Shadows of the Titanic
A blog dedicated to RMS Titanic, her passengers & crew, and the stories she still tells today. We will occasionally write our own articles & research, & we welcome Asks & Submissions as well! Enjoy our biography project where we are writing detailed profiles of each passenger and crew member!
This blog was created by Tanya, a History & Maritime Studies major, minor in Archaeology and pursuing a wreck-diving certification with her degree. She is a member of the Titanic Historical Society and dreams of a career in preserving underwater artifacts, specifically from Titanic, and opening her own museum & historical society in New York.
Jeni is co-owner of this blog. She is an Anthropology and History major, who does tours in the New York metro area and helps with research. She also focuses on fashions throughout history and social history.
Although this blog mainly focuses on Titanic, other things ship-related in history will be posted.
Second Class April 11 Menu, first time ever on display.
Rarest of the Titanic Menus - only two Second Class menus known to exist
Valued at $160,000
(excuse the quality, unfortunately the museum didn’t allow pictures, but my friend snapped this one as quick as she could)
(Please do not remove the source from these images)
This letter, written by Hugh Woolner, a 45 year old first class passenger on Titanic, describes Titanic’s “near accident” with another ship as she was leaving Southampton….”I hope not to have any more accidents,” Hugh wrote in his letter.
(Please do not remove the source from these images).
These are a few items that were on display at the Broughton Hall display during the summer. I’m going to write a small description of each item and they are number going across.
Image 1: This is a muffin pricker that was used to help air escape during baking of muffins and bread.
Image 2: Gloves stretchers used in the 18th and 19th century when tight fitting leather gloves were in fashion. They were placed down the fingers of the gloves then opened slightly to stretch the gloves as needed.
Image 3: Codd bottle opener. Some bottles were sealed with a marble which had to be removed to be opened. This was placed on top and pushed down to release the marble.
Image 4: A potato masher.
Image 5: A Codd bottle, these were patented in 1870 by H Codd. They held fizzy drinks and were sealed by a marble. Many children broke these bottles while trying to get the marble from inside.
An original newspaper dated May 3, 1912, with articles on the Titanic and some of her passengers. I cried when I received it today, and I will do my utmost to preserve it. If I ever get over the fear of opening it, I will and I’ll post what the articles say. The front has an article about President Taft making a speech for Major Archibald Butt, inside I know is an article about J.J. Astor, and I believe another article. Maybe not as great as the New York Times, but this is a beauty in and of itself.
Hat worn by Titanic survivor.
Ring believed to belong to Steward Thomas Hewett - a 21st birthday gift, this ring was found on his body by the Mackay-Bennett and it was returned to his family after his body was buried at sea.
Cribbage board made of wood from the wreck of Titanic.
An original copy of Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember.
Letters to a Mr. Hunter from Thomas Andrews Sr., regarding the loss of his son Thomas Andrews.
Letters to a Mr. Hunter from Thomas Andrews Sr., in regards to his son Thomas Andrews Jr., who perished on the Titanic 15 April 1912.
Titanic’s First Class Lunch Menu
A prop life jacket from the 1997 James Cameron film Titanic.
Titanic never responded to this message, as Captain Smith had come into the Marconi room at about 1:45 and relieved the two operators, Harold Bride & John Phillips. Phillips continued sending out calls for help though, and Bride helped him put on his life preserver and fought off a stoker who tried to steal it while he worked. After the ship lost power just minutes before she completely sank, the two climbed to the roof of the officers quarters and were washed overboard when she sank. Phillips died of hypothermia, Bride was pulled onto Collapsible Lifeboat B.
A prop life jacket used for the 1953 film version Titanic produced by Charles Brackett.
The movie contained many inaccuracies, but was still received well with audiences due to the fact it was focused on being a melodrama more than a historical drama. Many survivors wrote to Brackett requesting to be involved with the film, but Brackett wanted no input from survivors. Only for Walter Lord’s book-turn-film version of A Night to Remember three years later would survivor’s actual accounts & advice be used.
Liverpool Ship Logbook, 1912.
This logbook notes the Carpathia’s departure from Liverpool, and her arrival in New York with 705 Titanic survivors.
A small piece of paneling found among the floating Titanic debris by the tender boat Minia on 26 April 1912.
The Titanic’s “big piece”; a large section of her hull recovered from the ocean floor.
Part of a bench that lies in the debris field around the wreck of the RMS Titanic.
(via magnificenttitanic)
