Titanic Connections with Liverpool

Titanic, Carpathia, Californian were all Liverpool registered ships.

The Titanic was scheduled to visit the port on the voyage from Belfast to Southampton but this was cancelled almost at the last minute.

J. Bruce Ismay was born and lived in Liverpool. He had two huge mansions, "Sandheys" in Mossley Hill, Liverpool and "Dawpool" at Thurstaston on the Wirral. Both are gone now. Ismay continued to live in Liverpool until after the First World War.

The White Star Line was founded by Thomas Ismay in Liverpool. The Head Office (containing Bruce Ismay's own office) at Albion House, 30 James St, Liverpool was besieged by the public on the morning of April 15, 1912.

Many of the Titanic's crew were from Liverpool.  The name given by the crew to the long service corridor on E deck was "Scotland Rd". Scotland Rd is a main Liverpool thoroughfare in an area populated, at that time, mostly by poor Irish immigrants.

Chief Officer Wilde, Purser McElroy, Lookout Fred Fleet were natives of Liverpool. Others, like Chief Engineer Bell, Chief Steward Latimer and Captain Smith had settled there, marrying local girls. Smith moved to Southampton about 1908.  Second Officer Charles Lightoller's home was in Liverpool until 1907.

The 6 most senior engineers were from Liverpool. There is a fine memorial to "the engine room heroes" at the Pier Head, Liverpool.

The musicians were provided by Liverpool firm C.W.and F.N. Black (who infamously demanded repayment for "loss of uniforms" from the dead men's relatives). Titanic violist Fred Clarke was from Liverpool, and there is a memorial plaque to the entire band at the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool.

The Titanic's bell as well as her 900 portholes were crafted by the firm of Utley's at St.Helens, Merseyside.

The bridge and engine room telegraphs were made by the Liverpool firm of J.W.Ray & Co.

The Liverpool firm of Stonier's supplied 50,000 items of bone china to the ship, including the distinctive cobalt blue First Class dinner plates.

Ben Guggenheim's manservant on Titanic, Victor Giglio, was from Toxteth Park, Liverpool.

Captain Lord of the Californian lived and died in Wallasey near Liverpool.

Liverpudlian peer, John Bigham, Baron Mersey of Toxteth conducted the British Enquiry into the Titanic disaster. (He also investigated the Empress of Ireland and Lusitania disasters)