The cruel sea

Published on May 31, 2011 by The Editor · No Comments

Remembering the Titanic. Lynn Tulloch looks back

WE ALL know that the Titanic sunk. We also know that it hit an iceberg, broke and Leonardo DiCaprio died whilst saving some posh bird from death. I knew that Titanic began her maiden voyage on 10th April 1912 for no other reason than I find remembering the Titanic, Olympic and Britannic story interesting. (They were all Olympic-class Ocean Liners built by White Star Line. They were also all involved in accidents and two sunk)

62 seconds to slide down into history
It is memorable to think that 100 years ago today the Titanic was launched. It took 62 seconds for the huge massive ship to slide down the slipway. The ship was still not completed at this stage; it still had to be kitted out with all its luxuries which took a further 10 months.

But why do we celebrate something that was such an epic failure. After all, it took 2 years to build and 2 hours 20 minutes to sink.

Working together side by side
It has been said that Protestants and Catholics in Belfast worked together side by side when normally they wouldn’t and that is why we should celebrate the Titanic. Although that theory is disputable.

The amazing story of Violet Jessup
Personally I love the story of the Titanic, not the wishy washy romantic film, the real story, because between her and her sisters there are so many tales to tell. For example Violet Jessop survived all 3 ships and their mishaps.

At the age of 23 Miss Jessop began working on RMS Olympic as a stewardess. RMS Olympic was involved in a maritime collision with HMS Hawke. RMS Titanic sunk; obviously, here Miss Jessop was a stewardess also. She was rescued by RMS Carpathia.

And yet again, the unsinkable nurse
Several years later, Miss Jessop still wasn’t feeling paranoid about sea travel and ended up becoming a nurse for the Red Cross and was stationed on His Majesty’s Hospital Ship Britannic when it struck a mine and sunk.

Spookily, this is also the anniversary of the death of the last Titanic survivor; Millvina Dean was only 9 weeks old when the ship sank.

The story that grips all ages
It interests my seven year old too, and quite frankly anything that can grab his imagination for longer than 5 minutes in this age of electronics must have something going for it. Maybe it is the engineering aspect, maybe it is because it sunk, or maybe it is for some other reason, who knows? As long as we don’t stop remembering the Titanic.

Lynn Tulloch, is a regular wowdewow blogger, who doesn’t crave to be rescued by Leonardo DiCaprio

Do you think the Titanic is a story worth remembering? Comments please