Floating debris

[Cam Houseman]

It's time this 'the staircase floated out' nonsense is put to bed once and for all. Just because a look-a-like film set broke free, it doesn't mean that the real staircase did. Also- and this is fundamental I think- 'the staircase' was actually hundreds of individual wooden pieces, and dozens of metal ones. It almost certainly broke up in situ and was dispersed far and wide within the bow section, probbaly mostly aft. Some of it was definitely ejected from the open end of the bow section on bottom impact because ballustrades have been seen there under the boiler pipes, along with the candelabra from the D deck landing.

Ok, I wasn't talking about the 1997 movie's Grand Staircase, I know it was built differently. (I apologize if I sound rude in the following) but how do you explain the Grand Staircase being missing? even the balustrades?

I think your theory is correct, but tweaked a little. I think the wreckage was the Grand Staircase, just splintered. The majority of it probably lifted up, and splintered within the ship. Then, when she broke in two, the wreckage went down the C and B-Deck First Class Hallways, and out the Bow's open end. Then, the wreckage was dispersed wide through the debris field.

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

I think your theory is correct, but tweaked a little. I think the wreckage was the Grand Staircase, just splintered. The majority of it probably lifted up, and splintered within the ship. Then, when she broke in two, the wreckage went down the C and B-Deck First Class Hallways, and out the Bow's open end. Then, the wreckage was dispersed wide through the debris field.

I don't think so. Most of the recovered items from the forward staircase show that the staircase left mainly thought the break area aft.
Also consider that the staircase was nearly fully flooded before water pressure break thought the weather cover and dome. It was not like in the 1997 movie when the water breaks thought the dome (which was a great scene). The water lever inside was up to the dome itself by that time.

 

[Cam Houseman]

I don't think so. Most of the recovered items from the forward staircase show that the staircase left mainly thought the break area aft.
Also consider that the staircase was nearly fully flooded before water pressure break thought the weather cover and dome. It was not like in the 1997 movie when the water breaks thought the dome (which was a great scene). The water lever inside was up to the dome itself by that time.

Yes, Ioannis, that's what I meant slightly, that only some of it would come out of the Dome, and most of it would stay within the ship, banging against stuff, splintering even more. Then, when she broke in two, the Grand Staircase went out the open aft end of the Bow through C and B-Deck:
(B-Deck)

(C-Deck)

Squiggly Line=Breakpoint

 

[Stephen Carey]

Yes, there was surface debris. Cork, which insulates the uptakes, The Barber shop's Pole, pieces of wood, most notably from the Aft or Forward Grand Staircase. And metal, from the middle of the ship where she broke apart. Even deckchairs and tables, from when they were thrown overboard to function as makeshift rafts. The place of Titanic's foundering was littered with debris.

I would think that the cork was from the fridge rooms which were in the after part of the ship on G deck which destroyed itself as it went down. There was apparently a lot of it floating around.

 

[Cam Houseman]

Oh, yes, thank you

 

[Steven Christian]

Theres been a few possibilities as to where the cork came from.
1.Fridge insulation
2. Bulkhead insulation
3. Overhead coating (kind of like a popcorn ceiling)
4. Broken up lifebelts.
5. Insulation around some first class cabins because of the heat from below.
That is from the links below. You can decided what sounds plausible. No. 2 I doubt simply because I haven't seen/read anywhere they used cork for bulkhead liners in any of the construction info I've read. I say doubt because I can't prove it.

Cork observed in the wreckage

Senator Fletcher: Did you observe in this wreckage any broken pieces of life preservers, corks and things of that sort? Maj. Peuchen: There was a very large quantity of floating cork. I am at a loss to understand where it came from...there was a particularly large quantity of cork. Does...

www.encyclopedia-titanica.org

The granulated cork spotted after the sinkingwhat was origin of the cork

After Titanic sank, a large quantity of granulated coprk was seen at the surface- the original purpose of the cork which, described in the newly surfaced Officer Boxhall letters to Joe Carvalho was "used by the ships painters under the deck heads whilst the paint was still wet." What i have...

www.encyclopedia-titanica.org

 

[Jim Currie]

The barber shop was on C deck; between the 3rd and 4th funnels. For the pole to have been released to the surface that area had to have been exposed and the staircase beside it torn free during the break. If I remember rightly, there was a survivor rescued by boat 14 from a section of one of the floating bit of the staircases,

 

[Cam Houseman]

maybe it was in the rear end of the break. Or, it came from when the stern started to shred itself apart

 

[Hillary P]

Thank you; I believe I had seen one of the cribbage boards and agree with about provenance; I think the boards were made decades ago so likely authentic!

I have a piece of coal that has provenance as being from Titanic. It is just a little sliver. Who knows maybe it isn’t real, and all the paperwork is made up, but I like to believe it is.

 

[Cam Houseman]

I have a piece of coal that has provenance as being from Titanic. It is just a little sliver. Who knows maybe it isn’t real, and all the paperwork is made up, but I like to believe it is.

:O

 

[Steven Christian]

I have a piece of coal that has provenance as being from Titanic. It is just a little sliver. Who knows maybe it isn’t real, and all the paperwork is made up, but I like to believe it is.

They brought up a lot of that coal to sell so there's a good chance its real. People will try to counterfeit anything but I haven't heard of a market in fake Titanic coal. RMS Titanic Inc sold it as way to raise money for future expeditions as so the story goes.

Titanic coal

That gentleman is Kevin Saucier, and he has a good pedigree! In fact, he is a member of the ET message board, and checked in as recently as today.

www.encyclopedia-titanica.org

 

[Strickland]

I have a piece of coal that has provenance as being from Titanic. It is just a little sliver. Who knows maybe it isn’t real, and all the paperwork is made up, but I like to believe it is.

I just posted today (Dec 29) a couple of thoughts on your questions regarding the provenance on the coal, posted in the "Items that require identification..." forum, the "Titanic coal" subject. I picked up a discussion started a long time ago that has lain fallow.

 

[robert warren]

Looking back its really interesting that before she was found, nobody really looked into the kind of debris that was found at the surface. That nobody seriously investigated and asked the question"if the Titanic sank completely intact why was debris from deep inside the ship floating on the surface?" Cork from food storage, the barber pole, and most telling, several chairs from the dining room which would have been too big to float out through the portholes etc etc. Splintered wreckage recovered from the lounge and staircases should have tipped people off that this sinking was not as neat and clean as we have made it out to be.

 

[SDRancher]

Looking back its really interesting that before she was found, nobody really looked into the kind of debris that was found at the surface. That nobody seriously investigated and asked the question"if the Titanic sank completely intact why was debris from deep inside the ship floating on the surface?" Cork from food storage, the barber pole, and most telling, several chairs from the dining room which would have been too big to float out through the portholes etc etc. Splintered wreckage recovered from the lounge and staircases should have tipped people off that this sinking was not as neat and clean as we have made it out to be.

I would have to disagree with you on the idea that most or even many thought the sinking was neat and clean. Based on the eyewitness testimony they had a pretty good idea the ship split but they had no way to know it completely separated until it was discovered. Like you said the flotsam from the wreckage would've likely given them more evidence of splitting open but none to confirm complete separation.

 

[robert warren]

This is Robert W. I,m posting a reply this way because for some reason there is a glitch when I try to log on normally. My reference to the sinking being neat and clean was not directed at the survivors, but to the public at large during those pre discovery days.

 

[Jim Currie]

"as we got towards the centre we saw one man there. I have since found out he was a storekeeper; he was on top of a staircase; it seemed to be a large piece of wreckage anyhow which had come from some part of the ship. It was wood anyhow. It looked like a staircase. He was kneeling there as if he was praying, and at the same time he was calling for help."