is 945 metres long (English yard, which means over a French kilometre and only New York harbour can welcome us). I like this life a lot but I will be with you with great pleasure as for marrying, I will only marry a girl who will have money, in order to fit my tastes … I’d better drown myself. I imagine love in silk linen or at least nothing less than a ‘comfortable home’ and not in an attic, with fear of starving the day after. Ambitious? maybe and why not and something tells me I ought to be for it is the only way to success. I send you my heart and I kiss you. Roger. Send me your letter on board the Carpathia, New-York (America).³

After transferring to the Mauretania, Mr Bricoux sent the following undated letter to his parents:

The Cunard Steamship Company Limited

RMS Mauretania.

Dear Dad, You will certainly think that I took too much time to send this letter but this is not my fault as I’ve been on the Mauretania for ten days and had no opportunity to post this letter. Well, this is why I’m writing: I want to kiss you very warmly and wish you all my best wishes and wish you good health. Vi...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• 1 Prelude: 31 May 1911
• 2 Pre-Sailing Days
• 3 10 April 1912: Titanic at Southampton
• 4 10 April 1912: Titanic Sails from Southampton for Cherbourg
• 5 11 April 1912: Titanic Arrives at Queenstown and Sails Onward
• 6 12 April 1912: Titanic at Sea
• 7 13 April 1912: Titanic at Sea
• 8 14 April 1912: Titanic at Sea
• 9 15 April 1912: Disaster
• 10 16 April 1912: On board the Carpathia
• 11 17 April 1912: On board the Carpathia
• 12 18 April 1912: On board the Carpathia
• 13 19 April 1912 and Afterwards
• 13 19 April 1912 and Afterwards (Part 2)
• 13 19 April 1912 and Afterwards (Part 3)
• 14 Passenger and Crew Biographies
• Notes
• Plates
• Copyright