Titanic Menus

[Daniel Klistorner]

Hello,

Has anyone ever made a study or a list of the various Titanic menus that have survived? I don't think we have a complete record of all the meals from the voyage, however I know that an April 2, 1912 menu survived, and from the actual voyage there were menus from April 11 (breakfast), April 12, April 14. There's also a 2nd class lunch April 12, and an April 14 dinner menu. Can anyone add to the list or suggest other menus that they know survived from all 3 classes?

As an interesting addition, there were apparently fixed bills of fare for 2nd and 3rd class passengers depending on the day of the week. I have checked these (printed in brochures) and they don't match up 100% to the known surviving menus from the Titanic. I have also compared the original menus from other WSL ships that have popped up on ebay.

Regards,

Daniel.

 

[Mike Poirier]

Hmmm... I know John Irwin Flynn saved one, and I think the Dodges. Its a good question and something I pondered myself.

 

[Daniel Klistorner]

Mike,

I think it would be impossible to compile a list of exactly how many menus were saved and by whom. To make this venture easier it would be at least interesting to know which meals can be accounted for by the surviving menus. If I remember correctly, the Flynn menu was from diner on April 14 (if it’s the one reproduced in ANTR).

Daniel.

 

[Mike Poirier]

Daniel,
I don't believe the one in the Lord book is from the Flynn collection. Since Lord spoke to Silverthorne, I think it was his. Flynn did save his own however.

I would never say impossible. I think contacting the auction houses such as Aldrich, who I am sure kept track would be a start. I am sure they have the dates of the menu and which person it came from. All-in-all, it sounds like a fun project for someone who has the time to do it.

 

[Vitezslav Ivicic]

I have seen some reprints on ebay, and there were some menus that I've never seen before. I will look at it and tell you.

 

[Daniel Klistorner]

Mike,

The reason I say impossible is because we can never be sure who saved one. The menus may be around just not publicly known. I think one of the gamblers (forget which one of the 3) saved a menu and a passenger list. Now, if it weren't for someone auctioning them off some years ago, we'd never know that those items survived. There may be plenty more such items out there.

And of course because of the lack of time I thought I might simplify the exercise and narrow it down to menus covering the different meals. However I've been too busy myself to even look through the material and books that I have to compile a list of the known ones. If or when I get the chance, I'll certainly put up a list here.

Daniel.

 

[Lynda Franklin]

There is also a menu from the 3 of April 1912 it is from lunch.

 

[Mike Poirier]

Daniel-

I knew what you meant by impossible. Yet, compiling a list of what is known is not impossible. (and as it goes on- what else is discovered). I am sure as more years go by, files get lost and the record of what was saved gets fewer and fewer. Like you, I am busy with other research projects, but I hope that someone reading this will take up the challenge and pursue the avenues I detailed.

Mike

 

[Bob Godfrey]

What's the situation with 3rd Class? I know of the Roth menu (14th April and perfect) and the Theobald menu (12th April, partially legible). Any others known?

 

[Trevor Powell]

Hello Bob, There is another third class April 12 menu extant- entirely legible and in excellent condition. It was sold at the Guernsey's auction in June 2004. The final price, according to my notes, was $20,000.00

 

[Trevor Powell]

>>I think one of the gamblers (forget which one of the 3) saved a menu and a passenger list.<<

Hello Daniel, the gambler in question is George Brereton who saved both a passenger list and menu folded in his pocket. The passenger list alone was sold in Ken Schultz's 2003 catalog for $25,000.00. I have no idea what became of the menu or when it was dated but these items came directly from the family.

As to how many menus exist, there was a survey done with Guernsey's in 2004 indicating AT LEAST 25 menus were extant from the Titanic- five of which were auctioned off in June 2004.

 

[Rena Murray]

There is a copt of the menu and the wine consumed hat last night here.

http://www.squidoo.com/Harland-and-Wolffs-Titanic/

I always put my source to back up what I am saying.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>I always put my source to back up what I am saying.<<

That's nice, but it's a good idea to make sure that the source has been checked for accuracy. While the one you pointed to isn't all that bad, it has a lot of problems with accuracy. It's also useful to go to multiple sources since no one source ever gets it all right.

The wine lables for example, are definately problematic. What first hand evidence is there that they were ever printed for, much less representative of, what was in the Titanic's wine store?

 

[Mark Baber]

Were there such things as UK-produced Chardonnay and Champagne in 1908? If there were, were they of a quality that would satisfy White Star's first-class passengers (to whom I would take it these items were being pitched)?

Color me sceptical.

 

[Bob Godfrey]

White Star customers got what they expected - fine quality French and German wines not less than 10 years old, as advertised in the published wine list. Those labels are novelty party items which were quite common on Ebay a few years ago.