Southampton is famously known for it’s ties with the Spitfire and was a port used as part of the D-day landings. The town’s port was also used as a dock for Henry The V’s fleet during the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The city of Southampton also homed one of the most famous ships of the 20th century. The legacy of the ill-fated RMS Titanic left on the city of Southampton is not forgotten by the town, in fact there are specially designed self-guided Titanic tours around Southampton. Southampton has become somewhat of a pilgrimage for enthusiasts and followers of the Titanic. With that intention this article has been designed by myself to help anybody who wants to take a Titanic tour of Southampton without actually having to leave the house.
1) The Ocean Terminal
The Ocean Terminal, previously known as Berth 43/44 is the first stop on the tour. For those familiar with Titanic’s connections with Southampton most likely recognise the name. However, for those who perhaps are not aware. The Ocean Terminal was the dock that Titanic left from on April 10th 1912. Titanic left Belfast on April 2nd 1912 on the day she had completed her sea trails (which is like an MOT but just for ships) and arrived at in Southampton at midnight on April 3rd 1912.
Titanic docked in Berth 43/44 eight days before she was due to set sail to New York. During this period Titanic had been decorated in flags to celebrate the imminent Easter period. Titanic’s sister the RMS Olympic had used the same dock the year previous for her maiden voyage. Originally, the dock had been two separate berths numbered 44 and number 43. This was done so two liners could fit in the same dock. However, as the new Olympic class were double the length of any liner up to date. (Titanic and Olympic were 882 ft in length) The two separate berths were joined into one to create the ‘White Star Line Terminal’. This would accommodate the size and length of the new Olympic class.
Above: Titanic's berth in 2019 vs 1912
A Close Shave
The day the Titanic left Southampton was not all smooth sailing, in fact it could be considered somewhat of a disaster in itself. Firstly, the week that Titanic had been due to sail there was a national coal strike. In order to avoid delaying Titanic’s departure the crew had to borrow coal from other ships in the nearby docks. The Oceanic , another White Star Line Vessel, was residing in the berth opposite the Titanic and coal had to be removed and given to the Titanic. Another issue that arose later on in the Titanic’s story is the binoculars. It is confirmed that Titanic did actually have two pairs one of them had been lost the day of Titanic’s departure. it was recorded during the inquiry that the last place the pair had been seen was on the bridge in Southampton. This is a Titanic mystery nobody has ever quite been able to solve. The last disaster which could have done some damage was the near collision with the steamship S.S New York. Just as Titanic was pulling out of her berth the ropes on the S.S New York snapped, this sent the stern of the vessel swinging towards the stern of Titanic. Luckily, the crew of the New York had managed to get the ship under control.
2) Titanic’s Memorial
This monument is located just outside the entrance to the Ocean Terminal and unlike some of the grander memorials in Southampton; this one is actually a little difficult to see if you’re not looking hard enough. The small stump was erected in 1993 by the British Titanic Society in memory of all those who lost their lives during the disaster.
3) The Platform Tavern
The Platform Tavern is a pub which can be found on the same road as the Titanic memorial. It’s linked to Titanic for a number of reasons. The pub used to be the location of the old ‘Seacity Museum’ which hosts an exhibition on Southampton’s relationship with Titanic. The museum had since relocated (which will be covered in the virtual tour). Secondly, the pub was actually used the night before Titanic left Southampton. Many guests who stayed in the pub had booked a passage on Titanic. First Class Steward James Mgrady (age 27)had listed as their address. McGrady did not survive the sinking. Now the pub is decorated with pictures of the Titanic.
4) The Civic Centre Memorial
The Civic centre is located just next to Southampton’s SeaCity Museum. Located at the top of the staircase at the entrance to the hall, there is a small plaque commemorating the lives of Titanic’s eight postal workers who were from Southampton. Some fun trivia about the plaque is that it had been made from some of Titanic’s cast iron which had been donated by Harland and Wolff after the sinking. Next the plaque is a book which contains the names of everybody from Southampton who perished in the disaster. However, the book is contained within a case but on request it can be opened.
5) Southampton’s SeaCity Museum
The SeaCity Museum, previously located in the Platform Tavern, holds Southampton’s largest Titanic collection and includes items such as: Captain Smith’s RNR sword, Walter Hurst’s discharge book, the original Honour and Glory Crowning time clock from Titanic’s sister RMS Olympic and a pocket watch that was recovered from the body of Southampton Steward Sidney Sedundary. Look closely at the watch and you’ll see it’s stopped at 2:20 am; just ten minutes before Titanic officially foundered.
6) The Millvina Dean Memorial Garden
This is located just next to the SeaCity Museum and gives tribuite to the youngest Titanic survivor Millvina Dean. Dean was only nine weeks when she sailed on the Titanic. Dean and her mother survived the sinking but her father did not. Millvina’s Mother didn’t tell her daughter that she had been on the Titanic until she was eight. Millvina Dean died age 97 on May 31st 2009; exactly 98 years after Titanic had been launched. Her ashes were scattered at the Ocean Terminal (where Titanic sailed from).
7) The Engineer’s Memorial
The Engineer’s Memorial, located in Andrews Park, pays tribute to the Engineer’s who worked on board Titanic. The list includes a number of names who where apart of Titanic’s Guarantee Group. The Guarantee Group was a group of eight workers from Belfast who had been selected to travel on the Titanic. These men were selected by Titanic’s Chief Designer Thomas Andrews. The memorial was commissioned in 1914. There were crowds gathered to see the unveiling of the statue.
It was one Christmas that director James Cameron was visiting Southampton to gather inspiration for his new film about the Titanic. He visited the Engineer’s memorial and saw the statue of the Goddess Nike stood with her arms outstretched and thought that would be a good image to incorporate into the film. The next time you watch the film see if you can spot any images that resemble the statue.
8) The Musician’s Memorial
Just across the road from the Engineer’s Memorial is another memorial dedicated to the Titanic. This was erected in honour of Titanic’s eight musicians who were nicknamed the ‘Palm Court Band’. This was because of the locations they played in. The Veranda located on A deck was surrounded with plants. Passengers always said that when the band played in the Café Parisian it was often difficult to see them play because they were surrounded with potted palms. All Titanic’s musicians were lost in the sinking, including Lancashire lad Wallace Hartley. The memorial was first unveiled in 1913 outside of what used to be the Southampton Library. Unfortunately, the memorial was destroyed during a bombing in 1940; it wasn’t until 1993 that the memorial was re commissioned by Southampton City Council.
9) The Grapes, Oxford Street
It’s arguable that no street in Southampton was hit as heavy by the Titanic disaster than Oxford Street. There was over 35 residents who lived on Oxford Street that later worked on the Titanic. Twenty-seven of those residents were lost and only five survived. Many had lived in the Sailor’s Home. While others lived in Hooper’s Temperance Hotel (now number 66-67) and Criterion Restaurant ( number unknown). Another common haunt for residents of Oxford Street was The Grapes. The pub had originally been open in 1855 and the majority of the original interior still remains to this day. However, the story of the Slade Brothers sealed the Grapes’ spot in history. The morning of April 10th 1912 three brothers were drinking with two friends in the pub. They had left at 10 to twelve, just ten minutes before the Titanic would leave for Southampton as they approached the Southwestern Hotel a train was coming towards them. The two men ,the Slade brothers had been drinking with, hurried across whilst the Slade brothers let the train pass. This was a lucky escape as by the time they had reached the Ocean Terminal Titanic’s gangways had been lifted and Titanic’s last ropes had been let go.
After the disaster The Grapes had painted a picture of Titanic approaching the iceberg which is located above the entrance to the pub. The original ornate sign designed in 1912 still hangs above the door to this day.
The Grapes appeared in the 1997 blockbuster ‘Titanic’ it’s used for the scene where Jack Dawson wins his ticket on the Titanic in a poker game. Many fans of the film come to visit the spot where DiCaprio once stood. Now the pub still very much embraces its roots with the fabled liner and its walls are covered in artwork and blueprints of the Titanic.
10) The Southwestern Hotel, Canute Road.
The Southwestern Hotel played a huge part in Titanic’s Southampton story. Many of the first class passengers stayed in the Southwestern the night before Titanic sailed this list of people would have included: Joseph Bruce Ismay (Owner of the Titanic), Captain Smith (Titanic’s Skipper) and Thomas Andrews (Chief Designer). Next to the Southwestern hotel is the old Southwestern train line. Many of Titanic’s passengers like American millionaire John Jacob Astor and his eighteen-year-old wife Madeline used the boat train that came from Waterloo Station in London. The train is no longer in use however, if you look behind the hotel you can still see the old glass shelter that the train would have gone past.
11) Canute Chambers, Canute Road
This building was the former offices for the White Star Line. The morning that news reached Southampton that Titanic had sunk women and children came and swarmed the White Star offices for any news in their husbands, fathers and brothers who had been on Titanic. Phillip Curry who was the manager of the offices on Canute Road was overrun with requests and questions which he did not have an answer to. It became very difficult for Curry and his staff to leave so they stayed all through the next night to find out any information. Meanwhile, the women outside kept vigil all night for their lost relatives. When the survivor lists had been published people gathered round to see if any of their relatives had survived. Southampton was affected the worst. A total of 724 people on the Titanic were from Southampton. 549 were reported dead and only 175 had survived.
feel free to use this article as part of your own Titanic trail. However, if republishing or printing please use the credits Titanic Talks/Titanictrails. A lot of work has gone into this article so please credit if using it.
Thank You and have a Titanic day
Millie.
Excellent read, I actually felt like I was in Southampton. I especially liked the photographs showing Titanic's berth. Well done Millie.