The Ismay Family

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The Ismay Family

The White Star Line

Titanic's maiden voyage 1

From the beginning to the collision

On the morning of 2nd April 1912 at 06:00 hours the Titanic left Queen's Island on her trials in Belfast Lough and after adjusting her compasses steamed towards the Isle of Man.

H. A. Sanderson was on board representing the White Star Line. Lord Pirrie wished to go on the maiden voyage himself but his doctors advised against this as he was not well. The Hon. Alexander Montgomery Carlisle was the chief designer but had recently retired, so Harland & Wolff was represented by Thomas Andrews.

At 18:00 hrs. the Titanic returned to Queen's Island and later left for Southampton, she arrived at midnight, Wednesday 3rd. April.She was due to leave Southampton on her maiden voyage one week later but much work still needed to be done. Officials of the Board of Trade inspected and passed the life saving equipment, having the starboard lifeboats lowered into the water.

The Titanic was advertised to sail on the 10th of April and the company was determined that she should do so. Unfortunately there was a coal strike at the time and it was decided to take coal out of the Oceanic and the American liner New York consequently both ships were laid up.

Text Box: Daimler Landaurette similar to the one used by Mr. & Mrs. Ismay
Picture by courtesy of Daimler Motors

Mr. & Mr. J Bruce Ismay motored down from hill Street with there three children in their Daimler Landaulette. It was one of the few occasions when Bruce Ismay would journey by car because he disliked motoring so much. That night they all stayed at the South Western Hotel, Southampton. Bruce was in good heart a fortnight earlier he had seen his eldest daughter happily married, now he was about to go on the maiden voyage of his new ship. After his maiden voyage aboard the Olympic he had suggested some improvements, these had been incorporated on the Titanic and was looking forward to seeing the in action. As it was the Easter holidays his wife had decided to stay at home with the children who were not home for very long. At 9:30 on the 10th April Bruce boarded the Titanic in Ocean Dock and she sailed at noon that day. Mrs. Ismay and the children watched her depart the set off to tour Devonshire and Wales.

The Titanic passed the New York birthed alongside the quay, the suction caused by her propellers drew the New York out from the side and for a short moment a seemed collision seemed inevitable. The mats were rigged and the Titanic stopped dead, while tugs came and towed the New York back to her berth, thus an unfortunate accident was avoided.

Though cold, the sun shined brightly as the ship crossed the English Channel, she reached Cherbourg at about 18:30. She took on board additional passengers and mail. The Titanic then left for Queenstown, she arrived there at about 11:30 the following morning and took on board more passengers and mail. At Queenstown, Bell, who was the chief engineer called at Bruce Ismay's cabin (B56 on 'B' deck), to discuss the coal which was to be used on the voyage. Bruce wished it to be debated and the ship was not forced at all. It was arranged between them that a speed trial should take place on the following Monday morning provided the weather was suitable. This conversation was later twisted into a declaration that Mr. Ismay had interfered with the navigation of the vessel, a statement which was untrue, as Ismay never intruded on the captain while at sea.

At 13:30 the world's largest moving vessel left for New York.

On the North Atlantic there are lanes (called tracks) which ships follow. The Northern track which is used during August and September is about 2oo miles. shorter than the one which is used between January and July.The Southern track is used because the icebergs from the North coming down with the Labrador current break up and drift in the Gulf Stream, melting as they go, and presenting themselves as a serious threat to navigation.

Text Box: This is a color global view of the North Atlantic and surrounding
continents, displaying the International Ice Patrol's Area Of
Operations in yellow from 40 degrees North latitude to
52 degrees North latitude & 39 West longitude to 57 West longitude.
The 48 degree North latitude line is drawn in purple within the Ice
Patrol AOR.
The trans-Atlantic shipping lanes from Europe to North America are
drawn in red.
Typical iceberg paths & distrubution within the AOR are represented
by numerous white triangles along the 200 meter bathymetry from
Greenland to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.
The position of the 1912 Titanic sinking is represented by a white
asterisk at the tail of Grand Banks near the bottom of the Ice Patrol

The Ice Patrol was formed as a result of the 1912 disaster

1912 was an exceptional year for the amount of ice about. The mild winter had caused the ice to come down earlier than usual. Many sailors at the time said they had never seen anything like it. The Titanic was on her correct seasonal course which was the Southern track. She received a number of warnings about ice and these were acknowledged. The policy in those days was to keep a good look out in the vicinity of ice and provided the weather was clear, to keep up a good speed; this was to ensure that the ship would respond more readily at the helm. After the Titanic disaster this practice was changed and vessels now reduce speed when ice is reported.

The Titanic had been at sea four days and everyone's high expectations of the ship had been realised. the trip had been smooth and without difficulties. It was Sunday night, 14th April, and there had been a half hour hymn sining in the second class library. at 21:30 a message was received from the transport liner, Mesaba, reading "In latitude 42° N. to 41° 25’ N. long. 49° to 50° 30‛ W. Saw much pack ice and a great number of icebergs. Also field ice. Weather good, clear." This vital message never reached the bridge. In 1912 wireless was in it's early days and the range was nowhere near as good as it is today. the Titanic was in range of Cape Race, a shore station off Newfoundland, but only for a short time. The passengers knew it was possible to send private messages and although many had been sent, there were still many more to be transmitted. The two wireless operators had been, and were extremely busy with this work and somehow the message from the Mesaba had been overlooked, with tragic consequences. The two wireless operators were employed by Marconi and had only recently completed their training; each had to do a 12 hour watch, as 24 hour attendance was necessary. Phillips was 24 years old and Bride only 22. They carried a huge responsibility. After the accident the two remained at their posts even after Captain Smith had relieved them.

At 23:00 they received another message, this was from the liner 'Californian', another I.M.M. ship, on route from London to Boston. The message read " We are stopped and surrounded by ice", she was very close. Phillips was tired, still transmitting messages to Cape Race and he interrupted, " Shut up, keep out I am working on Cape Race" and so another vital warning did not reach the bridge. The Californian had stopped for the night, as she was on the edge of a gigantic ice field. She only carried one wireless operator and at 23:30 he had gone off duty for the night.

She was held by the subsequent Court of Inquiry to have been not more than 10 miles from the Titanic. Passengers and crew onboard the sinking ship clearly saw the lights of a vessel approach close to them and then draw away sometime between 12:30 and 2:00, and could not understand why this ship did not answer the distress signals whish had been given by Morse code and by Lamp. Eight rockets had also been sent up at intervals. It was alleged at both the English and American Courts of Inquiry that this vessel was the Californian but this has never been proved conclusively and it is possible that the ship which approached the Titanic that night may have been another unidentified vessel. in any event, it is likely that if this ship had responded to the signals then many lives would have been saved, possibly all.

Click here to view Maiden voyage 2, The collision

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