A Despicable Movie

I assume you know about the 1997 James Cameron movie TITANIC but I don't think you've heard about the movie that came out in 1996. That movie is so inaccurate, it's not even funny. The staterooms look like they belong on a modern day vessel and most of the women dress like they're going to a prom instead of the clothes of the Edwardian Age. It tells a mostly false story about the Allisons and Alice Cleaver. It also adds passengers that were not there. The themes are this woman whom is married meets a former boy-friend and they fall in love all over again. And a man whom is a pick-pocket falls in love with a 3rd class fellow passenger. The Grand Staircase has an oversized clock, midget cherub, and low chandelier. These people make a mockery of Christianity and I advise you NOT to watch it. The only thing good is some allegories.

"Time For a Work Out"

Click HERE to explore the gymnasium.





The gymnasium was located just behind the 2nd funnel and if you were exiting the grand staircase on the starboard side, there would be a room where if you went to the right, you would find the gym but if you went straight, you would go out on the Boat Deck. The gym was open for women from 9 a.m. to noon and gentlemen were allowed in from 2 to 6 p.m. and children were allowed in only at 3 p.m. There was an electric camel, electric horse, rowing machines, a stationary bicycle, punching bag, and other exercise equipment. There was a gym instructor called William T. McCawley whom taught the passengers how to use the equipment. The survivors remembered him as always cheerful and kind. He is pictured above teaching passengers how to use the rowing machine. Douglas Spedden remembered how fun it was riding the electric camel saying how fun it was and said that it reminded him of a trip to the Sahara Desert.
After the TITANIC struck the iceberg, the gymnasium was opened. Passengers went inside and used the equipment to get warmed up. McCawley encouraged people to try out the rowing machines before getting into a boat. After all the boats were gone, the gymnasium was empty and the equipment was never used again. In Robert Ballard's second return to the TITANIC, he sent a robot inside the gymnasium and saw the handles to the rowing machines and the electric camel still in place; the bicycle is still there to.

"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.