Kim Kinrade Author

Happy 90th Frankie Valli!

An ad for Sony Hi-Fi equipment in the 1970s.

On the evening of April 14, 1912, as the lifeboats were beginning to be filled, Hartley gathered all eight band members and they began to play in the first-class lounge, hoping to calm passengers as they descended from the ship. It was the first time all eight men had played together.

When most of the lifeboats were gone and chaos began to ensue, realizing the severity of the situation, the band moved outside to the deck. According to eyewitness survivor accounts, the band could still be heard playing as the decks folded into the ocean.

Their last song, however, was not agreed upon by all survivors. Some heard “Nearer My God to Thee”, whereas others said the last song heard was “Autumn”.

One second-class passenger account said of the band: “Many brave things were done that night, but none were more brave than those done by men playing minute after minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea. The music they played served alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be recalled on the scrolls of undying fame.”

All eight band members perished in the sinking of the Titanic. A memorial to these eight heroes was placed in Southampton, England.

On this day, 112 years ago, RMS Carpathia, with Titanic’s survivors aboard, docked at Pier 54 in New York Harbor.

Carpathia’s journey to New York had not been an easy one. The number of people on the ship had roughly doubled with the additions of 712 Titanic survivors. The weather had grown rough as she approached New York, with the ship passing through storm squalls on the way. Many of the boats carried eager reporters poised to grab a scoop. Only one is known to have made it on board the Carpathia, but the man was detained on the bridge for the rest of the short journey.

As the little Cunarder passed the Ambrose Light, she was gradually surrounded by every type of small craft imaginable, all keen to see, despite the rain, the ship that had brought back the last remnants of the Titanic’s maiden voyage. In a steady downpour, the liner steamed toward the New York piers, but she surprised everyone when she didn’t stop at Pier 54, Cunard’s usual spot for berthing their liners. Slowly, Carpathia made her way to Pier 59, where Titanic would have ended her journey had fate not intervened.

There, Carpathia lowered 13 lifeboats to the water and they were rowed in and tied up next to the pier in a small group. All that remained of the largest ship in the world, the small craft that had proved that salvation of 712 men, women, and children, had completed the Titanic’s maiden voyage. The symbolism of this moment was, and remains, incredibly moving and evocative.

Her grim work done at Pier 59, Carpathia returned to Pier 54 and was warped into place. At least 30,000 people awaited those on board, from reporters eager to hear the story from every conceivable angle to families of those lost and saved, hoping to, depending on their situation, either confirm or disprove the latest survivor lists.

Titanic’s survivors disembarked into ambulances, limousines, and private cars. The sounds of that night would never be forgotten by those who witnessed it, with shrieks of grief mixed in with cries of jubilation and relief. Here, all the questions about who had lived and died were answered concretely. For those whose relatives and friends had survived, it was a moment of sheer joy. For those who left with the bitter certainty that they’d lost someone, it was the crushing final blow to their tenuous hopes.

The voyage that had begun with such promise in Southampton aboard a giant that was the last word in luxury and advanced technology had come to an end in a much different fashion, disembarked from a small, middle-aged steamer into a rainy New York night. The rain only added to the eerie ambiance.

It was if the world itself was crying in grief for those lost.

Image credit: Titanic Facts

CAPTAINS LOG: Around ~2:25-2:30 AM April 15th - The RMS Titanic continues it’s descent to the ocean floor. The Grand Staircase is ripped apart in a ripple effect as the pressure pushes upward. It hits the ocean floor.

The wreck of the RMS Titanic lies at a depth of about 12,500 feet (3,800 m) (2.37 miles (3.81 km)), about 370 miles (600 km) south-southeast off the coast of Newfoundland. It lies in two main pieces about a third of a mile (600 m) apart.

Artworks: Ken Marschall

Titanic Live: Monday, April 15th, 1912, 2.10 AM - Water is now quickly sweeping up Titanic's Boat Deck, covering over her bridge and washing both collapsibles A and B off the ship, each with a number of passengers and crew attempting to hold on. Of those who survive the liner's final plunge, most will be near by to these rafts as she goes under by the head.

It is also around this time that Titanic's band members stop playing, the ragtime of the earlier evening long since switched to hymns. Though it isn't known with certainty which was the last song played, it is "Nearer My God to Thee" which will always be most closely associated with the disaster.

Taryn Harbridge has recorded a lovely version, which can be heard here:

https://youtu.be/oOwXwB5wf5w

Titanic now has ten minutes to live.

Photo credit 20th Century Fox

Fact Slap 👋

Titanic’s Return Voyage.

Titanic, like all the great liners of the early 20th Century was more akin to a modern cross channel ferry than a modern cruise ship.

In 1912, there were hundreds of shipping companies with a variety of types of ship available from tramp steamers, to cargo liners and the big liners like Titanic. These ships were on a regular scheduled service from Europe to North America as the most lucrative crossing and services to the colonial empires of Europe also.

These ships tended to make more profit from the Europe to America service thanks to the immigrant trade than the return leg that was more business travel and tourism.

Titanic was scheduled to sail from New York on the 20th of April for her return leg, she would have called at Plymouth, Cherbourg and Southampton then on the 27th/28th of April sail for New York once again via Cherbourg and Cobh.

This would have been her route along with her sister ships Olympic & Britannic had she not been sunk by a mine in the Aegean Sea in WW1. Assuming Titanic had not sunk in 1912 and survived WW1, she would have had a service life of roughly 25-30 years.

It’s possible she might have served in WW2 but the global depression of the 1930s saw a lot of older liners go for scrap such as her sister Olympic in 1935.

On this day 112 years ago, around 4:00 AM, RMS Carpathia arrives. A rocket is fired from Carpathia to let everyone in the RMS Titanic lifeboats know help arrived. Fifth officer Harold Lowe waves a flair to show them where they are.

🎨 by Ken Marschall

Follow official RMS Carpathia page:
https://www.facebook.com/RMSCarpathiaOfficial

April 14, 1912, Sunday: The watertight doors were closed immediately on the Officer of the Watch’s order.

In Night to Remember you can see these doors closing very soon after she struck the berg.

This would have kept the ship afloat with up to 4 or 5 watertight compartments flooded at the forward end, but unfortunately a 6th—in Boiler room 5—was also letting in water, so the ship was doomed.She was built to ‘two compartment damage stability’ so was actually a well built ship and even better than regulations demanded.

The doors weren’t closed at sea as the engineering crew had to make passage between their mess decks up forward, throughout the length of the ship to the after end.To continually open and close the doors would have been an arduous task with hundreds of firemen and trimmers going about their business.

After the collision, the doors were opened gradually moving from the after end (engine room) forward in order to lay a hose to pump the water out using the ship’s pumps in each space.

This didn’t immediately affect the sinking as the water hadn’t got that far by that time. If the doors weren’t closed manually, a float device operating on water level in a compartment would automatically close them.

Indeed was a very well built ship as demonstrated by her sister Olympic who gave reliable service throughout her life.

Here are Olympic’s watertight door in lowered closed position during outfitting.

April 13th, 1912

On this day, 112 years ago, April 13th 1912, wireless Officers Harold Bride and Jack Phillips were fixing the Marconi wireless machine that stoped working.
All Marconi personnel onboard were hired from Marconi agency, and not directly from the companies. As per contract, only ashore Marconi personnel were allowed to perform maintenance and fix. Harold Bride and Jack Phillips broke that rule and started fixing the wireless by them self. They will be done around 5:00 AM next day, April 14th, and from that moment will be able again to send messages.
After the tragedy, and failure of SS Californian to respond to RMS Titanic's SOS and CQD, 24 hours watch at Marconi equipment went compulsory in order to be able to face emergencies.

At 10:30 AM the fire on the starboard side of the RMS Titanic in coal bunker 10, boiler room 6, was put out almost 10 days after it started.

Voyage is continuing peacefully.

🎨 by Ken Marschall

Fact Slap 👋

Today in 1912, TITANIC is now running at full service speed (21knts) on her transatlantic run. She has been receiving ice warnings from ships ahead of her all day but Captain Smith, possibly under pressure from the ships owner Bruce Ismay to run the ship faster and get into New York a day earlier and grab the headlines of the fastest transatlantic crossing and be fitting end to Captain Smith’s long career.

There is some speculation to this rumour as White Star never aimed for speed records but always wanted the largest and most luxurious ships on the North Atlantic.

The TITANIC’s maiden voyage was to be his last before retirement, in fact he was tempted into the crossing with the promise of a final bonus on top of his wages and pension.

Tonight, the passengers will enjoy their last uninterrupted nights sleep before fate intervenes tomorrow.

Despite what the movie shows third-class passengers actually had good accommodations, white-gloved service from waiters and a large exercise area in the stern. As the ship was only 2/3rds full this gave them even more room.

On April 12, 1912 The was out in the Atlantic, its passengers of all classes busily exploring the wonders of this marvel of technology. (This is the last known picture of the ship)

At 1:30 p.m. on April 11, 1912 the RMS Titanic left Queenstown (now Cobh, Ireland) and began its journey for New York.

in 1925 (April 10th) F. Scott Fitzgerald had his novel "The Great Gatsby" published.

Titanic at night, while in Southampton.
© Simon Fisher

It's the weekend (June 1985)
Which one are you planning to watch in theatres? Choose one

Behind the scenes on Titanic

Here it is!

On this day 112 years ago, April 6, White Star’s Marine Superintendent recruits the final number of crew required for the RMS Titanic's sailing to New York.

The recruitment process takes place at the union hiring halls in Southampton. Following the prolonged coal strike which forced many vessels to be laid up at the port many crewmen, after an enforced period of unemployment, were eager to join the new vessel.

General cargo begins to arrive. The final total cargo includes 559 tons and 11,524 separate pieces. As well, 5892 tons of coal are loaded on board, some taken from several others White Star Line ships.

Many passengers were rebooked on RMS Titanic due to the coal strike. Also many thought that they lucked out but their luck would turn out to be anything but good.

Titanic Live: Friday, April 5th, 1912, afternoon - At the village of Långebro near the southern coast of Sweden, the extended family of Anders Johan Andersson (bottom center, in white hat) and his wife Alfrida Konstantina gather together today for a final portrait before their departure for Winnipeg. The couple have booked passage on Titanic as Third Class passengers along with their five children, including eleven year old daughter Sigrid, nine year old daughter Ingborg, six year old girl Ebba, four year old son Sigvard and daughter Ellis just two. All will be lost together at sea in just under ten days.

As an immigrant family traveling to a new life in Canada, the Anderssons would almost certainly have posed for this portrait with the understanding that perhaps years would elapse before some of those here together would again reunite, if indeed ever. Unfortunately more true than could possibly have been known at the time, this would in fact mark the final photograph taken of ten of those pictured here.

Photo via Kisa-Västra Eneby Historical Society/ET

Ernest Hemingway on writing:

"When I am working on a book or a story I write every morning as soon after first light as possible. There is no one to disturb you and it is cool or cold and you come to your work and warm as you write. You read what you have written and, as you always stop when you know what is going to happen next, you go on from there."

17 years of Titanic remembrance on this page continues!
RMS Titanic memorial month begins today!
Follow RMS Titanic journey with us, and share our posts on your pages and groups!

On this day, 112 years ago, 2 April 1912, RMS Titanic's sea trials began, The day starts off at 4 AM with the arrival of the Firemen who start the fires in the boiler room furnaces then, at 6 AM seaman arrived.

The weather had improved and skies began to clear. By 9:30 AM five tugs would be escorting Titanic down the Victoria Channel. Hercules, Herald and Hornby were deployed forward, with Huskisson and Herculaneum astern.

During her sea trials Titanic's wireless operators, John (Jack) Phillips and Harold Bride would tune and test the new Marconi System. The Marconi System was in constant use, transmitting details about the sea trails to J. Bruce Ismay in London. All of her systems and equipment would be tested to ensure they are working as intended.

Titanic's trials were designed more to ensure that she handled as intended. Once in the open waters Titanic was put through a series of maneuvers to test her turning and stopping capabilities and other aspects of her performance.

Victor Hugo, the author of "Les Miserables," ordered his servants to hide his clothes before he woke up so that he wouldn't be tempted to go down to the brothel when he should be writing.

On this day and moment 112 years ago, 3. April 1912, during the 570 mile trip from Belfast to Southampton, RMS Titanic would perform additional engine and maneuvering trials. One highlight of the trip, during a short run at maximum speed she reached an impressive 23.5 knots. Titanic encountered fog on this voyage, it cleared just after 6:00 AM

At 10:00 PM Titanic arrived off Spithead, passed the Nab lightship and slowed to embark the Southampton pilot. With the pilot on the bridge, Titanic proceeded at half-ahead past Cowes and navigated into Southampton waters. A short time later five Red Star tugs Ajax, Hector, Hercules, Neptune, and Vulcan assisted Titanic in the waters of the River Test.

The time is just after 11:30 PM Titanic's bow faced downstream, Titanic would make a 130 degree turn to port to bring her parallel to the dock. The tugs using a push-pull action, slowly maneuvered the hull astern. It was 1:15 AM and Titanic was secured at Berth 44. The same pier RMS Olympic departed from just after noon on April 3 1912.

🎨 by Michael V. Rolph

When the U.S. declared war on Japan the American and Canadian governments built the Alaska highway in 9 months. This first land route to Alaska from the Lower 48 states had been envisioned for years as a rail link but never was realized. In my novel "The Polar Track" a magnetic-levitation train from Washington state to Alaska fulfils the prophecy. https://kinrade.ca/books/polar-track

Farewell "Count Floyd." Joe Flaherty was an American comedy actor best known in Canada for his roles on SCTV with John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara and Rick Moranis. In popular movies he was in Stripes, Johnny Dangerously, Happy Gilmour, and others. On SCTV he played the Count Floyd, the host of "Monster Chiller Horror Theatre." Ve-r-y Sc-a-r-y!