Order of lifeboat launching

[Samuel Halpern]

Q95. The chart room was underneath the bridge? Directly underneath?
LORD: No. There was a navigating room underneath the bridge. And then came the chart room, below that. Flying bridge, then the bridge with the chart room on it [sic], and the wheelhouse – which was never used – and then came the chart room down below. And my room on the same floor.

Now just what picture does this actually present as to the layout on Californian in 1912?

 

[Jim Currie]

Lord's room was on the prom deck and he had a chart room in front of it. The officers did not use that chart room.
Originally there had been a chart room below the flying bridge and aft of the wheelhouse. However it had been turned into the Wireless room. The officer of the Watch used two small chart tables located on the lower bridge under a sheltered part...one each side. These were possible of the "Gate-leg" type, much ;like the one you see me using in the following photograph

The glare you see is from Field Ice. This was taken back in the spring of 1959. We were north of where Titanic went down and heading for the Gulf of St Lawrence

 

[Julian Atkins]

Q95. The chart room was underneath the bridge? Directly underneath?
LORD: No. There was a navigating room underneath the bridge. And then came the chart room, below that. Flying bridge, then the bridge with the chart room on it [sic], and the wheelhouse – which was never used – and then came the chart room down below. And my room on the same floor.

Now just what picture does this actually present as to the layout on Californian in 1912?

Hi Sam,

I know that passage from the 1961 taped recorded interviews very well - wrote it out verbatim in my notes. I think Harland and I also discussed it via email.

All you have to do is substitute "below" for "behind" and everything makes perfect sense and accords with the plans we both have of The Californian as built, and the Reade and Harrison sketches of the layout of the wheelhouse and chart room and Captains cabin, the alterations of which for the cabin and chart room were altered later on from the original plans.

Harrison, in the taped recorded interviews of 1961 did not have the plans, and he probably never did have them. Reade had them as we all know.

Cheers,
Julian

 

[Julian Atkins]

Lord's room was on the prom deck and he had a chart room in front of it. The officers did not use that chart room.
Originally there had been a chart room below the flying bridge and aft of the wheelhouse. However it had been turned into the Wireless room.

Hi Jim,

The wireless room. Harland and I both discussed the likelihood that the Marconi Room was a deck below in what was originally the mail room on the original plans of The Californian (of which both Harland, myself, and Sam have copies).

There was no chart room in front of the Captains cabin on The Californian; the chart room was adjacent to the Captains cabin, with the wheelhouse in front of both, all below the flying bridge.

I don't think the Dundee City Archive have any copyright over the original plans of The Californian by now if ever, so I might just take a punt and post them on here. The Moderators can delete them if my view of copyright law is incorrect. They have been in the public domain since Reade's book was published, though you need a good eye glass to see all the details in Reade's book. I have posted on here all the available pics of The Californian from the Dundee City Archive, and none of these have been deleted as they are on Flickr posted by the Dundee City Archive.

Cheers,

Julian

 

[Seumas]

Lord's room was on the prom deck and he had a chart room in front of it. The officers did not use that chart room.
Originally there had been a chart room below the flying bridge and aft of the wheelhouse. However it had been turned into the Wireless room. The officer of the Watch used two small chart tables located on the lower bridge under a sheltered part...one each side. These were possible of the "Gate-leg" type, much ;like the one you see me using in the following photograph
View attachment 45227

The glare you see is from Field Ice. This was taken back in the spring of 1959. We were north of where Titanic went down and heading for the Gulf of St Lawrence

Great photo Jim.

Has a shipmate just brought you a Tunnocks caramel wafer and a glass of Irn Bru ?

I take it from the engine room telegraph behind you being on "Stand By", you were stopped for safety sake ? Was this aboard one of your passenger ships or the ore carriers ?

 

[Jim Currie]

It was the MV Broompark on her maiden voyage. we were mainly cargo but had a few luxury cabins for special passengers. One of them took that pic. Funny you should mention Tunnocks. I got married that trip and last month, when we were home, Tunnocks provided an anniversary cake and I got a "bottle". from Boyd.
You are spot -on. We were stopped for the ice but a Cunarder threw caution to the winds and passed us. Here are a few back -up pics you might like:

 

[Jim Currie]

Hi Jim,

The wireless room. Harland and I both discussed the likelihood that the Marconi Room was a deck below in what was originally the mail room on the original plans of The Californian (of which both Harland, myself, and Sam have copies).

There was no chart room in front of the Captains cabin on The Californian; the chart room was adjacent to the Captains cabin, with the wheelhouse in front of both, all below the flying bridge.

I don't think the Dundee City Archive have any copyright over the original plans of The Californian by now if ever, so I might just take a punt and post them on here. The Moderators can delete them if my view of copyright law is incorrect. They have been in the public domain since Reade's book was published, though you need a good eye glass to see all the details in Reade's book. I have posted on here all the available pics of The Californian from the Dundee City Archive, and none of these have been deleted as they are on Flickr posted by the Dundee City Archive.

Cheers,

Julian

Hi Julian.

I was simply quoting from the words of Captain Lord in his interview back in '61. Q 388 to Q 402.

 

[Jim Currie]

here's another. I was on the bridge when this was taken:

 

[Julian Atkins]

Hello Jim,

That second pic in your post 126 was really lovely! Belated congratulations on your 60th wedding anniversary!

Cheers,
Julian

 

[Steven Christian]

Hello Jim,

That second pic in your post 126 was really lovely! Belated congratulations on your 60th wedding anniversary!

Cheers,
Julian

I'll second your comment on this. 60 years...way to go...congrats!

 

[Seumas]

It was the MV Broompark on her maiden voyage. we were mainly cargo but had a few luxury cabins for special passengers. One of them took that pic. Funny you should mention Tunnocks. I got married that trip and last month, when we were home, Tunnocks provided an anniversary cake and I got a "bottle". from Boyd.
You are spot -on. We were stopped for the ice but a Cunarder threw caution to the winds and passed us. Here are a few back -up pics you might like:
View attachment 45230
View attachment 45231
View attachment 45233
View attachment 45234

Those are just super Jim

Here's to many more yet

 

[Jim Currie]

Thanks for the good wishes everyone. If you survive that long, the queen sends you one of these:

Just kidding... honest!

 

[Samuel Halpern]

Yes, congratulations on your 60th wedding anniversary Jim. Beautiful pictures.

 

[Jim Currie]

Yes, congratulations on your 60th wedding anniversary Jim. Beautiful pictures.

Thanks, Sam/

PS: I forgot to tell you... the bow of the ship you see in that picture, hit a lamp post on the quay-side at Kenosha that year. nearly wiped out the yacht club window. Earlier, an Italian ship dredged up the underwater power line and blacked out the town....happy days! Later we berthed at Calumet.

 

[Jim Currie]

Hello Jim,

That second pic in your post 126 was really lovely! Belated congratulations on your 60th wedding anniversary!

Cheers,
Julian

Thanks, Julian.