Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax, Nova Scotia

The history of Halifax and the sinking of the Titanic will forever be intertwined. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic commemorates not only the legendary Titanic, but also a number of others who were lost in the majestic ocean. During the sinking of the ship, the British vessel RMS Carpathia responded to the call and came to Titanic’s rescue.

The Halifax based cable steamer Makay-Bennett was charged with the grim task of recovering bodies and collecting inventory of those lost in the disaster. The crew of the ship collected 306 bodies, 116 of which had to be buried at sea. The Makay-Bennett was relieved by the Minia, which recovered 17 more bodies, 2 of which were buried at sea. On May 6, the Canadian vessel CGS Montmagny recovered 4 more bodies and buried one at sea. The remaining bodies were shipped to a Halifax morgue and 59 were shipped by train to their families. The rest were buried in Halifax cemeteries, giving the city a strong bond with the history of the Titanic. Contained within the flotsam of the wreckage were pieces of the vessel herself and items that told stories of those aboard.

As part of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic has its unique items on display. Relive the rise and fall of the Titanic in a reproduction deck chair and view the variety of over 50 unique artifacts recovered during the relief effort. See the history of the Titanic come to life with photographs depicting what happened on the night of April 14, 1912.

Unique Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Artifacts

Mortuary Bag 41

Crucial in the process of recovering bodies, these bags were designed to recover and preserve the effects of those who died in the wreck. This particular bag belonged to passenger no. 41, a man by the name of Edmund Stone. A 33 year old first class bedroom steward, Stone’s body was found by the Mackay-Bennett and was buried at sea. Particularly effective in preserving the effects of victims during transport and at the morgue, these bags were also used following the Halifax Explosion of 1917. The effects of Edmund Stone were shipped to his widow in Southampton using this bag  with the letters ‘O.H.M.S’ (On His Majesty’s Service) on the tag indicating a government mail shipment. The personal effects of the deceased were sold at auction in 2008.

 

Wreckwood

Cable ship crews had a tradition where pieces of shipwrecks were gathered and kept in remembrance of the event. Many of these pieces are carved into various items such as picture frames, paperweights, and crib boards. The particular pieces of warpwood on display at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic were donated by descendants of those involved in the Titanic rescue effort. In addition to large pieces of wood from the wreck, a deck chair was recovered during the effort and is on display at the museum. Whether the pieces are loaned or have been donated, these pieces of wreckwood offer a glimpse into the history of the Titanic and the tradition of cable ship crews. These pieces are artistic and give viewers a glimpse into the rich history of the Titanic as well as maritime tradition.

“Unknown” Child’s Shoes

This recovered piece truly evokes the emotion of sorrow following the sinking of the Titanic. Part of the safekeepings from mortuary bag 4, this small pair of leather shoes belonged to a young boy who was recovered and buried at Fairview Lawn cemetery in Halifax. Extensive DNA testing revealed the identity of the child as 19 month old Sidney Leslie Goodwin of England. Further research revealed that his father was en route to Niagara Falls for a job offer. Mr. Goodwin, Sidney, and the rest of the family were aboard the Titanic on the night that it sank and all were lost in the disaster.

Other Notable Titanic Artifacts from the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic offers a complete history of the life of the Titanic as well as a variety of other vessels lost at sea. Recovered during the Titanic relief effort were items such as a photograph of the Titanic’s grand staircase and the shore-based wireless log. Highlighting the luxury of the ship and the lifestyle of those aboard, other items include a mahogany cabinet from a first class bathroom, White Star Line’s first class dinnerware, and the gloves of Charles Hays, the then president of Grand Trunk Railway.

 

 

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SeaCity Museum, Southampton

The city where the Titanic spent most of her life, Southampton, England will feature a brand new attraction called the SeaCity museum. Scheduled to open in April of 2012, this beautiful museum will commemorate the centennial of the sinking of the ship. Expected to attract hundreds of thousands of Titanic enthusiasts, the establishment will be dedicated to sharing the story of the Titanic from start to finish. From its construction in Belfast, Ireland, to its untimely sinking during its maiden voyage, the museum will be interactive and feature the latest in technology and architecture.

John Hannides, the city counselor responsible for culture and heritage in Southampton explains that although the effects of the sinking of the Titanic have been felt all over the world, Southampton has felt it the most. The city was thrown into deep mourning after the disaster, as a full 549 of those lost in the wreck hailed from Southampton. Although a great number of individuals who worked aboard the Titanic were from Southampton, there is but a lone memorial in the city celebrating the work of the engineers aboard the vessel. The museum aims to commemorate those who have long been overlooked after being lost in the shipwreck.

In addition to celebrating the lives of the passengers and crew, the museum will also feature over 4,000 artifacts from the Titanic collected over the years. Many of these items have long been in storage, and the museum will feature a diversity of items including plates, cutlery, menus, letters, and pieces of the ship itself. These artifacts as well as over 70 survivor accounts were accumulated during the initial discovery of the wreckage by Robert Ballard in 1985.

One of the most famous maritime events in history, the sinking of the Titanic continues to gather popularity during this 100th anniversary year. Over 100 companies have expressed interest in helping develop the museum and Hannides believes that the recession will not be a factor for investors. Like previous Titanic museums, the vision is for the museum to be a replica of the ship and have guests board a re-creation of a first class cabin upon entering.

Although there are no remaining survivors from the original journey, many Southampton locals are descendants of individuals (mainly crew members) who were aboard the Titanic. The museum will also focus on other maritime-related topics connected with Southampton, including the sister ship of the Titanic, the RMS Olympic.

Fully funded and supported by the city of Southampton, the SeaCity Museum is sure to be one of the most prominent new maritime museums in the world. The rich history and connection between the city and the Ship will offer guests a deep look into the life of the Titanic, its crew, and how important Southampton was regarding this historical event. This and many new museums are dedicated to telling the entire story of the Titanic and shedding light on one of the most important and tragic historical events.

Here’s a video I found which gives you a sneak peak into the Seacity Museum:

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Clive Palmer’s Quest to Bring Back the Luxury of the Titanic

Titanic 2: Australian Billionaire Cliver Palmer’s Vision

Bigger, better, more modern, and hopefully not the subject of a future historical disaster, Titanic 2 (the ship, not the movie!) is currently in the planning stages. The man behind the project is an Australian man by the name of Clive Palmer, who intends to build a 21st century replica of the vessel that will depart from Southampton, England and sail to New York by the end of 2016. This will be the first of a fleet of luxury liners being built by the Nanjing-based CSC Jinling Shipyard.

Palmer, a Gold Coast businessman, has invested in past endeavors that include golf courses, hotels, coal and iron-ore, nickel smelting, soccer, and even a horse stud. He plans to move to a cruise market where ships generally cost $500 million to build. This ambitious move will take Palmer into an area of commerce where he has no experience, in hopes of building the most recognizable cruise ship since the original Titanic.  It’s nice having loads of extra money lying around, no?

Commissioned by the White Star Line, the original Titanic was the largest vessel of its time at 270 meters (880 feet) long and 53 meters (174 feet) tall. Like its predecessor, Titanic 2 will be absolutely massive (think: Death Star massive). Scheduled to be the largest active liner in the world, the new Titanic will feature 840 room spanning 9 decks.

The ship will be built using 21st century technology, top-of-the-line safety and navigation systems, as well as the requisite gymnasiums and swimming pools. 58 year old Palmer unveiled the plans for Titanic 2 just before a separate announcement that he would run against Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan (aka “The Swan Man”) in his seat of Lilley at next year’s federal election.

Building and Financing Titanic 2

The huge undertaking of bringing to life the Titanic 2 is one that may hit a few snags along the way. The Chinese company CSC Jinling Shipyard has been contracted to build her. Many think it may be a challenge in an industry largely dominated by European shipbuilders. Some Chinese analysts worry that the transition from bulk ships used for carrying coal (something the Chinese are very good at building) to a cruise liner at this scale may even be too difficult for the shipyard to finish on time. Palmer expressed that with the assistance of his funding, he can help the Chinese move to the next level in luxury ship-building.

Sailing under the company name Blue Star Line (sounds vaguely familiar!), the Chinese military will be invited to escort the ship during its maiden voyage. Registered on April 18, Blue Star Line lists Palmer and Derek Payne as the only officers, as put forth in the three page filing. In Palmer’s eyes, the replica of the Titanic will be a testament to those who served and lost their lives during the sinking of the ship.

“These people produced work that is still marvelled at more than 100 years later and we want that spirit to go on for another 100 years,” he said.

Aimed at paying tribute to the original Titanic as well as helping China become a player in the shipbuilding industry, it is still not determined how much this project will cost. If this project comes to fruition it stands to be one of the largest cruise investment in years and a momentous event in the timeline of the Titanic.

More About Clive Palmer

In addition to Clive Palmer the man behind Titanic 2, there is Clive Palmer the businessman. One of the wealthiest men in Australia, Palmer accumulated most of his wealth in real estate and mining, as well as a few other endeavors. His announcement came in a conference soon after he announced that he would be running in next year’s parliamentary election. He accused his opponent Wayne Swan of believing in the redistribution of wealth in order to shrink the economy.

This is Palmer’s second intervention in politics of late following an instance where he accused the CIA of being behind mining attacks in Australia. He believes that the attacks were designed to make the US coal industry more competitive on a global scale.

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Titanic Historical Society, Indian Orchard, MA

titanic-setting-sailHome of one of the largest collection of Titanic artifacts, the Titanic Historical Society located in Indian Orchard, Massachusetts gives visitors a comprehensive view on the life and death of the famous vessel. History comes to life as visitors are transported to a time where the artifacts tell the lives of passengers aboard the Titanic during its maiden voyage. Many of the artifacts were donated by survivors themselves to the THS founder Edward S. Kamuda during the organization’s early years.

Both passengers and crew are represented in the collection and the items are some of the rarest and most significant to the history of the ship. In addition to viewing one of the most epic collections of artifacts, visitors will learn the stories of passengers as well as the history of White Star Lines. The museum comes complete with a gift shop that sells a wide array of titanic memorabilia including original artwork, maritime history books, Titanic gifts, and handcrafted jewelry. In addition to the Titanic artifacts contained within the museum, there are also a number of items from the Titanic’s sister ship the RMS Olympic.

More about the Titanic Artifacts

Many of the artifacts contained within the museum were dedicated by survivors, offering personal items and the rich stories behind them. From the original blueprints dedicated by the Harland & Wolff shipyard to personal effects, each item tells a story and cannot be found anywhere else. A large number of these items have been preserved and transposed onto pieces of art which are available for purchase in the gift shop. Original sheet music, and film posters are just a few of the examples of pieces available to commemorate the experience and enhance the drama of the Titanic’s story.

Other unique items include the original distress message sent from the Titanic’s wireless, the personal lifejacket of wealthy businessman John Jacob Astor, a drawing of the iceberg that ended the Titanic’s voyage created by lookout Fred Fleet, dinner and luncheon menus from the Titanic, a number of personal effects from Titanic passengers and crew, a wooden chair recovered from the wreck, 1st class passenger Milton Long’s pocket watch, a variety of letters written aboard the Titanic, a square of the first-class stateroom’s carpet, bread board from the Titanic, Fred Fleet’s discharge book, first-class Titanic china, diary and letter signed by Titanic passenger Joseph Bruce Ismay, and countless other artifacts.

Items from The Olympic and Carpathia Vessels

In addition to the Titanic pieces contained within the historical society, there are a number of items from the sister ship Olympic and the Carpathia, the ship that came to the rescue during the sinking of the ship. Items from these vessels include an autographed picture of the Carpathia’s officers, key from the dispensary cabinet on Carpathia, lifeboat badge from the rescue ship, 1st class dinner and 2nd class tea menus, Titanic 3rd class survivor Gus Cohen’s accounts of the shipwreck written on Carpathia stationary, bronze and gold medals for the Carpathia from Molly Brown, bridge bell from the Olympic, dining chair from the Olympic, White Star Line china and silver-plate, and many more.

This wide variety of artifacts helps tell the entire story of the Titanic from start to finish. From the ideas of its creation to the rescue and aftermath of its sinking, the Titanic Historical Society brings the triumph and tragedy of the vessel to life.

Titanic Historical Society Artifact Picture Gallery (all images courtesy of the Titanic Historical Society)

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Titanic Belfast

Belfast: Birthplace of the Titanic

The 20th century brought a huge boon to the Irish city of Belfast. Thriving from its Harland and Wolfe shipyard, the largest shipyard in the world at that time, the city was at the forefront of engineering, ship building, and linen manufacturing. Visitors of the museum will begin by learning about these industries, and the conceptualization of the most luxurious cruise liner of its time. Offering answers to all of the questions leading up to the creation of the Titanic, the tour will give guests an idea of where it all started. During the first leg of the journey, visitors will pass through the actual gates of the Harland & Wolf shipyard.

Designed to support the construction of the Titanic, the Arrol Gantry was erected in 1908. This part of the tour features a recreation of a large pillar found in the gantry (gantries are frames containing scaffolds at various levels, thus allowing for construction of large objects) as well as a Titanic ride that uses special effects to recreate shipbuilding during the 1900s. After the ride is complete, guests will witness the launch of the Titanic.

With more than 100,000 people in attendance (one third of the city’s population), the historic launch of the Titanic occurred on May 31, 1911. Through a large window, guests will see the actual slipways where the Titanic and her sister ship Olympic once rested. Using modern technology, the window is able to switch from a regular view to a superimposed view of the constructed Titanic. This creates a unique experience that allows viewers to see what the vessel would have looked at the site where it was actually constructed.

Gallery four offers unique images of the interior including first, second, and third class cabins. In addition to being able to see what it would have been like to be a guest, individuals will also be able to view images of the engine room, working interiors, and more. Each image presents an extremely detailed view of what the rooms would have looked like and how the ship itself operated. After seeing the interior of the Titanic, museum visitors will be able to become acquainted with historical details of Titanic passengers during the maiden voyage, giving them an accurate depiction of the times.

Departing from Southampton and destined for New York, April 14th, 11:49 PM marked the beginning of the end for the vessel. Colliding with an iceberg in the dead calm waters of the North Atlantic, the ship suffered a 300 foot long gash in its hull below the waterline. Two hours and forty minutes later, the ship sank to the bottom of the ocean, causing the death of more than 1,500 men, women, and children. The pure horror associated with the sinking of the Titanic is displayed in this gallery using atmospheric sound.

Because the vessel was built by the British and owned by the Americans, the investigation of the wreckage was done by both sides. The cause of sinking as well as who to pin the blame on was heavily debated and is now presented at the Titanic Belfast museum. Details of the sensationalized news stories are presented using recordings, exhibits, and re-enactments of events. Myths and legends surrounding the Titanic are also covered using interactive touch screens which visitors can use to delve into greater detail regarding the fact and fiction surrounding the Titanic.

Now making its home about 13,000 feet under the surface of the Atlantic, the Titanic was rediscovered by Dr. Robert Ballard in 1985. Led by Ballard and French diving engineer Jean-Louis Michel, the team found the wreckage of the Titanic nearly two and a half miles down. A special presentation ‘Titanic Beneath’ displays high definition footage of the wreckage as well as interactive displays filled with additional information regarding the shipwreck.

Capping off the tour is the Ocean Exploration Center, which features interactive experiences with new ocean exploring technology. Included in the exhibit is Nautilus, a submersible used by Dr. Robert Ballard. Visitors are able to see how the ocean floor is mapped and the technology used to understand the ocean, seabed, and earth’s crust. One of the most current exhibits regarding ocean exploration, the center is constantly being updated and guests will have access to unique information regarding geography, marine biology, marine archeology, and the mapping of coastal areas.

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