All About Titanic

What was the Titanic?

The RMS Titanic had been a British registered four-filled ocean liner, built in 1912. It was built for the transatlantic passenger and mail service between Southampton and New York.

With the introduction of the Lusitania and Mauritania the Cunard Line had stolen a march on the White Star Line; with Olympic, Titanic and Britannic Bruce Ismay and Lord Pierre saw a golden opportunity to regain the initiative and with it a hefty slice of the transatlantic passenger trade.

The new vessels would forsake speed for the increased safety and comfort that would come with a significant increase in scale. Fittings and appointments would also be improved over the competition. Lavish staterooms, a swimming pool, squash racquet court, gymnasium, stylish cafe and plush a la carte restaurant would attract the wealthy, while significantly improved accommodation in other classes was also provided. Millionaires might grab the headlines but it would be steerage (Third Class) and the growing middle class (Second Class) that would drive economic success.

Where was the Titanic made?

The RMS Titanic was designed and constructed at the Harland and Wolff Shipyard in Belfast. It was under the supervision of Alexander Carlisle, and chief designer Thomas Andrews. Having been laid down in 1901, it would have taken three years of construction and  fitting out before the Titanic was ready for sea.

This was commanded by Captain Edward John Smith. After many brief sea trials, she departed for Southampton on April 1st, 1912. Although the RMS Titanic was the largest ship in the world, she was only fractionally greater in size than her sister ship, he RMS Olympic. These two sister ships were constructed side-by-side and less than one year would elapse between their respective maiden voyages.

Titanic leaving the port

They were basically identical in both appearance and fittings. Their third sister ship, The Britannic would follow, but would not see as a passenger ship. It would enter World War One, as a vast hospital ship.

The idea for the Titanic actually was born during a dinner party in the summer of 1907. It was held at the London mansion of Lord Pierre, the chairman of Harland & Wolff shipbuilders, and attended by J. Bruce Ismay, the director of White Star Line. Cunard’s fast new liner, Lusitania was the talk of the shipping world. After dinner, Pierre and Ismay hatched a plan to build three huge ships, each one bigger and more luxurious than the Lusitania. The first ship would be called Olympic, the second, Titanic, and the third Gigantic.

Who owned the Great Titanic?

Although the White Star Line was a British company, it was owned by wealthy American financier J.P. Morgan’s trust, International Mercantile Marine (IMM). It was his money that bankrolled Pierre and Ismay’s dream of building three enormous new ships.

When was the Titanic's Maiden Voyage?

On April 10th, 1912 the Titanic set sail from Southampton, England with about 2,200 passengers and crew. She was bound for New York, with stops at Cherbourg, France, and Queens-town, Ireland. There were 2,208 people aboard, all ages, creeds, and color. Wealthy, middle class, and poor. If you could walk her decks you would hear a dozen or even more languages being spoken.

Here is a quick fact. When the Titanic hit the iceberg, and sunk, there were 1,496 passengers and crew that had been lost sadly. . There were 123 in 1st class that had been lost, 166 in 2nd class, 528 in 3rd class. There were also 679 crew members who had been lost.

References

https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/rms-oceanic-finds-collapsible-lifeboat-a-adrift--22045.html

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