Titanic: Building the World’s Most Famous Ship

300 Pages·2011·30.83 MB·English

by  Anton Gill

TITANIC

TITANIC
Building the World’s
Most Famous Ship
ANTON GILL
LYONS PRESS
Guilford, Connecticut
An imprint of Globe Pequot Press
Text copyright © 2010 by Anton Gill
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information
storage and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing from the publisher.
Requests for permission should be addressed to Globe Pequot Press, Attn: Rights and Permissions
Department, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437.
First published in the UK in 2010 by Channel 4 Books, an imprint of Transworld Publishers First
published in the USA in 2011 by Lyons Press, an imprint of Globe Pequot Press Rebuilding Titanic is
produced by Twenty Twenty Television, a Shed Media Company, for Channel 4 and National
Geographic.
Designed by Bobby Birchall, Bobby&Co.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
ISBN 978-0-7627-7829-4
Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Picture Credits: NMNI = © National Museums Northern Ireland 2010/Collection Harland & Wolff.
Photograph reproduced courtesy the Trustees of National Museums Northern Ireland. NMM = © National
Maritime Museum, Greenwich. MEPL = Mary Evans Picture Library. Half title: house flag, White Star
line: NMM; opp. title page: Harland & Wolff men leaving work, May 1911: NMNI/H1555; opp. contents
page: great gantry, Queen’s Island, May 1911: NMNI/WAG3734; 11: Titanic poster,1912: courtesy ofThe
Advertising Archives; 12–13: workers in front of Olympic: NMNI/H1555; 13: ticket for Titanic launch, 31
May 1911; 14: Lord Pirrie and Bruce Ismay, 31 May 1911: NMNI/H23640; 15: Titanic ready for launch,
31 May 1911: NMNI/H23641; 18–19: Harland & Wolff shipyard, c.1912: Getty Images; 20: J. P. Morgan:
Topham Picturepoint/TopFoto.co.uk; 22–3: swimming pool and Turkish bath, Titanic, 1912: both
MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; 24: Titanic poster, 1912: courtesy of The Advertising Archives; 26: Edward
J. Harland, from The Shipbuilder,1911: Science Museum Library; 29: Great Britain, Bristol, 19 July 1843:
© TopFoto/TopFoto.co.uk; 31: Thomas Andrews, 1911: NMNI/TR60-60A; 32: Tayleur, engraving, 1853:
The Granger Collection/TopFoto/TopFoto.co.uk; 33: Thomas Henry Ismay, Vanity Fair, 1894: SSPL via
Getty Images; 34: Emigrants arriving at New York, April 1890: NMM; 37: diagram from The Shipbuilder,
1911; 38: Joseph Bruce Ismay, 1912: Getty Images; 40: cartoon from Puck by Frank Arthur Nankivell,
c.1910: © The Art Archive/Alamy; 42: William James Pirrie, from The Shipbuilder, 1911: SSPL via Getty
Images; 45: poster by Charles Dixon, 1907: courtesy of The Advertising Archives; 47: illustration from a
White Star Line brochure, 1911: MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; 48–9: launch of Olympic, 20 October 1910:
Getty Images; 50–1: bird’s-eye view of Queen’s Island, Belfast, 1921: NMNI/1262; 52: construction of
slips, Queen’s Island, 1907: NMNI/H1227; 53: Olympic, postcard, c.1910: Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C.; 54–5: arrival of Olympic, New York, c.1910: Getty Images; 55: inspection of the
lifeboats on Olympic, 1912: © Illustrated London News Ltd/MEPL; 57: Capt. Sir Arthur Henry Rostron: ©
TopFoto/TopFoto.co.uk; 58: Mauretania: Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.; 59: Vaterland anchor,
c.1900: ullstein bild/TopFoto/TopFoto.co.uk; 62–3: Thompson Graving Dock, May 1911: NMNI/H1656;
64–5: Queen’s Bridge, Belfast, early twentieth century: NMNI/WAG3728; 67: Orange Parade, Belfast,
c.1912: NMNI/L843/1; 68: Castle Place, Belfast, c.1905: Getty Images; 71: Harland & Wolff ‘Rules’,
1888: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland; 72: linen mill worker, early twentieth century: NMNI/H10-
31-16; 74: poster, 1903: courtesy The Advertising Archives; 78: cross section of gantries, from The
Shipbuilder, 1911; 79: construction of Arrol gantry, 1908: NMNI/H2547; 80–1: drawing office, 1912:
NMNI/H501; 84–5: transportation of Titanic’s anchor, 1 May 1911: NMM; 86: cross section of Titanic:
Roger-Viollet/TopFoto/TopFoto.co.uk; 88: hand-riveters, Britannic, 1913: NMNI/H1915; 90: hydraulic
riveters, Britannic, 1913: NMNI/H1919; 93: Olympic, May 1909: NMNI/H2389; 94: frames, Olympic,
1909: NMNI/H2396; 98: rudder and propellers of Olympic, April 1911: NMNI/H151; 99: watertight
bulkhead door, Olympic, 1910: NMNI/H1471; 100: Mould Loft, c.1910: NMNI/H57; 102–3: web frame
with outer plating, Britannic: NMNI/H1907; 107: Olympic funnel leaving workshops, 23 March 1911:
NMNI/H2412; 109: page from injury log, 10 April 1912: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland; 110,
113: ‘Fatality on Titanic’, photo of Robert L. Murphy, and of his funeral: Irish Daily Telegraph, 17 June
1911: British Library, Newspaper Library, Colindale; 114–15: turbine rotor being bladed, Britannic, 1914:
NMNI/H1975; 116: Parsons Steam Turbo-Generator 60KW, 1901: Science Museum; 117: Charles Parsons:
George Grantham Bain Collection/Library of Congress/Science Photo Library; 118–19: Turbinia: Science
Photo Library; 120: turbine being lifted on board Britannic, 1 August 1914: NMNI/H2159; 122: Crippen
led from Montrose, 31 July 1910: © Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy; 123: engine of Titanic in works
erecting shop: NMNI/H1711; engine bedplate lifted from the dockside, Britannic: NMNI/H1986; 125:
Olympic boilers, October 1909: SSPL via Getty Images; 127: fitting the starboard tail shaft, Titanic, 1912:
NMNI/H1557; 128, 131: chain-makers, Hingley works, 1900–1910: both courtesy James Hicks from his
great-grandfather, Joseph Hicks/www.cradleylinks.co.uk; 132: women chain-makers’ strike, 1910, photo by
Edward Beech: www.cradleylinks.co.uk; 134–5: starboard main generating set, Olympic, May 1911:
UR&TM/H1534; 136: Turkish bath ticket, Titanic, 1912: MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; 141: first-class
reading room, Titanic, 1912: Underwood & Underwood/Corbis; 142: stores lift, Olympic: NMNI/H1528;
143: first-class lifts, Titanic, 1912: akg-images; 146–7: loading mail, 11 April 1911: Father Browne/Getty
Images; 147: White Star Line calendar, 1912: MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; 148: passengers boarding
Titanic, 11 April 1912: Father Browne/Getty Images; 149: ‘The Victim’, cartoon by Bernard Partridge from
Punch, 6 March 1912; 150: colliers, South Wales, 27 February 1912: Getty Images; 152: firemen in the
boiler room, Titanic: INTERFOTO/Alamy; 154: Lord Kelvin, 1902: Getty Images; 158: bridge, Olympic,
c.1912: Getty Images; 159: telegraph receiving apparatus: © World History Archive/Alamy; 162: Jack
Philips, 1912: Topham Picturepoint/Press Association Images; 163: Harold Bride, 1912: MEPL; 166:
Harold Bride, Titanic, 11 April 1912: Father Browne/Getty Images; 169: Titanic survivors in a collapsible
lifeboat, 15 April 1912: Getty Images; 171: ‘Boats carried and boats needed to save all’:
TopFoto/TopFoto.co.uk; 172: lifeboats, Titanic, 1912: Getty Images; 175: port bow profile of Olympic:
NMNI/H1515; 176–7: first-class staircase on Olympic: Mary Evans Picture; Library/Onslow Auctions Ltd;
178: parlour suite, Titanic, 1912: MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; 180: private promenade deck, Titanic: ©
TopFoto/TopFoto.co.uk; 181: Café Parisien, Titanic, 1912: NMNI/H1733; 183: Titanic band, 1912: The
Granger Collection/TopFoto/TopFoto.co.uk; 185: first-class suite, B58, bedroom, Titanic, 1912:
NMNI/H1728; 186: second-class stateroom, Titanic, 1912: MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; 188: Titanic
poster, 1912: MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; 191: painters’ studio, Harland & Wolff, photo by R. J. Welch,
1899: NMNI/H505; 192: poster, c.1910: The Art Archive/Kharbine-Tapabor/Collection Galdoc-Grob; 195:
reading-and-writing room, Olympic, Sphere, supplement, 27 April 1912: Popperfoto/Getty Images; 196:
first-class suite B59, bedroom, Titanic, 1912: NMNI/H1725; 199: third-class general room, Titanic, 1912:
NMNI; 200: private bathroom, Titanic: NMNI/H1530; 201: third-class, two-berth stateroom, Titanic, 1912:
NMNI; 202-3: first-class dining-room, Titanic, 1912: Father Browne/Getty Images; 204–5: dining saloon,
Titanic, 1912: MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; 209: White Star Line plate: MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; 210:
Duchess of Sutherland, June, 1910: PA Archive/Press Association Images; 211: cut-glass bowl, White Star
Line: MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; cup and saucer, White Star Line: MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; third-
class teacup, White Star Line: Stanley Leary/AP/Press Association Images; 215: floor plan of the first-class
dining saloon and reception room: from The Shipbuilder, 1911; 216: dining saloon, Titanic: © Underwood
& Underwood/Corbis; 217: first-class menu, Titanic, 10 April 1912: MEPL/Onslow Auctions Ltd; 220–1:
first-class restaurant reception room, Titanic, 1912: NMM; 222: third-class dining saloon, Olympic, 1911:
SSPL via Getty Images; 223: third-class menu, 14 April 1912: TopFoto/TopFoto.co.uk; 224–5: the bridge,
Titanic, 1912: The Granger Collection/TopFoto/TopFoto.co.uk; 226–7: plan of the boat deck, Titanic, from
The Shipbuilder: SSPL via Getty Images; 228: gymnasium, Titanic, 1912: Father Browne/Getty Images;
and The Granger Collection/TopFoto/TopFoto.co.uk; 229: John Jacob Astor, 1909: George Grantham Bain
Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.; 230: A deck, Titanic, 11 April 1912: Father
Browne/Getty Images; 231: Father Browne’s stateroom, Titanic, 11 April 192: Father Browne/Getty
Images; 232: plan of suite of rooms on B deck, Titanic: from The Shipbuilder, 1911; 233: Mr and Mrs
Isador Strauss: © Bettmann/Corbis; 234: plans of decks C and D of Titanic, from The Shipbuilder: SSPL
via Getty Images; 236: plans of the lower decks of Titanic: from The Shipbuilder, 1911: SSPL via Getty
Images: 238–9: Capt. Smith and the officers of Titanic: NMNI/40253; 240: Titanic pulled by tugs, 1912,
Belfast: NMNI/H1723; 242: Charles Lightoller: © UPPA/Photoshot; stewardesses picked up by Carpathia,
4 May 1912: Tophams Picturepoint/Press Association Images; 245: Titanic leaving Southampton, 10 April
1912: NMNI/Courtney#6; 250:John Jacob Astor, Waterloo Station, 10 April 1912: Father Browne/Getty
Images; 251: Father Browne, c.1900: Getty Images; 253: second-class passengers boarding Titanic, 10
April 1912: Father Browne/Getty Images; 255: Irish emigrants, Queenstown, 11 April 1912: Father
Browne/Getty Images; 256: Benjamin Guggenheim: © Bettmann/Corbis: 258-9: Titanic leaving
Queenstown, 11 April 1912: Father Browne/Getty Images; 260–1: Brendan and Yewande in front of the
anchor: Bill Stephenson; 262: Engineerium, Hove: © Andrew Lavender; 263: boiler, Engineerium, Hove:
© imagespace/Alamy; 264: the team in Thompson Graving Dock, Belfast, 2010: Roger Laxon; 265: the
team in front of the hull, 2010: James Baker; 267: Dave, Yewande and Luke in front of the anchor: Callum
Bulmer; 270: transporting the anchor: Bill Stephenson; 272: firing the rivets; Luke and Brendan working on
the hull: both James Baker; 273: Luke and Yewande working on the oven doors: Roger Laxon; Luke
hammering rivets: James Baker; 274: reconstruction of a third-class cabin: Liz Collier; 275: gymnasium,
Titanic, 1912: akg-images; reconstruction of the smoking-room: Liz Collier; 276: side view of the stem
reconstruction: James Baker; 277: CGI images of the hull frame: Fluid Pictures Ltd; 279: the team in front
of the stem reconstruction: James Baker; 281: cover of White Star booklet, May 1911 (facsimile): NMNI.
Endpapers hardback edition: Harland & Wolff workers in front of Olympic: NMNI/H1555
CONTENTS
Introduction
Prologue: Launch
PART 1: LAYING-DOWN TO LAUNCH
1. The Main Players
2. Sisters and Rivals
3. Ports and Preparations
4. Number 401
5. Propelling Power
6. The Age of Electricity
PART 2: LAUNCH TO MAIDEN VOYAGE
7. Sailing in the Modern Age
8. Decor and Design
9. Food and Drink
10. Layout
11. Crew and Passengers
12. Rebuilding
Acknowledgments
Appendix: Money
References
Glossary
When anyone asks me how I can best describe my experience in
nearly forty years at sea, I merely say, uneventful. Of course there
have been winter gales, and storms and fog and the like. But in all
my experience, I have never been in any accident of any sort