Titanic Gazette Souvenir Shop

Titanic Gazette Souvenir Shop

Titanic Gazette Souvenir Shop

Thursday, January 31, 2008

3rd class meals

3rd class plate


3rd Class - April 10th, 1912

-Breakfast-

Quaker Oats and Milk
Smoked Herrings
Beefsteak and Onions
Jacket Patatoes
Fresh Bread and Butter
Marmelade, Swedish Bread
Tea, Coffee


-Lunch-

Brawn
Cheese and Pickles
Fresh Bread and Butter-Dinner-

Rice Soup
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Boiled Patatoes
Cabin Biscuits, Fresh Bread
Peaches and Rice



Dinner: - Every Day - Cabin Biscuits and
Cheese, Gruel and Coffee.
Fresh Fish served as a Substitute for
Salt Fish as opportunity offers.
Kosher Meat supplied and cooked for
Jewish Passengers as desired.
Rhubarb Jam
Currant Buns
Tea

Make a TITANIC meal




"Waldorf Pudding"

The most interesting food on the First-Class Dinner Menu that was served on the evening of April 14th, 1912 in the First Class Dining Saloon was "Waldorf Pudding", one of the sweet items served with the Tenth Course. (Note: The Waldorf Hotel in New York, which actually didn't open until the 1930s, had never heard of "Waldorf Pudding".!.!.!)

Recipe "Waldorf Pudding"

Ingredients Pudding:

* 1/2 cup sugar
* 2 cups flour
* 2 tsp baking powder
* 3 tbsp melted butter
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 1/2 cups diced, unpeeled apples
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup milk
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1 cup English walnut meats
* 1/2 cup steamed raisins

Ingredients Sauce:

* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 egg yolks, beaten
* 2 cups whipped cream
* 1/2 tsp lemon extract

Pudding:
Mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together; add eggs, vanilla extract, milk, butter, nuts and raisins. Mix well and divide into 9 greased individual moulds, cover with greased papers and steam steadily for three quarters of an hour. Turn out and serve.

Sauce:
Boil sugar and water until syrup spins a thread, pour over beaten yolks of eggs, and stir quickly; add lemon extract. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, mix in whipped cream.

2nd Class Menu

Second Class style bowl


2nd Class - April 10th, 1912

-Breakfast-

Fruit
Oatmeal Porridge
Rolled Oats
Yarmouth Bloaters
Grilled Mutton Chops and Chips
Broiled Sausage and Bacon
Minced Collops
Irish Stew
Eggs Boiled, Scrambled or Poached
Mashed Patatoes
Hot Milk Rolls
Graham Rolls
Jam, Marmelade
Tea, Coffee, Cocoa


-Lunch-

Consomme a la Julienne
Tripe with Calve's Feet
Roast Ribs Beef
Baked, Jacket and Mashed Patatoes

COLD:
Roast Beef
Roast Pork
Ormskirk Brawn
Corned Beef
Salad
Ground Rice Pudding
Small Pastry
Biscuits, Cheese
Dessert, Coffee


-Dinner-

Lamb's Head Broth
Fresh Fish
Ragout of Veal
Roast Pork and Apple Sauce
Vegetables
Boiled Patatoes
Sago Pudding
Jam Tart
Small Pastry
Dessert
Tea, Coffee

What's on the 1st class menu?

1st class plate


1st Class - April 14th, 1912

-Breakfast-

Baked apples - Fruit - Steamed Prunes
Quaker Oats - Broiled Hominy - Puffed Rice
Freash Herring
Findon Haddock - Smoked Salmon
Grilled Mutton - Kidneys & Bacon
Grilled Ham - Grilled Sausage
Lamb Callops - Vegetable Stew
Fried, Shirred, Poached & Boiled Eggs
Plain & Tomato Omelettes to Order
Sirloin Steak & Mutton Chops to Order
Mashed Saute and Jacket Potatoes
Cold Meat
Vienna and Graham Rolls
Soda & Sultana Scones - Corn Bread
Buckwheat Cakes
Black Current Conserve - Narbonne Honey
Oxford Marmalade
Watercress


Lunch-

LUNCHEON:
Consomme Fermier - Cockie Leekie
Fillets of Brill
Eggs A l'Araeneuil
Chicken a la Maryland
Corned Beef, Vegetables, Dumplings

FROM THE GRILL:
Grilled Mutton Chops
Mashed, Fried & Baked Jacket Patatoes
Custard Pudding
Apple Meringue - Pastry

BUFFET:
Salmon Mayonnaise - Potted Shrimps
Norwegian Anchovis - Soused Herrings
Plain & Smoked Sardines
Roast Beef
Round of Spiced Beef
Veal & Ham Pie
Virginia & Cumberland Ham
Borogna Sausage - Brawn
Galantine of Chicken
Corned Ox Tongue
Lettuce - Beatroot - Tomatoes

CHEESE:
Cheshire, Stilton, Gorgonzola, Edam,
Camenbert, Roquefort, St. Ivel,
Cheddar

Ice draught Munich Lager Beer:
3d. ($0,07) & 6d. ($0,13) a Tankard


Dinner-
(The Last Dinner served aboard the Titanic)

First Course - Hors d'Oeuvre:
Canapés a l' Amiral
Oysters a la Russe

White Bordeaux, White Burgundy or
Chablis (especially with oysters)

Second Course - Soups:
Consommé Olga
Cream of Barley Soup

Madeira or Sherry

Third Course - Fish:
Poached Salmon with Mousseline Sauce

Dry Rhine or Moselle

Fourth Course - Entrees:
Filet Mignon Lili
Sauté of Chicken Lyonnaise
Vegetable Marrow Farcie

Red Bordeaux

Fifth Course - Removes:
Lamb with Mint Sauce
Calvados-Glazed Roast Duckling
with Apple Sauce
Roast Sirloin of Beef forestiére
Chateau Potatoes
Minted Green Pea Timbales
Creamed Carrots
Boiled Rice
Parmentier and Boiled New Potatoes

Red Burgundy or Beaujolais

Sixth Course - Punch or Sorbet:
Punch Romaine

Seventh Course - Roast:
Roasted Squab on Wilted Cress

Red Burgundy

Eighth Course - Salad:
Cold Asparagus Salad with
Champagne-Saffron Vinaigrette

Ninth Course - Cold Dish:
Páté de Foie Gras
Celery

Sauterne or Sweet Rhine Wine

Tenth Course - Sweets:
Waldorf Pudding
Peaches in Chartreuse Jelly
Chocolate Painted Eclairs
with French Vanilla Cream
French Vanilla Ice Cream

Sweet Dessert Wines (Muscatel, Tokay, Sauterne)

Eleventh Course - Dessert:
Assorted Fresh Fruits and cheeses

Sweet Dessert Wines, Champagne, or Sparkling Wine

After Dinner:
Coffee, cigars

Port or Cordials

Nearer My God To Thee






Wallace Hartley was born in Colne, England. His father owned a Mill but a fire started and the Mill was lost. They moved closer to a methodist church where his father became choir director. He became very good at playing the viola and violin. He was playing solos at age 15. In 1909, he was hired by the Cunard Line to play on the LUSITANIA. Once, when asked by one of the passengers what he were to play if ever he was on a sinking ship, he said that he would play either Nearer My God To Thee or God Our help in ages past. A year later, became bandmaster on the Maurentania. He was later transferred to the OLYMPIC and then the TITANIC. A week before the sailing of the TITANIC, he proposed to his financier, Maria Robinson. In the sinking, he and the band played ragtime music to keep people calm. Later, they moved
out on deck. The last song heard from them was Nearer My God To Thee. Wallace Hartley's body was found two weeks later with his violin case strapped to his chest and a nickel watch, 16 shillings, and 16 pence in his pockets. His body was laid to rest in Colne.



Words to Nearer My God To Thee:

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Chorus

There let the way appear, steps unto Heav'n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee.

Chorus

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee.

Chorus

Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I'll fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Chorus

There in my Father's home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior's love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be, nearer my God to Thee.

Chorus

Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee!
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I'd be nearer, my God to Thee.

The Forgotten Sister

How the ship sank.

Only known photograph of the sinking.



This is what the Britannic would have looked like.




After the sinking of the Titanic, news reporters were all asking about a rumor that a ship called the Gigantic was going to be built. The White Star Line denied it so that they wouldn't loose credibility so they switched the name to Britannic. It was begun in 1914 but WW1 broke out and she was transferred to his Majesty's Royal Navy and was converted into a hospital ship. It made 5 voyages across the Mediterranean Sea and on the 6th, Violet Jessop and John Priest were both on all three sister ships
but were both unaware of each other's presence. They were going to pick up more wounded soldiers and they were sitting down to eat when they heard an explosion at 8:12 A.M. and every one was woken up. At 8:45, they started lowering lifeboats without an order from Captain Charles Albert Barllet whom was trying to beach the Britannic on the Island of Kea, 3 miles away. At 8:45, the ship is listing so bad, that they can't lower lifeboats. Just a few minutes later, she sinks with the loss of 30 people. There are no survivors alive today.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Poor 3rd class

Tis is one of the gates from 3rd class to 1st class





3rd Class had more than half of the passengers on board. They were separated as Women and Children at the stern and men in the bow. There were 706 passengers on board and 120 were Irish, 63 were Finnish, 26 were Swedish, 24 were Belgians, and the rest were either English or American. The cabins were 3 pounds/$5 or 81 pounds/$40 ($176-$460 in today's money). There 462 men, 165 women, and 176 children. The sinking was terrible because it was so hard to get to the boat deck. Many died waiting for someone to unlock barriers that separated them from the rest of the ship. The Goodwins had 6 children and when they got to the deck, all the boats had left. All, even a 6 month old died in that family. Some even went back to their cabins with no hope of escape. 75 men, 76 women, and 79 children survived. Milvina Dean, the last and most famous survivor of the Titanic was from 3rd class.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

2nd class isn't so bad

Second class cabin


2nd class was not very bad at all. The second class cabins looked just like 1st class on a normal ship today. It wasn't as luxurious as 1st class however, but it had almost all the same features as 1st class (aside from the Turkish bath, pool, and 6 different restaurants). Like for instance, it had a library, women's room (for socialism), a dining room that could seat 440 passengers, cabins with the latest patterns (looks outdated today), and many more. Ruth Becker recalled her cabin looking like the best suite of the a hotel; there were enough cabins for 550 passengers and cost 20 pounds/$60 which is $690 today. There were 168 men, 93 women, and 24 children for a total of 285. At the sinking, they opened the barriers between 1st and 2nd class so all could get into the boats. In all, 14 men, 80 women, and 24 children survived for a total of 118. 167 died.

Inside the TITANIC

(Click on plans to enlarge)
Boat Deck

A Deck

B Deck

C Deck

D Deck

E Deck

F Deck

G Deck

Orlop Deck.


The very bottom of the ship.

Monday, January 28, 2008

"1st class all the way"





Click HERE to explore the Strauss suite.

1st class, as many of you know was the fanciest part of the ship. There were 2 parlor suites and each one had a private 50 foot long deck with 2 staterooms, and 1 sitting room. They were 870 pounds (triple that to see what you would pay today). The berths were 30 pounds and had 2 bedrooms. Another luxury of the TITANIC was that each cabin had it's own bathroom which was not common on most ships of that day. Most passengers of 1st class were either returning from a honeymoon, a vacation, or business. In all, there were 175 men, 144 women, and 6 children. Most of 1st class got on at Southampton, England where the trains could carry their luggage. One passenger had 14 trunks, 6 suitcases, and 3 crates! During the sinking, most of 1st class was able to escape and all were reportedly on deck. 57 men, 140 women, and 5 children survived which makes 202.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

The Man Whom Discovered It All






Robert Ballard was born in Wichita, Kansas on June 30, 1942. When he was around 5, his family moved to Pacific Beach, San Diego California where he became fascinated with marine life. He went to college in Santa Barbra and then transferred to Hawaii. He married a girl whom he had fallen in love with in high school. He soon became an oceanographer in California for a few years until he was drafted into the army and was transferred to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. There, he discovered vents and white tubes in one of the earth's Teutonic Plates. He became a celebrity but one thing still bugged that he dreamed about since he was a boy; finding the TITANIC. Years later, he got his chance when he was hired to lead an expedition to find the U.S.S. Scorpion which was sunk in WW2. After finding the Scorpion, he went to find the Titanic using the time he had left. He used sonar for 2 weeks until around two in the morning, when the Titanic's boiler appeared in the exact form as in one of the photos of it. Soon, they came upon the wreck itself. A year later, they returned to the wreck with a submarine and a robot eye called Jason Jr. They found the wreck in 2 pieces and many pieces of debris. Robert Ballard is today, opposing the raising up of pieces of the wreck. Robert Ballard also discovered the Bismark, Britannic, Isis (ancient roman ship), and many others. He still works at Woods Hole today.

Click HERE to learn about the place where they first discovered Titanic.

The Grand Staircase









The Grand Staircase was one of the grandest places on the ship. There were two staircases; one towards the bow (front), and one towards the stern (back). They were made of oak and went from the Boat-Deck, to D-Deck, and continued E-Deck as plain stairs. The top had a cherub and a clock with Honor and Glory crowning Time with a huge dome above. The stairs were in the style of Louis 14's court. The whole flight of stairs had paintings on the landings and either bronze cherubs or candelabras at the feet. The stairs were usually the most used in the ship besides the cabins. During the sinking, it was the only way most passengers used to get to the lifeboats. It is unclear what happened to it. Jack Thayer thought he saw the bow float then sink which could have been the staircase. In the discovery of the TITANIC, they found a gapping hole where it used to be. It could have also dissolved. What happened to the famed stairs will remain a mystery forever.

Friday, January 25, 2008

The Wreck of the Titanic


A Skittish Poem



The Wreck of the Titanic
While on her way to America in April 1912
by William McGonagall, Poet and Tragedian

O beautiful ship Titanic
Of the White Star Line,
Your tragic tale shall be remembered
For a very long time.

Twas in the Month of April,
on the Fourteenth day,
That a disaster happened
Which took more than fifteen hundred lives away.

They were heading t'wards Americ's shore
In the middle of the night,
When the lookout spied an iceberg,
Which gave him quite a fright.

They turned the wheel hard to Port,
And then again to Starboard,
But they hit the iceberg anyway.
The hull was rent like cardboard.

They tried to make the passengers
Get into the lifeboats,
But they said that it was too cold,
To be outside without their coats.

But Mr J Bruce Ismay of the White Star Line,
Persuaded them, because
He got into a lifeboat,
To show how safe it was.

And Mr Guggenheim was there,
With his valet by his side.
They both wore Evening Dress,
For to drown while badly dressed they could not abide.

They tried to make Mrs Strauss,
Get into a lifeboat,
But she wouldn't leave her husband.
They will never be forgot.

Joughin, the Ship's Baker,
Had imbibed the Demon Drink,
He jumped into the water,
He was lucky not to sink.

But they pulled him in a lifeboat,
And he survived the night,
But he signed the Pledge when he got home,
'Cause he got such a fright.

The hero of the hour
Was Second Officer Lightoller
And I think that his example
We should all be sure to follow.

He did his duties bravely,
Though people swore and cursed,
Enforcing the Rule of the Sea,
'Women and Children first'

A wave washed him from off the deck,
Into the icy brine,
But he survived to tell the tale,
And defend the White Star Line.

At last the great Leviathan,
Slipped down below the water.
The Engineers stayed at their posts,
They never once did falter.

And Captain E.J. Smith,
On the bridge until the last,
Might not have hit the iceberg,
If he hadn't gone too fast.

Futility


In 1898, Morgan Robertson wrote a book called Futility about a ship striking an iceberg and sinking. It's about a man named John Rowland whom was a royal Navy Lieutenant but was relieved for drinking. He soon became a deck hand on the R.M.S. Titan. It was 800 feet long(the Titanic was 882 1/2), 15 water tight compartments ( the TITANIC had 9), and 45,00 tons ( the TITANIC was 46,328). On the 3 voyage, John meets a former girlfriend with her husband and her daughter. On his turn to be a lookout, he was drunk and it was foggy. The ship struck an iceberg, capsized, and sank backwards in 2 hours but 13 survived. The collision sends John and woman's daughter flying onto the iceberg. They live off of a polar bear that he killed. They are later rescued. I'd recommend that parents read this book before their children.

Titanic Canines

There were around 10 dogs on the TITANIC. John Jacob Astor had 2 Airedales on the ship
and was last seen walking Kitty on the promenade. Robert Daniels brought Champion French Bulldog named Gamin De Pycombe. Archibald Gracie came face to face with him when he was letting the dogs out of the kennel. Someone from Collapsible A saw him swimming. Robert Daniels later married a fellow survivor and started "Pycombe Memorial
Hospital" in Pennsylvania. Ann Isham refused to get into a lifeboat without her St Bernard, Toujours saying" I have raised him from a small pup; I can't abandon him now." A German ship called the Bremen, Reportedly spotted an elderly woman with a large dog in her arms, floating on the sea. The Carters brought two King Charles Spaniels along and kept them in their cabin except when some sailors took them for a walk. The Bishops brought along a Frou Frou but left him in their cabin deciding that human life was more valuable, said good bye, and locked him in his cage in their cabin. As Robert
Ballard passed by some cabins, he thought he heard barking.Only Margret Hayes' Pomeranian and Henry Sleeper Harper's Peninske survived.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Thomas Andrews



Thomas Andrews Jr. was on February 7, 1873 in Adra House, Comber, County Down, Ireland to the Right Honarable Thomas Andrews Sr. and Eliza Pirrie. He was in school at Royal Belfast Achidemical Institution until 1889 when he was apprenticed to Harland and Wolff for 5 years. 3 months in the joiners shop, 1 month making cabinets, 2 months building ships(including the Celtic, Cedric, Baltic, and the Adriatic), and 18 months in the drawing office.

In 1901, his uncle Lord Pirrie (owner of H.& L.), promoted him to manager of the designing department where he designed the Oceanic, Olympic, Titanic, and Olympic. He loved working with the men and has a few legends. Once, a red hot rivet narrowly missed him and he smiled and kicked it away. Another time, a gale blew and all work stopped but Anthony Frost was too scared to come down so Thomas climbed up the 80 foot scaffholding and carried him down. Thomas was married in 1908 to Helen Reilly Barbours and had a daughter in 1910 named Elizabeth Law Andrews. They lived in Lord Pirrie's home in Dunalan Avenue.

Then, just before the sailing of the Titanic, Lord Pirrie developed a serious case of pnemonia and he knew he was about to die. He called Thomas in and gave him Harland and Wolff. Thomas was going on the Titanic with a few selected men called the Guarantee Group whom were going on there to inspect the ship during the voyage. Their names were Campbell Hastings Watson, William Ennis, Robert Knight, Archibald Frost, Francis Parkes, Roderick Chisholm, Alfred Flemming Cunningham, and Henry William Marsh Parr. Andrews had taken A-36 which was one of the grandest staterooms
on the ship. During the voyage he was recognized and people pounded him with questions. The only people known to actually become friends with were the Thayers. He made many notes like "Too few screws" and stuff like that. On the night of the sinking, the Andrews was asleep and didn't feel anything. The captain sent the message to meet him on the bridge.

Once he learned the news that they had struck an iceberg, he and the captain went down to check the damage. They saw the damage and Thomas knew the ship was doomed. He went down and encouraged the women to get into the lifeboat. There is a story that Thomas saw a stewardess whom was passing out lifejackets yet didn't have one on. When Andrews asked why she didn't have one on, she said "So that it doesen't make me look mean". Thomas said, "Put it on in heaven's name and let the passengers see you." As the ship sank, a steward passed through the "smoking room and saw Andrews looking at a painting of the entrance to Plymouth called "From the old world to the new" with his lifejacket strewn out on a chair beside him. The steward asked "Aren't you going to try to make it Mr. Andrews?". He didn't respond. The ship broke apart near him and that probably killed him. His body was never found.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

C for Coward


Chief Purser El McRoy was in charge of loading collapsible C. When loading the boat, men jumped into the boat nearly tipping it over! Mr. Carter got in while his wife and children were sill on board(they later divorced). A man whom had Mrs. Astor's shawl passed as a woman. As the boat was lowered, Mr. Ismay got in. There were other cowards like Sir Cosmo Gordon whom got into other boats and those trying to get into Collapsible D. There were many others like a steward that used a child to get into a boat. If you were there, would you be a coward and get into a lifeboat using any means available? Would you go before the other women and innocent children and remember it for the rest of your life? Or would you be a gentleman and be brave? Think about it.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Douglas Spedden



Douglas Spedden was born on November 19, 1905 in New York City to Fredric and Daisy Spedden. They were very wealthy and had several homes. In 1911, they went on the Caroina to Europe for a holiday with Douglas' nanny, Elizabeth Burns or 'Muddie Boons'
as Douglas pronounced it. They went to Monte Carlo and Paris. They boarded the Titanic in Cherbourg and were in 1st class room E-40. He loved playing on the decks and exploring the ship. On the sinking night, Douglas was awoken by his nanny and told
to get dressed because they were star gazing. They were put into Lifeboat No. 3. they were rescued by the Carpathia and learned that his father had died. In the Christmas of 1913, Daisy had written a book through the eyes of a bear that had been with him all
that time. Douglas Spedden was killed in the first automobile accident in 1915 at the age of 9. It was the first recorded accident in Maine.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

The Only Ship That Did Not Sink


The Olympic construction began at Harland and Wolff in Belfast, Ireland. The idea, to build three huge ships, was made at a dinner party. The dinner party was attended by Joseph Bruce Ismay, the chairman of the White Star Line and Lord Pirrie, the President of Harland and Wolff. They planned to build the Olympic, Titanic and the Gigantic.
Olympic was starting to be built up when the Titanic started to be built. Soon, the two sisters were almost complete. When the Olympic was launched in 1910, it was just an empty hull. The Olympic went to the dry dock. The dry dock is where they drain water out of the dock, so that they could paint ships and put on the propellers. Once the water was back in, they built the inside of the Olympic.
On October 30, 1911, Olympic set sail on her maiden voyage, carrying 2,200 passengers, including Violet Jessop. Olympic’s captain was E.J. Smith. The Olympic was pulling out of the dock, when she hit the H.M.S. Hawk, but the watertight doors saved Olympic from sinking. The Olympic was repaired and made it to New York. The Olympic was on her 13th voyage when she lost a propeller blade and was towed back for repairs. It is said that she got the Titanic’s distress signal, but they thought it was a joke. The Olympic sailed for 6 more years until it was made into a Troop Ship and rescued many crew from sinking ships during WW1 and was nicknamed 'Old Reliable'. After the war, they found a dent on the waterline which had been caused by a torpedo that had refused to explode. It was transformed back into a Ocean Liner and made thousands of voyages across the Atlantic Ocean before the Cunard Line took over the White Star Line and got rid of any symbols of White Star Line greatness. It was sold
for 100,000 pounds and was torn apart and sold for scrap. Most of the Olympic is in Scotland at the Swan Hotel. The Olympic and the Titanic were Identical twins except for the people on the two ships. It cost 7.5 million dollars to build the Olympic.

Until Death Do Us Part

Click HERE to tour the Strauss's suite.





Isador Straus was born on Febuary 6, 1845 in Otterberg Germany to a Jewish family. At age 9, he and his family moved to Talbotton, Georgia. When the civil war broke out, they sold bonds and other things to the confederate soldiers and made a small profit. In 1889, Isador married Rosalie Ida Blun whom was born in 1849 in Worms, Germany. They had 6 children together and Mr. Straus was very successful in selling china and other trinkets in Macy's department store in partnership with his brother, Nathan. After Macy died, Macy's son was drunk all the time so Isador and his brother Nathan (Nathan later also co-owned Abraham and Straus along with Levi and Straus)bought the store, becoming co-owners since Macy willed that the store remain in the family. They became millionaires seemingly over night! Isador was even congressman (Democrat) from January 30, 1894-March 30, 1895. The Strauses went to Europe in 1912 for both a nice vacation, and to buy things for Macy's. One of the things that they bought, was a set of china which they sent on ahead and is in my family. They were traveling home after a wonderful time, and were coming home on the Titanic. The Strauses were very appealing to the millionaires on board not just because he was the co-owner of Macy's, but because he and his wife were very respectable and well known throughout the societies of England, New York, and Philadelphia. Isador was worth $50 million dollars because of owning Macy’s. But on the fourth night of April 14th, 1912, the Strauses were talking with the Wideners, when they felt a little bump and the Strauses went up on deck. They saw the lifeboats being lowered. A man offered a place in the boat for Mr. Straus because of his age, but he refused. Then when Ida stepped in the lifeboat, then stepped out and said, “We have been together for many years. Where you go, I go!” Like Ruth and Naomi in the bible, this convinced Isador. They let their maid, Ellen Bird onto a lifeboat. They were last seen on deck holding hands on deck. Isador's body was recovered by the Mackey Bennet. There were 40,000 people at their funeral/memorial service. In the 1997 movie Rose, Cal, and Ruth occupy the Strauss suite. They were portrayed in a scene where Ida refused to leave her husband, but got cut. They were in a later scene in the bed (which didn't happen). There's a memorial to them in New York and also a school. That's also where Isador is buried. Ida's body was unfortunately never recovered.

R.M.S. Carpathia







Click HERE for the first of three videos on the Carpathia returning the Titanic Survivors.

Click HERE for the second of three videos on the Carpathia returning the Titanic Survivors

Click HERE for the third of three videos on the Carpathia returning the Titanic Survivors.



Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson built the Carpathia and finished on August 6, 1902. It was 8,600 tons, 541 Feet Long, and 64.4 Feet Wide. Its captain was Arthur Rostron. The Carpathia was a cruise ship going from New York to Gilbraltar.
one of the passengers, Charles H. Marshall, had 3 nieces on the Titanic. But, on April 14, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg. As the Titanic was sinking, Jack Phillips, the wireless operator, sent an S.O.S and C.Q.D., signals that were in morse code. When the Carpathia’s wireless operator named Harold Cottam got the Titanic’s distress signal, he went to the bridge and told the First Officer, Mr.Dean that the Titanic was sinking. Mr. Dean threw open the door to Captain Rostron’s cabin and told him that the Titanic was sinking. Then Rostron headed north at 21 knots and one of the officers recalled seeing him praying silently. The Carpathia had to steer around six huge icebergs. By the time they got there, it was 3:30 a.m. It took 3 hours to rescue everyone from the lifeboats. It took 4 days to reach New York. Arthur Rostron was awarded lots of medals and became commander of the entire Cunard Fleet. U-55 sent the torpedo that sank the Carpathia on July 17, 1918 in WW1. She was found in 1999 by Clive Clusser 500 Feet down and upside down off the coast of Ireland.

Archibald Gracie


Archibald Gracie the fourth was born on January 17th, 1856, in Mobile, Alabama. Gracie’s father was killed in the Civil War at the battle of Chikamauga. Gracie earned the family fortune and lived in Washington D.C. When he was 53, Gracie was going on the R.M.S. Oceanic to Europe without his wife and daughter. he later decided to come home on the Titanic. Gracie discovered he was out of shape so he spent most of his time in the gym. Gracie also made many friends like were R.C Cornell, John Murray Brown, Miss Edith Evans, and E.D. Appleton and her husband. Gracie spent most of his time with Mr. and Mrs. Isador Strauss talking about their connection in the Civil War(See Until Death Do Us Part. On April 14th, 1912, Gracie was awakened by a jolt and found ice in his cabin. Mr. Wright, Gracie’s friend also was disturbed and they both found out the ship was doomed. Then the two helped women and children into the boats until the last Lifeboat left. Gracie and Wright were on deck when water surged up. Both men scrambled on top of the bridge until water washed them away. Gracie was able to climb upon Collapsible B after being nearly sucked down, but Wright disappeared. Gracie’s coat was sucking him down, but he escaped the pressure and was pulled in Collapsible B and survived. Gracie later wrote a book called The Truth About The Titanic, but he died on December 4th, 1912 because of damage to his lungs and heart and the salt water made one ear drum burst and hopelessly clogged the other ear and didn’t finish his book. Archibald Gracie was the third survivor of the Titanic that had died. His last words were, "We must Get Them All Into The Boats".

Joseph Bruce Ismay


Joseph Bruce Ismay was born on December 12, 1862 to Thomas Henry and Margret Bruce Ismay. His father was the part owner of Firm of Ismay Imrie which started the White Star Line, Asiatic Steam Navigation Company and other companies. He went to study in Estree School Harrow, France and was an apprentice to a ship building company for 4 years and then took an around the world trip for a year. When he came home, he married Julia Florence in 1888 and two sons and two daughters. They moved to England
in 1891. In 1899, Thomas Ismay died leaving all the companies to Joseph. One day at a dinner party, J Bruce Ismay and a friend Lord Pirrie got an idea to build three huge ships. But when they looked for a shipbuilding yard, they could not find one big enough, so they had to build a shipbuilding yard and named it Harland and Wolff. The work started on the Olympic, then a month later the Titanic, then a year later the Britannic.
J. Bruce Ismay went on the Olympic and made it to New York, then Titanic which was going to reach New York early and surprise everyone, but she struck and Iceberg. As he was sinking, J Bruce Ismay, saw no women or children, so he got into a lifeboat, when he arrived in New York, he became a scapegoat for the public, because he was the owner of the ship. Ismay was able to keep his job until Britannic was built and launched. He was forbidden to speak about the Titanic after he went before an inquiry. He died a broken man in 1937.

"Unsinkable" Molly Brown


In 1867, a cyclone blew and a child was born named Margaret (She later, her name was changed to Molly Brown in Missouri). As Molly grew, her brothers taught her games like marbles
(she was a tomgirl),and her sister taught her how to read. When Molly was 19, she went to the western part Colorado, got married and had two children. After that they moved to Denver, until a year later, her husband James moved back to the west with their kids. After a month, Molly came aboard the RMS Titanic because her son was sick and on the fourth night of April 14, 1912, the Titanic struck a giant iceberg and sank. Molly was in a lifeboat and told the people to save the drowning men, but Quarter Master Robert Hitchens said that they will tip us over. Molly was tempted to throw him overboard, but she did not and she survived. After she was rescued, she went back to Denver. After her husband died, she retired. After she died in October 25th, 1932 in New York, people realized how important she was to the Titanic and she became famous. There was even a Broadway song named after her, and it was called “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.” That is how she got her nickname. One year, she bought a heep of winter clothes in the summer and planned on donating them but died in October. Today, there is a charity which is named after her.

The Only Child


Helen Lorraine Allison was born on june 5, 1909 to Hudson and Bess Allison. They were going to America after a holiday on the Titanic with Lorraine(age 2) and Treavor, (age 16 months). They had a Nanny called Alice Cleaver whom is suspected of murdering her own child (Mr. & Mrs. Allison didn't know of her past) and several servants( the servants traveled in 2nd class).

On the sinking night, all were in bed when they were awoken by the steward. When they went to get the children, Treavor was gone! Alice Cleaver was awoken first and took Treavor and got into lifeboat 11. After searching, Mr. Allison got Bess and Lorraine into a lifeboat but after he was gone, Bess heard that her husband was on the other side so she got out and didn't find her husband so she searched for him. When they found him, all the boats were gone and they searched the ship until the ship sank. Lorraine was the only child to die from first class. They found Mr. Allison's body and buried him at sea. Alice later disappeared on a train. Treavor died of food poisoning at age 18.

Recommended Movies

There are only a few movies that are accurate about the Titanic. The one by James Cameron is the most popular but the only things they got right are the sinking, the layout, and a few passenger's names! The most accurate movie I've seen is A Night To Remember based on a book by Walter Lord. There's another movie that's fairly accurate is Titanic which was filmed in 1984. When seeing a movie, you must try and think of the real ship and what actually happened and if you don't, you must at least know what really happened. You must know that there were very few love stories on the ship. I don't recommend the Titanic by James Cameron, until adulthood, due to alot of the innacuracies. A Night To Remember is about Officer Lightoller, Captain Smith, and other brave 'real' passengers whom were on the ship. That movie is the movie closest to the real story. Other movies that I would recommend would be Ghosts of the Abyss, Return to the Titanic, Titanica (imax), Titanic, Missing Pieces, and Titanic (Twilight Zone).
Raise the TITANIC: I do not recommend this movie at all. It is the story of these guys tr4ying to find a bomb inside the ship. There's also a lot of language in it. If your children want to watch it, I suggest you get at Blockbuster or the library and the parents watch it first before the children see even a clip.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

The Richest Man On Board



John Jacob Astor was born in 1864 and was the 4th heir to a huge estate with 3 vacation homes, a fortune from a locomotive manufacturer and gold mining company, and other things. He
wrote a scientific novel called, Journey in Other Worlds and in 1898, he was developing Bicycle Brakes, Turbine Engines, and
Rivets. He soon was married to Ava whom bore him one boy and one daughter. Their happiness was suddenly drawn apart when John fell in love with Madeline Force. After an ugly divorce, he married Madeline who was younger than his own son,
Vincent (she was 19 and Vincent was 22). On their honeymoon, they visited Egypt and Paris. Along with them were V. Robbins (Manservant), R. Bidias (Maidservant), and a nurse. During the honeymoon, Madeline got pregnant. She was 7 months into the pregnancy when they boarded the R.M.S. Titanic on April 10th, 1912, and were the center of attention. John might have taken $87 million dollars in cash with him.

While the TITANIC was sinking, John found a few lifejackets and dissected them to show his wife what was inside them. He and his wife got on a lifeboat and the boat was full so, he and his wife got out for a 3rd class washer woman and her child. He put his wife on one of the last lifeboats and when he asked to accompany her, he was turned down by Lightoller so he gave his wife a pair of gloves. As the ship went down, Astor was last seen walking Kitty, their Airendale. His body was found with 750 British pounds in his pocket and covered in soot which meant that he had been crushed by the forward funnel. Madeline inherited the fortune and named her son after his father.

Frank Goldsmith

Frank Goldsmith was going to America with his parents because his father had gotten a job offer and were going to start a new life in Michigan. They boarded the Titanic as 3rd class passengers with only a few clothes as their only belongings. During the voyage, he loved exploring the ship and going down to the boiler room and later recalled hearing the stokers singing. He befriended Sam Collins whom showed him around
the boiler compartments. He also loved running around the deck with his friends; one time, his friends dared him to swing from one of the cables and his hands got so dirty, that they were scrubbed for at least 5 times. On the night of April 14, he was in bed when his father told he and his mother were told to get dressed and get to the lifeboats. As they were getting into a lifeboat, Frank's friend, Alfred Rush, whom was 16, was offered a place said," No! I'm staying with the men!" He later died
that night along with Mr. Goldsmith. On the rescue ship, R.M.S. Carpathia, Frank saw Sam Collins and comforted each other. Frank and his mother made it to Michigan and Frank married and had 3 sons. Frank has been described by someone who met him in his later years as a soft-spoken, nice man. He wrote a book about his experiences later in his life. He sadly never got it published because no publisher thought it would be profitable. He died in 1982 and his ashes were scattered over where the Titanic sank. After he died, his widow gave the manuscript for his book to the Titanic Historical Society and asked that they get it published before she died. They honored her wishes before she too passed away.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

The President's Aid






Major Archibald Willingham Butt was born on September 26,1865 in Augusta Georgia. As a child, he was considered bright, had excellent grades and handwriting, and very athletic. He graduated from Tennessee University and began a successful in law practice, but was drafted and sent to Mexico in 1898. He loved the military and signed on for a second year in the military and was sent to the Philippines. Slowly but surely, he worked his way up to the top and became president Roosevelt and Taft's military aid. When they were against each other, "Archie" tried to remain neutral when they were against each other. He soon became ill and so Taft sent him to Rome (In secret, he was on a secret mission but it is unclear what that mission was). He got better and scheduled himself to leave at Cherbourg, France on the Titanic. During the
voyage, the weather got colder but he never put on an overcoat. He made many friends
including the Astors, Strausses, and Widners. On April 14,1912, Butt was in bed when a steward woke him up and Archie contacted Thomas Andrews(the designer) and Andrews told him that the ship was sinking. Both men helped the women and children on board. One lady whom Archie didn't recognize was the piano teacher for the Roosevelt children After the last boat was gone, he stood with the Strausses and Mr. Astor as the ship went down. His body was never found. At his
memorial service said through tears,"I loved him like a brother; but he treated me
like a king."

Mr. George Behe has written several volumes on the life of Archie Butt and you can find them here:

http://archiebutt.com/2010/01/27/hello-world/

Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller





Click HERE to hear the heroic tale of Charles Lightoller

Charles Herbert Lightoller began his sea career at age 13 as an apprentice on a fishing
boat and over the years became experienced and advanced in rank. On one ship, he survived a cyclone off the coast of Australia and got a huge promotion from Cunard Line and then switched to the White Star Line as Chief Officer on the 'Majestic' but after a few years, was transferred to the R.M.S. Titanic. He was going to be 1st officer but the company decided to give William Murdoch that position. Murdoch was Chief Officer on the Majestic and they knew each other well. Lightoller was demoted to second officer but he didn't mind saying,"It's the honor of serving the company." On that frightful night of April 14, Lightoller was in bed when the iceberg struck and didn't hear it. He awoke when he heard steam coming from the smokestack. He quickly got on a sweater and some trousers along with an overcoat and went on deck and learned everything from the captain. Murdoch took the captain and him to his cabin and gave each of them pistols. Murdoch took charge of the starboard side while Lightoller took charge of the port. Lightoller let ONLY women and children in the boats. Soon, only collapsible D and B were left. As he was loading, a few men jumped into the boat nearly capsized it! Lightoller then fired shots into the air and had all the men lock arms and let only women and children through. He then went
to Collapsible B. After getting it off the roof, water came up and swept him and the lifeboat off the deck and was being sucked down by his overcoat. With a little struggling, he got it off and rose to the surface the water was so cold, that it felt like a thousand knives going through his skin. He looked around and saw Collapsible
B right beside him and overturned. He got on and had the men in rows to keep their balance so that they wouldn't flip over when suddenly, the lights on the Titanic went
out and there was a terrific noise and saw the outline of the ship break in two.
Then the ship sank and there were horrific cries for help that died down after a short while. There was an eerie silence until he heard squeaking and light splashing. Lightoller blew his whistle and then came a voice saying "Is that you sir?" "Indeed Officer Low!" said Lightoller. Lightoller became captain but served in
WW2 as 1st officer of the H.M.S. Hawk. He later retired as a celebrity officer and died in 1952 at the age of 72. His ashes were scattered over the garden of rememberance
.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

God on the Titanic

(Pictured above is Thomas Byles.)

When people think about the Titanic, they think of tragedy, death, and a false love story. Some of you have heard of the infamous Lord's Prayer as the stern sank. It is true that that happened and it was led by father Thomas Byles whom led church service for 3rd class earlier that day. He was coming to America to do a wedding for an old friend. His body,(if recovered) was never identified.

(Pictured above is John Harper and his family.)

There was another man who died while glorifying God. His name was John Harper and he was a presbyterian minister from Ireland with one daughter. When John Harper was young,he fell into a well and nearly drowned. When he was in his 20s, he was on ship when it sank in the Mediterranean and was picked up by a lifeboat just in time. He later told Nan(his daughter) my favorite quote,"the fear of death never entered my mind for I knew that sudden death would be sudden glory." He was such a great speaker, that he was invited to speak at the D.L. Moody conference. He was so excited, that he got on the first ship which was the Titanic. Later, on the night of
April 14,1912 he brought his daughter to the window, pointed to the stars, and talked about her mother (his wife) being in heaven and how they were going to see her again saying," It will be a beautiful morning." After they were asleep, they were woken up by a steward and told to get on lifejackets and get in the lifeboats. Soon, Nan was in a lifeboat and John Harper started preaching
and urging others to be saved. He even cried "Let women and children and the unsaved
go first!" He gave his lifejacket to another woman and when the Titanic sank, he saw a man and said,"Art thou saved?! the man said "no" and John said "believe in the Lord
Jesus and you will be saved! And then he slipped beneath the waves. The man later said he was John Harper's last convert. Nan later married an evangelist and had children.

Jack Thayer



(Pictured above is Jack Thayer at age 17)


Jack Thayer
Jack Thayer was 17 when he boarded the R.M.S.Titanic after traveling in Europe for 2 months with his parents. His father was a wealthy Philadelphia banker and his mother
was a socialist. He spent most of the voyage exploring the ship or talking with Harry
(son of George Widner a friend of the Thayers in Philadelphia) about his rare books he bought in France. He also liked strolling on the promonade and swimming in the pool.

On the night of April 14, Jack was finished eating by himself, while his parents ate at Captain Smith’s Dinner Party. He was thinking about what his mother said earlier about icebergs in their path while listening to the ships band. “May I borrow your match box sir?” Jack handed him the matchbox and he struck up a conversation with Milton Long.
Milton told the story of how he survived a shipwreck in Alaska. After that, Jack got into bed and heard the engines stop, go and stop. He went on deck to see that his mother into a boat. Jack found and after the last boat was gone, Jack and Milton jumped, Jack swam to boat B and survived. Later Jack learned that his father,Milton Long,Harry and George Widner,and many others died that night. Jack soon took over his father's place. Years later, Jack Thayer was so upset over his son's death in a war, he committed suicide in 1945.

There was peace when the world hadn't even tenored to it's way. It seems to me that the disaster about to occur was the event that not only made the world rub it's eyes and awake, but awoke it with a start. To my mind, the world of today awoke on April 15, 1912. by: Jack Thayer.

Titanic's Construction


The Titanic began at a dinner party when two people named J. Bruce Ismay and Lord Pirrie, head of Harland and Wolff in Ireland. Along with the Titanic, Harland and Wolff planned on building two other ships the Olympic and the Gigantic in 1907.
Titanic started construction in 1911. She was 882 feet long, 90 feet wide and 11 stories high. Titanic took 1 year to complete in construction. She had 3 million rivets in her hull. On January 7th, 1911, Titanic was launched, but it was just an empty hull. Titanic went to dry dock, where they drained out the water and built the inside and put on the propellers. They also painted her and put in the furniture, boilers, and engines. Some of her rooms on her were a lounge, Turkish Bath, Grand staircase, Aft Staircase, and the Smoking room. She could have room for 2,200 on board. Her captain was E.J. Smith. Titanic was going to have three funnels, but Lord Pirrie thought four would be grander. Ismay and Andrews, the designers of the ship were also passengers on the ship. Titanic was finally ready on April 1st, 1912. She was 882 ½ feet long, 90 feet wide and 11 stories high.

Monday, January 7, 2008

The White Star Line

The White Star Line began when two people named John Pikington and Henry Trelfall Wilson became partners. Together they formed the White Star Line 1825. White Star Line's first ship was the Iowa. The second ship was the Windsor Castle. After Pikington and Trelfall died, Thomas H. Henry became the new owner of the White Star Line. He built 100 ships before he lost his career because he didn't have any money to pay for the White Star Line.

J.P. Morgan became the new owner of the White Star Line and was in competition with Cunard. Cunard was known for building the biggest, fastest and most luxurious ships. Cunard built the Lusitania and Maurentania, but the White Star Line built a better ship called the Majestic.

At a dinner party, Joseph Bruce Ismay, {son of Morgan's best friend} chairman of the White Star Line and Lord Pierrie, the President of Harland and Wolff, which was a ship building company, created the idea for building three of the fastest, biggest and most luxurious ships in the world. They would be called the Olympic, Titanic and the Gigantic (later renamed the Britannic}, to beat Cunard.

First they began to built the Olympic in the year 1909. Then they began to build the Titanic in 1911. The Gigantic (who was later renamed the Britannic) was being started in 1915. Just before the sailing of the R.M.S. Titanic, Lord Pierrie died of
pnemonia and the Harland and Wolff went to his nephew, Thomas Andrews whom was sailing on the Titanic. Thomas Andrews died in the sinking and 'Brute' Ismay escaped
in a lifeboat and since he was called a coward, he resigned after the Britannic was lauched.

Harland and Wolff soon went out of business. The Britannic sank and the White Star Line was bought by Cunard in 1932. Today, the only White Star Line ship left is the Adriatic.