THE MYTH OF THE TITANIC
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The Myth of the Titanic Richard Howells Lecturer Institute of Communications Studies University of Leeds
Richard Howells 1999 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1999 978-0-333-72597-9 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 9HE. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 1999 by MACMILLAN PRESS LTD Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and London Companies and representatives throughout the world ISBN 978-1-349-40585-5 DOI 10.1057/9780230510845 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00 99 ISBN 978-0-230-51084-5 (ebook) Published in the United States of America by ST. MARTIN S PRESS, INC., Scholarly and Reference Division 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010
For my parents
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Contents Acknowledgements ix List of Plates xi Introduction 1 1 A Brief History of the Titanic 13 2 Myth and the Titanic 37 3 Women and Children First! 60 4 We Shall Die Like Gentlemen 79 5 Be British! 99 6 Nearer, My God, to Thee 120 7 The Unsinkable Ship 136 Conclusion 153 Notes 161 Bibliography and Sources 196 Index 205 vii
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Acknowledgements This book has been a long time in the making. Consequently, it would be impossible to acknowledge everyone who has contributed towards its completion. The following individuals and organizations have, however, been especially generous with their expertise, their thoughts or their support, both personal and financial. Their specific contributions are both known to them and valued by me. Kate Alderson-Smith and the Brotherton Library, University of Leeds; Joanna Benn; Elaine Bradshaw; Olivia Brent; the British Newspaper Library, Colindale; Hamish Bryce and Thorn Lighting Ltd.; Colin Butterfield; the Cambridge University Library; the City of Stoke-on-Trent Museum and Art Gallery; Nicholas J. Cull; Henry Devlin; Henry Louis Gates, Jnr.; Jack Greenwood; Eva Hart; Charles A. Haas and Titanic International Inc.; Philippa Howells, Ray Johnson; Fred Inglis; Ida Leader; Don Lynch and the Titanic Historical Society; Graham McCann; Leonard McCann and the Vancouver Maritime Museum; Michael McCaughan and the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum; Brent MacGregor; the Marine Museum at Fall River, Massachusetts; the Master and Fellows of Emmanuel College, Cambridge; Robert Matson; the Mildmay Essay Club, Emmanuel College, Cambridge; Gregory Nagy; Michael C. Neitzel; Steve Rigby and the British Titanic Society; Geoff Robinson; Roger Simmons; the Southampton Maritime Museum; John S. Spong; Staffordshire County Library; Tiffany Stern; John R. Stilgoe; Ann Sutton; Philip M. Taylor and the Institute of Communications Studies, University of Leeds; John B. Thompson; Aruna Vasudevan; and Ruth Willats. ix
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List of Plates I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X Front cover of The Deathless Story of the Titanic, published by Lloyd s Weekly News, April 1912, third edition, price 2d. The text is by Philip Gibbs. Author s collection. Front page of the Daily Graphic Titanic In Memoriam Number, 20 April 1912, price 1d. Author s collection. Frontispiece of Titanic by Filson Young, published in hardcover by Grant Richards Ltd, London, May 1912. The artist is not credited. Author s collection. Postcard commemorating the loss of the Titanic, published by the Rotary Photographic Company in 1912. This example was used postally on 9 May 1912. The ship is pictured leaving Southampton on 10 April 1912. Author s collection. Front cover of The Wreck of the Titanic, a descriptive musical sketch for the piano by Haydon Augarde, published by The Lawrence Wright Music Co, London, 1912. Statue of Captain E.J. Smith of the Titanic, sculpted by Lady Kathleen Scott, Beacon Park, Lichfield, Staffordshire, and formally unveiled on July 29 1914. Record label, Be British, composed by Lawrence Wright, performed by Ernest Gray, the Winner label, UK, 1912. Author s collection. Postcard commemorating Nearer, My God, to Thee, the hymn widely believed to have been played as the Titanic sank. The opening of the setting by J.B. Dykes is reproduced. This card was published by the Rotary Photographic Company, in 1912 and used the same photograph as in plate IV, superimposed on a different background. Additionally, an artist has fancifully added smoke coming from all four of the Titanic s funnels: the fourth was, in fact, a dummy. Author s collection. Grave of Wallace Hartley, the bandleader of the Titanic, who was buried at Colne, Lancashire, on 18 May 1912. Detail of the grave of Wallace Hartley, Titanic bandleader, Colne, Lancashire, 1912. xi
xii XI XII List of Plates Postcard commemorating the loss of the Titanic, published by Regent in 1912. The ship shown is, however, the Titanic s sister ship the Olympic. Whether this was accomplished in error or through sleight-of-hand is not known. Either way, it serves to illustrate the similarity between the two ships, especially when compared with plate IV. This example was postally used on 25 May 1912. Author s collection. Postcard of the Titanic s sister ship the Olympic. The publisher and date are not given, but it is certainly post 1913, when extra lifeboats were added. The Olympic continued in service until 1935. The artist is Walter Thomas. Author s collection. All photographs by the author.