The TITANIC

The TITANIC was a White Star Line steamship carrying the British flag. She was built by Harland and Wolff of Belfast, Ireland, at a reported cost of $7.5 million.

Her specifications were:

Length overall 882.5 feet
Beam 92.5 feet
Depth 59.5 feet
Gross tonnage 46,329 tons
Net tonnage 24,900 tons
Triple screw propulsion

On 10 April 1912, the TITANIC commenced her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York, with ( the number range 2, 206 to 2,227 depending on the publication) passengers and crew aboard. At 11:40 p.m. on the night of 14 April, traveling at a speed of 20.5 knots, she struck an iceberg on her starboard bow. At 2:20 a.m. she sank, approximately 13.5 miles east-southeast of the position from which her distress call was transmitted. Lost at sea were 1,522 people, including passengers and crew. The survivors (number ranges from 703 to 711 depending on the publication), afloat in the ship's twenty lifeboats, were rescued within hours by the Cunard Liner, CARPATHIA.

The wreck of the TITANIC was located by a French and American team on September 1, 1985 in 12,500 feet (3,810 m) of water about 350 miles (531 km) southeast of Newfoundland, Canada. A 1986 expedition documented the shipwreck more thoroughly.

The Marine Museum at Fall River has in its possession a twenty eight foot (28 ') model of the TITANIC. The model was created in exact detail by 20th Century Fox Studios for the 1952 movie TITANIC , which stared Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb. It weighs 2,500 pounds, is 7 feet high (from the bottom to the top of the mast), 37 inches wide and is constructed of steel.

Other highlights of Titanic articles, artifacts and memorabilia on exhibit at The Marine Museum at Fall River, Massachusetts:

Cork life vest worn by survivor Madeleine Astor, new bride of John Jacob Astor IV, who was lost.
Wooden chair from the Titanic's Turkish Bath, retrieved from the ocean by a ship chartered by White Star Line to retrieve bodies.
A section of the Titanic's wooden deck railing.
Seaman's Discharge Book issued to Frederick Fleet, the Titanic lookout who spotted the iceberg, opened to the page containing the Titanic entry and stating that he was discharged at sea, and the voyage is described as "Intended New York".
Hand-penned letter written by third-class survivor Gus Cohen aboard the Carpathia, describing the events of the sinking.
A section of carpeting that was used in a Titanic stateroom.
The "Molly Brown" medal that was presented to the ship's surgeon of the Carpathia.
Jewelry and personal effects belonging to survivors while on board the Titanic.
Original newspapers and books of the period describing the event.
Videos and photographs from the Wood's Hole Oceanographic Institution discovery expedition.

All of our items are pre-discovery of the Titanic wreck (i.e. nothing in the exhibit has been salvaged from the wreck site). Many of these items are on loan courtesy of The Titanic Historical Society.

Click here for directions.

Information on the steamship R.M.S. TITANIC is frequently requested from the Marine Museum. attention Mr. John Gosson Curator, Marine Museum at Fall River.

Return to the Marine Museum at Fall River..
Here's some more Titanic related links for you to try:

This page was brought to you as a public service by Jack Bell.