TITANIC LECTURES, ILLUSTRATED ENRICHMENT LECTURE PRESENTATIONS 2014

BEYOND THE 100 YEARS....

2013-01-07T21:58:00.002+00:00

I would like to invite you to join with this blog and together we can keep it all alive. Titanic history. Its something I've had in the back of my mind for some time, and now that the Centennial media frenzy is over, I think its a good time to kick start this exciting development of our project.

As we have lectured about Titanic, lots of people have kindly spoken to us afterwards, and told their own Titanic stories, we've heard of Grandfathers who missed joining the crew by late trains, ancestors who made or contributed to the building of Titanic and its fittings/fabric.

We would love to hear your story too. However big or small every story is precious. Its not just the stories of the rich and famous, its the stories from people who missed the sailing or some other link.

I know there is a wealth of stories out there, we owe it to future generations to keep the stories and pass them on. Please consider being part of this project.

Please send me your Titanic story and I will add it to this blog. Together we will start to catalogue all your links.

Contributors: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: julianbray@aol.com Tel:01733 345581 Julian Bray NUJ, Equity Tel:01733 345581 BBC No: 10476453 Home isdn 01733 555319 2013 RMS Titanic Illustrated Lecture Series now available, please enquire.

TITANIC TENDER: Nomadic Preservation Society

2012-04-30T10:52:00.000+01:00

Nomadic Preservation Society

PO Box 1422

Belfast

BT4 9AT

April 2012

Dear Member,

On Wednesday 25^th April 2012 the Nomadic Preservation Society held its Members meeting in the Belmont Centre Belmont Church Road, Belfast. Approximately 40 members attended and a vibrant and worthwhile meeting took place.

Unfortunately, not all members can attend these meetings due to physical distance, other duties and of course illness and infirmity. It is with this in mind that I am compiling this report to keep all informed as best at possible.

Our Chairman David Scott Beddard and a few other Committee members were unable to attend for the various reasons given above and the meeting was jointly chaired by our Treasurer Mrs Liz James and me as Membership Secretary. Miss Frances James as Secretary also attended.

Mrs James read out a statement from our Chairman and an extract is below:

Firstly, to those who have recently donated to the lifeboat appeal, my heart-felt thanks! In this time of economic uncertainty, it is difficult to raise funds for anything! But your generosity really is most appreciated. To those who didn’t donate, I can just imagine David Young standing before you now with this letter in one hand and a collection tin in the other!

Financing the restoration of the lifeboat is the biggest challenge the NPS has undertaken and believe ME, it is no easy task. You all know that our first HLF application was turned down for educational criteria shortfall reasons. The NCT have agreed to support our second application by agreeing to accept the lifeboat for display purposes when a Welcome Centre is built closeby to Nomadic. Therefore, David Lawrence and I are currently preparing that 2^nd application and we are hopeful of a successful outcome. Naturally, we will keep you all updated with any news.

Secondly, the NCT have been quote in the region of £200,000 for a new mast for Nomadic. Whilst they are not asking US to help financially, they have asked for our assistance in specification and any other areas we might be able to help with.

To this aim, Nigel Hampson has contacted the Forestry Commission, asking if they could supply the timber for the mast. Obviously, he tried the sympathy card first, hoping for a free tree! But to no avail, as they explained they were not permitted to do so. However, depending upon size (which was later confirmed) a suitable tree can be purchased for just £500. This will be augmented by the cost of logistics to the makers of recently ‘turned’ masts for Cutty Sark and HMS Victory. All of this information will shortly be passed to the NCT.

Nigel & I hope you enjoyed the last edition of the Crow’s Nest and work is well under way for the next publication.

David Lawrence & I recently exhibited onboard the cruise ship Marco Polo and we gave a short lecture about Nomadic and her current status. Many of the passengers were fascinated by her story and although over 100 of them were keen to visit her during our stop-over in Belfast, sadly that couldn’t be arranged.

David Young gave an account of his recent cruise with his wife on the Fred Olsen ship “MS Braemar”, sister ship of the “MS Balmoral” which has just completed the Titanic journey. The “Braemar” was on the reverse journey across the Atlantic and on the 11^th April2012, the centenary anniversary of the first day of Titanic’s fateful voyage, he presented a lecture including power point display on “Nomadic-- Titanic’s Little Sister-- Her Rescue and Restoration”. It was attended by upwards 200 passengers and received a favourable response. Merchandise was also sold to the value of £133.00.

Next Thursday 3^rd May in Banbridge Co. Down, the Society is giving another lecture to the Banbridge Historical Society. Here we will sell and promote Nomadic. We hope that this can be the way forward to promote Nomadic and raise necessary funds. Members at the meeting showed interest in getting the lecture and power point from David and opening up the lecture trail even wider. David Young explained that an outlet, “Hillmount Nursery”, on the outskirts of Belfast has promised after further discussions, to grant us an open weekend. This will allow us to lecture, display, promote and sell our merchandise free of charge. Everything passing the Nomadic tables including contributions will go completely to Nomadic.

David to follow this up and arrange details.

The mast project was discussed and the Society is continuing investigations into producing the mast and rigging for the Trust and a greatly reduced cost. This is ongoing.

The Lifeboat was discussed next, and the Membership was advised that although we had paid £8000.00 up to date, the final bill including VAT would easily pass £20,000.00. This now became the most important fund raising programme for the foreseeable future. Personal donations have been coming in slowly and the Society wishes to gratefully thank all involved in this, but more is needed and will not be enough to fill the coffers for this or other projects. It now is essential that we fund raise on a grand scale.

David Young and Mrs Liz James told the Membership of things that have been started. Two or three companies have been approached and we are hopeful of some return on this venture. The 2^nd application to the HLF is underway in England and must be issued with all urgency and speed.

David Young has a meeting next Wednesday 2^nd May with Arlene Foster MLA Minister for DETI Dept. Enterprise Trade and Industry which encompasses Tourism. The outcome from which, will hopefully open some doors.

Whilst on board “Braemar” David and Ruth met with the Corporate Training and Development Coordinator for Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. He is a long standing member of the NPS and is now going to approach Fred Olsen and their PR Director to see if there can be an outlet advanced with the Cruise Line.

The Treasurer and Secretary are completing the Gift Aid papers to claim tax relief on all donations from 2009 and e-Bay is hopefully to be expanded to promote the sale of merchandise. We do not want added expense from e-bay each time we list our merchandise.

Our Website has become a major issue and with the assistance of Mervyn Pritchard, he has been instructed to go ahead and get it up and improved very quickly. We are constantly being asked about the site and we need to get under the Titanic umbrella and earn money for the Nomadic. One Committee member Nigel Hampson has offered help from another source in England and between them all we would hope to progress this issue very quickly.

We have two items of interest within the Society. One is a Silver plated fruit dish from the “Olympic”. This had been donated by David Rubin in USA. It was put to the membership that selling it on may raise needed funds. After much discussion by the membership it was decided not to sell the dish but offer it for display for rent at possibly the Titanic Quarter and then keep for our own display on Nomadic. The other is a 1910 photographic print of “Olympic”, again which could have copies made and sold and the original again offered for display. The Society, now own the copyright of the print and hopefully something will come from this.

The meeting was advised of some of the details of the last Trust meeting attended by Roy Snowden. The Dept. of Social Development have now handed over the Nomadic to the Trust who are setting up a management company called a Trading Arm to run the vessel as a venture to ensure her financial future.

This has up to 12 months backing from the DSD before complete severance. The Trust hope to open the Vessel to the public during the 12^th July fortnight and the Society members want to know for sure and are offering voluntary support during this period. The committee to keep in touch and progress this ensuring that the Trust continue to get the Vessel into the public eye.

As Membership Secretary, I appeal to you all to keep up your membership as “Now is the Time” to ensure you are part of her future.

REMEMBER—We as the committee are small and can only do so much we need each and everyone of you to look at some way of promoting sponsorship or financial sales of our merchandise including the book “Belfast’s Child” , available on Amazon. Can you find companies, friends, acquaintances and speak with them asking for assistance in raising as much as you can to pay off the Lifeboat and return her to the public as a White Star Artefact. The Lifeboat is within weeks of completion and although the workmanship on the finished article is excellent, no-one will see it until our debts are cleared. We, your committee are trying every avenue we know of but require your expertise to complete the venture. The Nomadic’s restoration projects will be continuing into the future and your “Society Needs You”. Please help in any small way with ideas and efforts across the UK. Nothing is too small.

The next meeting will be in August and the AGM will be in November. The Committee will finalise the exact dates with the Chairman and get it out to the membership promptly.

The meeting closed with a general chat and a cup of tea. All those present agreeing that a good open meeting had taken place.

David Young

Membership Secretary

Contributors: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581 Julian Bray NUJ, Equity Tel:01733 345581 BBC No: 10476453 Home isdn 01733 555319 2012 Anniversary RMS Titanic Illustrated Lecture Series and 'all issues' Q&A sessions now available, please enquire for available dates.

100 Years On ....

2012-04-14T19:06:00.000+01:00

You may have been wondering why I haven’t blogged about the plethora of Titanic documentaries and dramas we have been treated too. Then again, if you are a regular reader (and thank you) you may already have guessed I am waiting until ‘it’s all over’ and we can go back to having an interesting discussion about Titanic.

Tonight on the Balmoral passengers will sit down to a last dinner on the Titanic gala meal. I do think this deserves some sort of bad taste award; it just doesn’t sit comfortably with me. I will ‘come clean’ and say Julian and I were offered several of these one off 'special' cruise lectures about Titanic, but as our forward schedule was pretty well full, we had to decline. We look forward to will being back on board Royal Caribbean, Princess and Carnival cruise ships later this year.

100 years is a long period of time, and it’s hard to appreciate just how things have changed. But, imagine if you would a time say of 100 years in the future. A last dinner in the Twin Towers, sounds awful doesn’t it? No one alive will ‘know’ anyone who was there, but that’s not the point really is it?

Time and time again over the last few weeks I’ve heard the same old rubbish, Isamy was ‘bad’, third class were denied lifeboats etc etc, and mistakes that make you hide behind the cushions. My fear is having watched this rubbish, it will now become the accepted truth in people’s minds ‘we saw it on the TV’, but I also hope a lot of people will start doing their own reading and enjoy the history or some other aspect its held my interest for almost 40 years now.

Contributors: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581 Julian Bray NUJ, Equity Tel:01733 345581 BBC No: 10476453 Home isdn 01733 555319 2012 Anniversary RMS Titanic Illustrated Lecture Series now available, please enquire.

TITANIC AWARD WINNING TALKS & LECTURES

2012-04-09T08:57:00.002+01:00

RMS TITANIC LECTURES & THEATRICAL 2013 PRESENTATIONAL FORMAT RELEASED

After an intensive period of new research, Julian Bray and Morag Irving have updated their acclaimed series of lectures and educational presentational packages on five very different aspects of RMS Titanic. All the lectures from the previous series rolled out as a curtain raiser last year and presented to large diverse audiences on major cruise ships and in European theatres. Several thousand feedback responses have been excellent and the quality of questions at each live presentation has been challenging but all were fully answered and with astonishing technical detail!

The lectures and / or presentations are presented as podium lectures with advanced Powerpoint and audio reinforcement by experienced international broadcaster and Equity member Julian Bray, Morag Irving, research historian, optionally joins for the live and totally unscripted question and answer sessions. Depending on the location, The stage or theatrical presentation lends itself to a variety of presentational formats. Simply there is currently no other presentational series of talks on RMS Titanic (and we include recent TV and Film series) with this depth of knowledge and information on the whole event.

During the Q&A's a further fascinating photographic carousel of little seen RMS Titanic images are projected. Research Historian Morag Irving has been drawn to the whole RMS Titanic story since the early 1970's and has built up one of Europes' leading libraries and data on the whole tragedy and how it still impacts on travel and shipping today. Due to the copiously recorded and highly detailed UK and USA Official Inquiries and the vast Father Browne photographic library (the good Father took all his glass negative pictures and then safely left the ship at Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland (the ship was to perish two days later) this brief moment in time has uniquely been minutely and dramatically recorded. The presenters also have access to the RMS Titanic tender 'Normandy' which is being refurbished in Belfast having been recovered from France on a pontoon and returned to its birthplace in Northern Ireland.

Questions are gathered using a roving mic and others pre-submitted,some by i-phone, and all answers and reactions are LIVE and TOTALLY unscripted.

Clearly 2012, was a special period, some 100 years following the sinking, and generated strong demand for confirmed dates. The ITV 'Titanic' television fictional mini series, although the pre-publicity package for the series is fictional and in places not histrically correct, raised the profile of the RMS Titanic story and generatedi many Radio and TV strands worldwide.

Each RMS Titanic lecture presentation is highly flexible from 20 to 40 minutes duration and can either be stand-alone or delivered as a series, we then offer an open house Q&A session. Nothing is off limits...

All lectures are fully supported with layered, animated digital slides. For theatre presentations, we would present 2 of the lectures (2 x45 mins.) with an audience interactive Q&A at the end of each half.

RMS TITANIC THE LECTURES

#1 RMS Titanic Films, Myth and Mystery

How the RMS Titanic Story is portrayed in films, on radio and in the press. We look at the storytellers and scriptwriters down the decades; their contribution to the RMS Titanic story and the myths they created along the way...

#2 A Superliner is born: The RMS Titanic Story.

Generations of Irish shipbuilding families put their craft skills into building RMS Titanic not realising that others had deliberately cut corners, specified sub-standard materials and unproven systems cynically creating a disaster in waiting.

#3 RMS Titanic and her Ugly Sisters.

Why build one when you can build three? From the RMS Titanic blueprint, two further near identical ships were built, all had the same design flaws and a cut down, money saving cheaper materials specification. Why did the White Star Line board feel the risks were worth taking or did some directors rebel?

#4 RMS Titanic Passengers: First Class or Steerage? Kidnappers & Murderers to Dukes & Bankers.

We look at several untold fascinating ‘Upstairs & Downstairs’ stories culled from the RMS Titanic passenger manifest, featuring images from the Queenstown (Cobh) Ireland Titanic Museum.

#5 RMS Titanic: The unsinkable Molly Brown, so why did she sink?

We delve into recently released material to discover the shocking truth behind the sinking of the RMS Titanic, the lack of safety systems, unworkable lifeboat boarding and drills, loading of volatile firedamp bunker coal, faulty rivets and the use of condemned pig iron.

We also have a unique RMS Titanic presentation on Queenstown (Cobh) in Ireland, orginally prepared and presented during the maiden voyage of the Independence of the Seas retracing the leg from Southampton to Cobh. Elements of the lectures can also be used as an After Dinner Speech or Club presentation.

Call UK 0044 (0)1733 345581 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0044 (0)1733 345581 end_of_the_skype_highlighting for details
e-mail: julianbray@aol.com
Broadcast 01733 555319 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 01733 555319 end_of_the_skype_highlighting All Codecs
BBC ref: 10476435

###

Contributors: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581 Julian Bray NUJ, Equity Tel:01733 345581 BBC No: 10476453 Home isdn 01733 555319

TITANIC "" - Daniel Allen Butler - Rehashed?

2012-02-11T20:20:00.000+00:00

As with lots of Titanic books, ‘Unsinkable’ has had a ‘makeover’ to tie in with the 100 year anniversary what this amounts to is an extra chapter and a mention at the start.

If you have been reading about Titanic for a while you won’t read anything here that you haven’t read anywhere else, sadly. The writer is an American and writes with a strong US mind set. The Board of Enquiry (UK) is dismissed in favour of the Senate investigation. So huge swathes of information are lost to the reader.

The Captain Lord question is also badly researched and what could be a fascinating discussion is dismissed much too quickly. I acknowledge that shelves of books have already been written about the Californian so maybe this is the reason.

I found several errors in the book, which could be the result of shoddy research, inexcusable when just about everything is out there and freely available at the touch of a button.

Leading figures are reduced to one dimension, and given the Pantomime villain treatment. These were living breathing people, and you really need to try and get back to 1912 and lose the benefit of hindsight which so many writers seem to struggle with.

Contributors: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581 Julian Bray MCIPR NUJ Equity Tel:01733 345581 2012 Anniversary RMS Titanic Illustrated Lecture Series now available, please enquire.

TITANIC??? Costa Concordia 21st Century Cruise Ship wreck not a new Titanic says Commentator

2012-01-15T08:36:00.001+00:00

The loss of the Costa Concordia 21st Century cruise ship on Friday 13th really isn't another Titanic, says Julian Bray, Cruise Industry Broadcaster & Commentator and joint lecturer with Research Marine Historian Morag Irving on all aspects of the RMS Titanic sinking.

Mr Bray reminds us all that we are looking at the Titanic with eyes and experiences gained 100 years on. In its day, the coal fired RMS Titanic was state of the art but all other aspects are different. The Costa Concordia has for example a 'black box' recorder usually located at the bow and welded to the Upper deck. The death toll for RMS Titanic was substantial most caused by drowning in the freezing water and just a few wooden life boats were available.

The Master and the First Officer of the Costa Concordia have both been arrested and allegations of causing a shipwreck, causing multiple homicides and abandoning his ship (allegedly at 9:30pm on Friday) thus leaving whilst his passengers were still on board, will be put to them.

Contributors: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581 Julian Bray MCIPR NUJ Equity Tel:01733 345581 2012 Anniversary RMS Titanic Illustrated Lecture Series now available, please enquire.

Titanics reborn tender Nomadic - Time to renew

2012-01-14T14:53:00.000+00:00

Nomadic on Christmas day!

If you are a member of the Nomadic Preservation Society www.nomadicpreservaionsocoety.co.uk its that time of the year - time to renew your subscription. Subscriptions are due on 1st January every year. As its such an exciting time for Nomadic I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss out! How lovely to see her in the photo (above) with a funnel. So much wonderful work is going on in Belfast. You can see just from the small photograph those beautiful lines, and how she is coming back to life. If you are not a member I really urge you to join, as you are missing out. If you are at all interested in Titanic (and as you are reading this, its a good chance you are) Nomadic is the last surviving White Star Line Ship. Nomadic was Titanic's first class tender and was built with all the other ships at Harland & Wolff, where she is today.

TITANIC Items Go to Auction -

2011-12-31T22:24:00.000+00:00

The article below appeared in The Daily Mail on 29th December. The auction will be timed to coincide with the anniversary. No doubt this will help push prices higher. I think its a huge shame the wreck is being treated in this way. Imagine the outcry if this had happened to The Mary Rose. None of the items can tell anyone anything about 1912 that we don't already know - the value is purely in the association with Titanic. The wreck is sinking into the mud, but maybe it should have been left to the forces of nature, it remains a grave site. Dr Ballard who found Titanic has expressed his view that cameras could have been used to show images, instead she has been vandalised and torn apart for profit, very sad to see.

Largest collection of Titanic artefacts worth $189m to go under the hammer... to coincide with 100th anniversary of disasterOver 5,500 items from sunken luxury liner to go on sale

Auction result will be revealed on April 15 next year - the 100th anniversary of disaster

By Chris Parsons - The Daily Mail 29/12/11

The largest collection of artefacts from the Titanic is to go up for auction as one giant lot next year to mark the 100th anniversary of the world's most famous shipwreck.

Over 5,500 items including fine china, ship fittings and even portions of the luxury liner's hull recovered from the ocean will go on sale with an estimated value of $189 million (£122 million).

Also included in the huge collection are personal belongings of the doomed liner's passengers following seven separate dives to the site....

Contributors: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581 Julian Bray MCIPR NUJ Equity Tel:01733 345581 2012 Anniversary RMS Titanic Illustrated Lecture Series now available, please enquire.

Titanic review - Shadow Of The Titanic - Andew Wilson

2011-12-26T15:16:00.001+00:00

This has been my Christmas treat.

A quick look through the up and coming on Amazon.com will tell you to expect a tidal wave of new and revamped Titanic books to coincide with the 100th anniversary in April. Some of them do look pretty dire. The two minute trailer for Julian (Gosford Park) Fellowes drama ‘Titanic' during the Christmas Special looked disappointing too. We had the usual and I believe factually incorrect, third class trying to get through locked gates. I’m aware I may be a lone voice in this, but I can’t find any proof that this happened, on the contrary the reports show the opposite, but why spoil a good story with the truth?

Andrew Wilson is a journalist, and it shows. All his facts have been checked and the sources are listed in the back of the book. I have to say it was a joy to find a well researched and well written book..

It’s a different and fascinating way of looking at Titanic. The book tells you what happened to a handful of passengers when they left Titanic. Titanic certainly cast a very dark shadow all the way through the lives of those who survived. Some of the stories are very moving, Isamy I was pleased to see was treated in a sympathetic and adult way and not as a pantomime ogre which you find in some books.

I really do recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did
.
Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581
Julian Bray MCIPR NUJ Equity Tel:01733 345581

Where to start with Titanic?

2011-11-26T12:22:00.000+00:00

If you are new to Titanic, or are looking for a book to tell you a little more you really can't go wrong with this one:-

Titanic, The full story of a tragedy, by Michael Davie (published 1986).

I've spotted it with several different covers over the years.

Michael Davie (sadly no longer with us) was a journalist. Maybe because of this he had checked, and researched his facts so throughly. Mr Davie interviewed some of the men who worked on the Titanic and you will find extracts from those interviews in the book.

Its not a 'coffee table' book and my copy (now getting very brown around the gills) is weather beaten and has no illustrations.

It is however, a cracking good read. No wishy stories of 'legends' or curses' but the truth and a good investigative report.

Over the years it has been in an out of print, I suspect as 2012 comes along it will be reprinted (hopefully without a lot of gaudy photos). Please look out for it.

Contributors: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581 Julian Bray MCIPR NUJ Equity Tel:01733 345581

TITANIC - Message In a Bottle

2011-11-07T20:22:00.000+00:00

From Irish Central News 5/11/11

A farewell message in a bottle that was thrown from the Titanic can now be seen at the Titanic Exhibition in the Cobh Heritage Center.

(If you haven't visited Cobh and are thinking of going do!)
The letter, which was presented by a family member of the victim, goes on display just as next year's centenary of the ship's sinking approaches.

Jeremiah Burke didn’t have much time to write a last note to his family as the Titanic went down. The 19-year-old, who was traveling from his home in Glanmire, Co. Cork with his 18-year-old cousin Nora Hegarty, simply said “goodbye all” in his last note.

The note was left in a holy water bottle which Jeremiah was given at the quayside in Cobh by his mother before he set off for the United States.

As the Titanic sank in the early hours of 15 April, 1912, he threw the bottle and message into the sea.

: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581 Julian Bray MCIPR NUJ Equity Tel:01733 345581

titanic The Sage Family, A Peterborough Link

2011-11-06T20:59:00.001+00:00

John Sage

As I live in Peterborough Cambridgeshire, I wanted to highlight our local link to RMS Titanic.

This relates to the Sage family, John & Annie of 237 Gladstone Street, Peterborough and their 9 children. The Sage family had recently bought a farm in Jacksonville Florida, where they planned to grow Pecan nuts.

Mr Sage was working in Peterborough as a baker, having had previous careers which included a stint working on the Canadian Pacific railroad.

The family were sadly all lost, with conflicting reports that one daughter chose to leave her seat in a lifeboat. When it became clear the rest of her family could not go with her, she chose instead to stay and perish with them on the striken liner.

Gladstone Street, Peterborough,Cambridgeshire.

Contributors: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581 Julian Bray MCIPR NUJ Equity Tel:01733 345581

RMS TITANIC LECTURES & THEATRE 2012 PRESENTATIONS RELEASED

2011-10-13T13:23:00.001+01:00

RMS Titanic: 2012 Special Lecture
& Theatre Presentations Series

After an intensive period of new research, Julian Bray and Morag Irving have updated their acclaimed series of lectures and educational presentational packages on five very different aspects of RMS Titanic. All the lectures from the previous series rolled out as a curtain raiser last year and presented to large diverse audiences on major cruise ships and in European theatres. Several thousand feedback responses have been excellent and the quality of questions at each live presentation has been challenging but all were fully answered and in great technical detail!

The lectures and / or presentations are presented as podium lectures with advanced Powerpoint and audio reinforcement by experienced international broadcaster and Equity member Julian Bray, Morag Irving, research historian, optionally joins for the live and totally unscripted question and answer sessions. Depending on the location, The stage or theatrical presentation lends itself to a variety of presentational formats. Simply there is currently no other presentational series of talks on RMS Titanic (and we include recent TV and Film series) with this depth of knowledge and information on the whole event.

During the Q&A's a further fascinating photographic carousel of little seen RMS Titanic images are projected. Research Historian Morag Irving has been drawn to the whole RMS Titanic story since the early 1970's and has built up one of Europes' leading libraries and data on the whole tragedy and how it still impacts on travel and shipping today. Due to the copiously recorded and highly detailed UK and USA Official Inquiries and the vast Father Browne photographic library (the good Father took all his glass negative pictures and then safely left the ship at Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland (the ship was to perish two days later) this brief moment in time has uniquely been minutely and dramatically recorded. The presenters also have access to the RMS Titanic tender 'Normandy' which is being refurbished in Belfast having been recovered from France on a pontoon and returned to its birthplace in Northern Ireland.

Questions are gathered using a roving mic and others pre-submitted,some by i-phone, and all answers and reactions are LIVE and TOTALLY unscripted.

Clearly 2012, is a special period, some 100 years following the sinking, so expect strong demand for confirmed dates. The ITV 'Titanic' television fictional mini series, although the pre-publicity package for the series is fictional and in places not histricallt correct, will in any case raise the profile of the RMS Titanic story and generate many Radio and TV strands worldwide. We have already taken up with the producers the many historical and factual points needng revision, but should this prove deficient than it is additional word of mouth publicity for the factual RMS Titanic Talks Series presented by Broadcaster and Writer Julian Bray.

Each RMS Titanic lecture presentation is highly flexible from 20 to 40 minutes duration and can either be stand-alone or delivered as a series, we then offer an open house Q&A session. Nothing is off limits...

All lectures are fully supported with layered, animated digital slides. For theatre presentations, we would present 2 of the lectures (2 x45 mins.) with an audience interactive Q&A at the end of each half.

RMS TITANIC THE LECTURES

#1 RMS Titanic Films, Myth and Mystery

How the RMS Titanic Story is portrayed in films, on radio and in the press. We look at the storytellers and scriptwriters down the decades; their contribution to the RMS Titanic story and the myths they created along the way...

#2 A Superliner is born: The RMS Titanic Story.

Generations of Irish shipbuilding families put their craft skills into building RMS Titanic not realising that others had deliberately cut corners, specified sub-standard materials and unproven systems cynically creating a disaster in waiting.

#3 RMS Titanic and her Ugly Sisters.

Why build one when you can build three? From the RMS Titanic blueprint, two further near identical ships were built, all had the same design flaws and a cut down, money saving cheaper materials specification. Why did the White Star Line board feel the risks were worth taking or did some directors rebel?

#4 RMS Titanic Passengers: First Class or Steerage? Kidnappers & Murderers to Dukes & Bankers.

We look at several untold fascinating ‘Upstairs & Downstairs’ stories culled from the RMS Titanic passenger manifest, featuring images from the Queenstown (Cobh) Ireland Titanic Museum.

#5 RMS Titanic: The unsinkable Molly Brown, so why did she sink?

We delve into recently released material to discover the shocking truth behind the sinking of the RMS Titanic, the lack of safety systems, unworkable lifeboat boarding and drills, loading of volatile firedamp bunker coal, faulty rivets and the use of condemned pig iron.

We also have a unique RMS Titanic presentation on Queenstown (Cobh) in Ireland, orginally prepared and presented during the maiden voyage of the Independence of the Seas retracing the leg from Southampton to Cobh. Elements of the lectures can also be used as an After Dinner Speech or Club presentation.

Call UK 0044 (0)1733 345581 for details
e-mail: julianbray@aol.com
Broadcast 01733 555319 All Codecs
BBC ref: 10476435

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Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

How to Survive Titanic

2011-10-13T11:25:00.000+01:00

This book has been doing the rounds for a few months. No doubt as we head further towards 2012 and the 100th anniversary of Titanic we will see a plethora more. So, is it worth buying? Well, on this occasion I'd say borrow it from the library.
I was very curious approaching this book as it was much heralded as being a new look at the circumstances and the life of Ismay after the disaster.
Those interestead in Titanic will find little that is new here. Most of the information is already 'out there' and relatively easy to find. Towards the end of the book it had started to annoy me.
It is so easy to look at the events of 1912 with 2011 eyes. To paraphrase 'The past is another place' (which I wish someone had told the author).
1912 manners and lifestyle bear no relation to modern life today, and that is the basis of this book. I won't spoil the subtext, but suffice to say it hints at a love story. I find this so hard to believe and that's why I had so much trouble with this book, too much Downton Abbey and not enough historical fact ~ sorry.

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

Titanic Lectures

2011-06-24T21:29:00.000+01:00

RMS Titanic: 2011 Special Lecture Series

After an intensive period of new research, we have created five lectures and presentational packages on RMS Titanic. All the lectures have been rolled out and presented to large diverse audiences on major cruise ships and European theatres. Feedback has been excellent and the quality of questions at each presentation has been challenging but we fully answered all of them in great technical detail!

The lectures are presented by Julian Bray, Morag Irving, research historian, joins for the live and totally unscripted question and answer sessions. Morag has been fascinated by the whole RMS Titanic story since the early 1970's and has built up one of the UK's leading libraries and data on the whole tragedy. Which due to the copiously recorded UK and USA Official Inquiries and the vast Father Browne photographic library (the good Father took all his glass negative pictures and then left the ship at Queenstown Cobh), Ireland (the ship was to perish two days later) this brief moment in time has been minutely recorded).

Questions are gathered by using a roving mic in the audience and all answers and reactions live and unscripted.

Clearly 2011, is a special year, 100 years following the sinking, so we expect strong demand for confirmed dates. The ITV 'Titanic' television fictional mini series, although the pre-publicity package for the series is riddled with mistakes, will in any case raise the profile of the RMS Titanic story and generate many Radio and TV strands worldwide

Each RMS Titanic lecture presentation is of roughly 40 minutes duration and can either be stand-alone or delivered as a series, we then offer an open house Q&A session. Nothing is off limits.

All lectures are fully supported with layered, animated digital slides. For theatre presentations, we would present 2 of the lectures (2 x45 mins.) with an audience interactive Q&A at the end of the second half. Although the usual presentation is the first half a complete RMS Titanic presetnation and the second half a Q&A with the anwwrs fully extended to fill the 45 minutes second half.

#1 RMS Titanic Films, Myth and Mystery How the Titanic Story is portrayed in films, on radio and in the press. We look at the storytellers and scriptwriters down the decades; their contribution to the Titanic story and myths they created.

#2 A Superliner is born: The RMS Titanic Story. Generations of irish shipbuilding families put their craft skills into building RMS Titanic not realising that othershad deliberately cut corners, specified sub-standard materials and unproven systems cynically creating a disaster in waiting.

#3 RMS Titanic and her Ugly Sisters. Why build one when you can build three? From the Titanic blueprint, two further near identical ships were built, all had the same design flaws and a cut down, money saving cheaper materials specification. Why did the White Star Line board feel the risks were worth taking or did some directors rebel?

#4 RMS Titanic Passengers: First Class or Steerage? Kidnappers & Murderers to Dukes & Bankers. We look at several untold fascinating ‘Upstairs & Downstairs’ stories culled from the RMS Titanic passenger manifest, featuring images ffrom the Queenstown (Cobh) Ireland Titanic Museum.

#5 RMS Titanic: The unsinkable Molly Brown, so why did she sink? We delve into recently released material to discover the shocking truth behind the sinking of the RMS Titanic, the lack of safety systems, unworkable lifeboat boarding and drills, loading of volatile firedamp bunker coal, faulty rivets and the use of condemned pig iron.

We also have a unique RMS Titanic presentation on Queenstown (Cobh) in Ireland, orginally prepared and presented during the maiden voyage of the Independence of the Seas from Southampton to Cobh.Elements of the lectures can also be used (without PowerPoint) as an After Dinner Speech or Club presentation.

Call 01733 345581 for details

e-mail: julianbray@aol.com

BBC ref: 10476435

Nomadic in Restoration at Harland & Wolff

2011-06-23T15:29:00.001+01:00

I was delighted to hear today that Nomadic is now at her original makers Harland & Wolff starting her programme of restoration. I would love to show you some of the pictures but they are subject to copyright. The sash windows were taken out years ago but they are now being re-made from a White Star line sash window recoverd from 'RMS Calgaric'
You could though join Nomadic Preservation Society and they will send you a copy too:-
http://www.nomadicpreservationsociety.co.uk/
You can also read about the only surviving White Star Line lifeboat, also undergoing restoration.

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

And the Band Played On...

2011-06-23T15:16:00.001+01:00

The article below recently ran in the Daily Mail. It tells the story (with a lot of artistic licence) of what happened following the sinking to the girlfriend of Titanic violinist Jack 'Jock' Law Hume. It is certainly true that his father wrote to the disaster fund asking for funds. Mr Hume's letter also mentions he has also written to J Bruce Ismay; but 'failed to obtain any satisfaction'. The final page of Mr Hume's letter is also fascinating for what it tells us about 1912 working class life, Mr Hume mentions he is 50years of age and alone he has no hope of clearing any debts. Its one of several books planned to coincide with the 100 year anniversary. If you would like to read a factual account of Titanic I would recommend you start with Michael Davie's book 'Titanic, The full story of a Tradgedy'.

Wallace Hartley, the bandmaster, nodded at his musicians — his usual signal that they should stop and put away their instruments. He followed this with his customary bow, though he was having difficulty keeping his balance.

‘Gentlemen, thank you all. A most commendable performance. Good night and good luck.’

The bandsmen shook hands with each other, according to witnesses.

Jock Hume placed his violin in its case, then wound the strap round his body until it was tight against his lifejacket. The extra buoyancy, he hoped, might increase his chances.

It was 2.11am, on April 15, 1912. The bow of the ship was completely under water now, the icy sea slapping the musicians’ thighs. They moved further back towards the stern.

It would have been Jock’s style to leap first, joking that it would be like a dip in the Mediterranean compared to swimming in a Scottish burn.

In fact, there was no chance of survival in the -2.2c water. Within 25 minutes of jumping, the bandsmen were all dead.

Starcrossed lovers: Jock Hume, right, in a portrait released by his family after the Titanic sank. Left, Mary Costin in 1915, after her court victory over Andrew Hume, Jock's father

Two thousand miles away in Dumfries, Scotland, two families waited anxiously for news of Jock. It was two days since the Titanic had hit an iceberg, and that morning’s newspaper reports were alternately fuelling hope and despair.

Although Jock’s fiancee, Mary Costin, hadn’t slept, she got ready as usual for her job at a glove factory. On the way, she called in on Jock’s father, Andrew Hume, to see if he’d heard anything.

Mounting the six York-stone steps to the Humes’ front door, she grasped the heavy lion’s claw doorknob and knocked twice. Jock’s stepmother, Alice, opened the door.

Looking Mary coldly up and down, she told her: ‘Please do not call here again, Miss Costin,’ — and shut the door in her face.

Adapted from And The Band Played On by Christopher Ward, to be published by Hodder & Stoughton.

2011-06-22T18:45:00.000+01:00

I wanted to say how sorry I am to hear about the riots in Belfast. So much work has been done,and it is so sad to see this great City portrayed in this way. The Titanic as you know was built in Belfast and the pictures in the news show the new Titanic Centre in the background. I hope things are soon resolved for everyone in Belfast.

The extract below is from Channel 4 News:-

BELFAST RIOTS

Tonight we're leading on the riots in East Belfast - where a press photographer was shot in the leg: police are blaming the loyalist UVF for the violence but say dissident republicans were behind the gunshots. Alex Thomson is there talking to residents on both sides of the sectarian divide, amid the worst disorder in their neighbourhood for years. Police are holding secret talks with various representatives in an effort to prevent more trouble, and politicians are appealing for calm - but there are fears it could all kick off again tonight. Alex will be explaining why this is something out of the ordinary and why there is concern.

Northern Irish police blame dissident republicans for gunshots http://bit.ly/iR4IYK

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

RMS Titanic launched exactly 100 years ago TODAY

2011-05-31T10:15:00.002+01:00

RMS Titanic launched exactly 100 years ago TODAY

For complete deep backgrounding and unusual facts on RMS Titanic, on this special day, we are inviting your calls on 01733 345581 or broadcasters on ISDN 01733 555319. Answers may be given over the phone, on air, but all blogged on Titanic Talks .

Contributor: Julian Bray and Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

Titanic victim identified

2011-04-26T21:34:00.000+01:00

(I am indebted to my friend Alice for finding this):-

From - LiveScience.com livescience.com

Five days after the passenger ship the Titanic sank, the crew of the rescue ship Mackay-Bennett pulled the body of a fair-haired, roughly 2-year-old boy out of the Atlantic Ocean on April 21, 1912. Along with many other victims, his body went to a cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where the crew of the Mackay-Bennett had a headstone dedicated to the "unknown child" placed over his grave.

When it sank, the Titanic took the lives of 1,497 of the 2,209 people aboard with it. Some bodies were recovered, but names remained elusive, while others are still missing. But researchers believe that they have finally resolved the identity of the unknown child -- concluding that he was 19-month-old Sidney Leslie Goodwin from England. [Photo of Sidney Goodwin]

Though the unknown child was incorrectly identified twice before, researchers believe they have now conclusively determined the child was Goodwin. After his recovery, he was initially believed to be a 2-year-old Swedish boy, Gösta Leonard Pålsson, who was seen being washed overboard as the ship sank. This boy's mother, Alma Pålsson, was recovered with the tickets for all four of her children in her pocket, and buried in a grave behind the unknown child.

The effort to verify the child's identity using genetics began a little over a decade ago, when Ryan Parr, an adjunct professor at Lakehead University in Ontario who has worked with DNA extracted from ancient human remains, watched some videos about the Titanic.

"I thought 'Wow, I wonder if anyone is interested or still cares about the unidentified victims of the Titanic,'" Parr said.

A name for the unknown child?

In 2001, with permission from the Pålsson family, the unknown child's remains were exhumed from Fairview Lawn Cemetery, one of the Halifax cemeteries where Titanic victims were interred. Parr had hoped to investigate the identities of other victims as well, though decomposition interfered. Two of the coffins held only mud, and only a 2.4-inch-long (6 centimeter) fragment of an arm bone and three teeth remained of the unknown child. But this was enough.

From these remains, Parr and his team extracted DNA from a section of mitochondria (energy-producing centers of the cells) that rapidly accumulates mutations, called HV1. Mitochondrial DNA is passed from mother to offspring, so the team compared the unknown child's DNA sequence with samples from the maternal relatives of the Pålsson child. These didn't match.

They broadened their search to include five other boys under age 3 who had died in the disaster. Alan Ruffman, who became involved in the project as a research associate of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, ultimately tracked down the maternal lines of all six children (including the Pålsson child) with help from genealogists, historians, Titanic researchers, translators, librarians, archivists and members of the families.

By comparing the unknown child's HV1 with these other young Titanic victims, the researchers eliminated all but two of the boys -- Eino Viljami Panula, a 13-month-old Finnish boy, and Sidney Goodwin. [History's Most Overlooked Mysteries]

An expert analysis of the child's teeth put his age somewhere between 9 months and 15 months -- seeming to eliminate Goodwin, who was older. So, the researchers concluded the boy was Panula and, in 2004, published their results.

A second try

But doubts remained. Ultimately, a pair of leather shoes recovered from the unknown child and held in the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic caused the researchers to question the identification.

The shoes had been saved by Clarence Northover, a Halifax police sergeant in 1912, who helped guard the bodies and belongings of the Titanic victims, according to the museum's website. A letter from Northover's grandson, Earle, recounts how the victim's clothing had been burned to stop souvenir hunters. Clarence Northover couldn't bring himself to burn the little shoes, and when no relatives claimed them, he put the shoes in his desk drawer at the police station. In 2002, Earle Northover donated them to the museum. These shoes were too large for a 13-month-old to wear.

Parr and his team attempted the identification again, this time with the help of the U.S. Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory.

They looked at another, less mutation-prone section of the mitochondrial DNA, where they found a single difference that indicated that Goodwin might actually be the unknown child. The Armed Forces lab confirmed this when they found a second, single difference in another section of the DNA.

"Luckily, it was a rare difference, so that is what gives you 98 percent certainty the identification is correct," Parr said.

The loss of a family

Before he died, Sidney Goodwin was traveling on the Titanic with his parents, Frederick and Augusta, and five siblings from England to Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Carol Goodwin, a 77-year-old Wisconsin resident, heard about the ill-fated family from Frederick Goodwin's sisters, one of whom was Carol's grandmother.

"I can't say that it really startled me or amazed me," Carol Goodwin said of the news that the unknown child was her relative. "I guess maybe it had been so long in coming."

As a child, she learned about Frederick Goodwin's family by eavesdropping on conversations between her grandmother and her great aunt.

"They didn't talk about the children that much," Carol Goodwin told LiveScience. "It was their brother who was a favorite brother, how kind he was to them growing up."

Goodwin's interest in family history didn't spark until her 13-year-old granddaughter Becky saw a Titanic exhibit and wrote an essay for school. When her teacher wanted to submit the article to the magazine "Junior Scholastic," Goodwin wanted to check the facts first.

Now Goodwin is working on two books on the subject, a smaller one about the unknown child and a larger book she has titled "The Goodwins Aboard the Titanic: Saga of a Third-Class Family." (The family was traveling third class.) And, in a year, she and her husband plan to take a centennial cruise in memory of the Titanic. [Titanic Versus the Lusitania: Time Determined Who Survived]

On Aug. 6, 2008, relatives of the Goodwin family held a memorial service in Fairview Lawn Cemetery where they now believe Sidney Goodwin was buried under the unknown child's headstone. A cousin read the names of about 50 children who had also perished when the Titanic went down and a bell was rung for each, she said.

A soft, drizzling rain began to fall as the first name was read, and stopped when the list was finished, she recalled. Ultimately, the family left the headstone and the grave as it was.

"The tombstone of the unknown child represents all of the children who perished on the Titanic, and we left it that way," she said.

The remains of the rest of the Goodwins family have never been recovered.

"From those (unidentified bodies) that were buried in Halifax, I have read the coroner's reports for each of them, and nothing fits," she said.

An article describing the genetic analysis that led to the final identification of the unknown child's remains is scheduled to be published in the June 2011 issue of the journal Forensic Science International: Genetics and is already available online.

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

Titanic replica in back garden. (The Daily Mail)

2011-04-12T22:38:00.000+01:00

The Titanic is resurfacing in time for her centenary.
But the ship is not all she seems. A 100ft version of the ill-fated liner has made an appearance at the mouth of the Caledonian Canal in Inverness.
The scaled-down replica, built by marine enthusiast Stan Fraser, will open up as part of a maritime museum and cafe in time for next April, which will mark the 100th anniversary of the tragedy.
The real Titanic famously sank after striking an iceberg in April 1912, with the loss of 1,503 lives.

Stan Fraser has built a 100ft model of the famous ocean liner in his back garden
Walkers and cyclists on the canal towpath behind his home at the Old Toll House on the city's Clachnaharry Road look in amazement at the scaled-down model.
It even comes complete with four belching funnels using a smoke system dating back to his rock and roll years when ME sufferer Mr Fraser helped bands with their fog effects.

Once he opens it up as a maritime museum, the public will hear a multi-decibel foghorn and see lights to twinkle from the portholes, as they did on the dance floors prior to the Titanic striking an iceberg and sinking.
Mr Fraser has dedicated 11 years of his life recreating the giant liner, which would be the centrepiece of a planned nautical museum and cafe at his home.

The RMS Titanic in 1912 which famously sank after striking an iceberg in April 1912, with the loss of 1,503 lives
The father of five said: 'It all started when I decided on a nautical theme for the house.
'My mother told me loads of seafaring stories, and I think that developed my love of the sea.
'I put a porthole in the window at the back door because we are beside the canal and then built a model of a pirate ship on my cousin's old rowing boat for the children.'

He added: 'I think the Titanic is the most beautiful ship ever made and much prettier than any liner today.
'I started to build a dummy Titanic for fun but it needed to be bigger. I had two caravans in the garden and I used these as the base. Someone gave me an old shed to use and a friend who was building a house gave me some wood and nails to recycle and that got me started.'
Resurfaced: Walkers and cyclists have looked on in amazement at the scaled-down model
Mr Fraser, a former lighting engineer, fought through his debilitating ME, which has left him unable to find work, to slowly build his 1:10 scale model of the Titanic.
The 46-year-old began collecting other maritime items and his house is filled with life jackets, models of other ships and copies of newspapers reporting on the Titanic's loss after striking an iceberg.
He also wants to develop a new visitor attraction based on a series of giant model ships including an aircraft carrier, a yacht, a galleon, a trawler and a submarine. Among these would be a model of Noah's Ark filled with stuffed animals for children to play.
But centerpiece would be the Titanic. Mr Fraser has set a date of April 2012 - the centenary of the disaster - for opening his nautical museum and cafe.
He said: 'I hope to have things up and running by next April for the centenary.
'I might have to apply for certain conditions, but if I just ask for donations to enter then I would not be labelled as a business.'

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

Harold Lowe

2011-04-09T22:31:00.000+01:00

A sailor who helped rescue passengers from the Titanic is the subject of a renewed campaign in his home town.

Records show Fifth Officer Harold Lowe was in the only lifeboat that went back to the sinking ship to rescue people from freezing waters in April 1912.

He was hailed a hero on his return to Barmouth, Gwynedd where it is hoped a plaque will be mounted next year.

Mr Lowe's grandson, John Lowe, 68, is to attend a meeting to discuss hopes for a memorial.

On 15 April 1912, Lowe dispersed the occupants of his lifeboat among the other boats, and rowed back towards the sinking Titanic, managing to rescue four people still alive in the water.

He also rescued passengers stranded on a sinking inflatable lifeboat, ensuring that everyone alive reached the Carparthia, a passing ship.

Lowe - who was played by Ioan Gruffudd in the 1997 film Titanic - later returned to Barmouth, before moving to Deganwy, Conwy, where he died in 1944 aged 61.

A campaign to erect a memorial to Lowe was started by 15-year-old school girl Maddie Matthews, of Dyffryn Ardudwy.

She first learned about him when watching the blockbuster film.
It has been agreed that a plaque will be unveiled in Barmouth's harbour in April 2012 to mark the centenary of the disaster.

On Saturday, Howard Nelson, founder of the Titanic Heritage Trust, will address a meeting, where memorabilia from the Titanic will be displayed.

During the meeting, plans for the memorial will also be discussed.

John Lowe, the sailor's grandson, is due to attend, and will take his grandfather's naval cap.

Mr Lowe, from Deganwy, said his family were "definitely" proud of his grandfather's achievements.

He grew up on the banks of the River Conwy, and is a retired Merchant Navy captain.

He said: "Like my grandfather, as a youngster I messed around with boats. I think it had a bearing on me going to sea."

Mr Lowe said his grandfather was born in Deganwy, but moved to Barmouth, and in later life returned to Conwy.

He said Barmouth, on the coast, had played a crucial role in his grandfather's decision to go to sea.

Sadly, he said he never met his grandfather, who died when Mr Lowe was just 18 months.

Barmouth mayor, Phil Hill, said the decision to erect a plaque was "long overdue".

He added: "Harold Lowe lived in Barmouth - he learned his trade on the coast here.

"It's about giving him the recognition he deserves. Hopefully it will also highlight the town, as well as the centenary next year."

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

Belfast - Titanic Festival 31/3 to 31/5

2011-04-04T21:24:00.000+01:00

Titanic 100 Festival

Belfast's most famous creation, Titanic, will be commemorated in an extended annual festival from 31 March - 31 May 2011, which will include key dates of the ship's build.

Many cities and locations lay claim to a Titanic story but only one place can take credit for her legendary design, build and craftsmanship – Belfast.

Titanic anniversaries

This year marks the centenary of many key milestones of the ship's construction as well as some significant centennial anniversaries connected to the Titanic including the:

•opening of the Thompson Dry Dock (1 April 1911)

•launch of Nomadic (25 April 1911)

•launch of Titanic (31 May 1911).

Titanic events

The two-month Titanic 100 Festival will include a variety of:

•exhibitions

•tours

•plays

•films

•talks

•family fun

•commemorative events

•other events

You can also view the events in date order or download our Titanic 100 Festival brochure (PDF - 1.8MB)

More information

For further information on the Titanic 100 Festival please contact the Belfast Welcome Centre on 028 9024 6609.

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

Moving deck chairs on the Titanic

2011-03-28T15:02:00.000+01:00

No one alive has seen Titanic as she was on the day she sailed. As we now all know she lays on the sea floor in 2 massive pieces with debris scattered across a two mile area. Yet, we use Titanic daily as part of our language. We 'move the deckchairs on the Titanic', we compare everything large in size to Titanic; although we have never seen her. Almost 100 years after that fateful voyage we are still fascinated with Titanic.

Titanic is often described as a catalyst for the First World War, but the events that would cause this were already happening. Germany was building larger and more luxurious ships to carry passengers to the anticipated German Empire. The UK government was partly funding ship building with Cunard (then a UK Company) with the codicil those ships would be requisitioned should war break out. During the First World War Titanic's sister ship Olympic became known as 'Old reliable' as she carried more troops than any other merchant vessel.

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581

The Hawke

2011-03-26T20:44:00.002+00:00

Titanic’s sister ship Olympic had collided with a naval ship the ‘Hawke’ in September of 1911. It was repairs to Olympic following this collision which delayed Titanic’s own maiden voyage. The Hawke had an underwater steel and concrete ram. This ram caused the most damage, when her bow struck Olympics hull the sound could be heard one mile away. Fortunately the incident happened just outside Southampton water so passengers were disembarked on the Isle of Wight.

Contributor: Morag Irving BA (OPEN)., Dip.Lit. e-mail: moragirvinguk@aol.com Tel:01733 345581