Titanic Related Revolver In ET Shop

...has been added to the Encyclopedia Titanica shop...
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Please read the detailed history & provenance in the listing. Then check out the extra images on the URL mentioned.

Regards,
Andrew Bennett
Antiques Storehouse
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, UK
 
Sorry but I don't. Though I do have a silver sugar sifter and Cafe Parisienne caraffe
that assistant purser Reginald L. Barker purloined from the Titanic to help pay for his uniform (with copy of associated letter).

This is a receipt dated 6th of April 1912
being a copy of an earlier one of 26th December 1911 between a Mr Bradshaw, a White Star Taylor and Barker, a White Star Line purser detailing the exchange of the Water Jug from Cafe
Parisienne % sifter amongst other items for an officers uniform set.

Both are on ebay.co.uk
 
Why would "black leg coal from Wales" be taken to "the White Star coaling yards in Wallasey, Birkenhead, Liverpool and then via train on the way to Southampton" when it could have been sent by the direct Great Western Railway route from Cardiff to the south coast?
 
Stanley...sorry, correction (the ad has been updated too)... the owner feeds me the info in drips!

The black-leg coal was taken between Wales and Birkenhead. I do not know if Bull travelled by train to Southampton or stayed on board. All help appreciated.
 
Stanley, another drip from the owner... the interesting part is he thinks the box is from a Titanic Flare pistol. I will of course investigate that part further. Anyway more about Bull...

Bull started life working for the coal board but having moved to Southampton wished to work on Ocean liners, he took a pay cut to join the American Line. He sailed to America on several occasions and his Discharge book indicates he served with Captain Smith (which I have) aboard the Adriatic. This line was incorporated with the White star line in 1907.

In 1908 Bull moved to the drawing office in Southampton and at some point married Clarissa who had been in charge of that office.

In 1911 a national coal strike affected the shipping lines, so that by March 1912 the Titanic was not able to undertake the first sailing to New York due to the fuel shortage. Bull and others sailed to Wallasey to obtain coal by force. This was achieved but Bull sustained injuries and returned to Southampton and left the ship to go to Southampton General Hospital.

He subsequently rose to become purchasing manager and was based in London and Manchester. During the 1930s business slumped and he had the idea of taking Scholar educational trips. Papers survive listing him as the organisor aboard the SS Dorric.

During the war years Bull won an award for turning shipping around in record time in Manchester. Some documents from that time exist as well as his hat, briefcase and named suitcase.

An existing original photograph shows Bull, McPherson and Sir Percy E Bates at Bulls retirement ceremony in 1947 where he received the Coal Strike pistol in a Titanic Flare pistol box which was used aboard the ship but taken onto a lifeboat when it contained a flare pistol.

Bull's son Douglas was contacted by a Cunard official and many items relating to the Titanic and his service were passed to the company archive. Some remaining photographs and artifacts were bought privately from the family.
 
This would certainly appear to be a more likely scenario - I wonder if anyone else has any comments on the problems caused by the coal strike. The idea of the pistol being placed in the "wrong" box also has the ring of truth.
 
Stanley, thank you. Yes, I would obviously be interested in authenticating the history of the flare pistol box, it does have a brass Titanic label to the cover. Where can I find images of other such items? The pistol is exactly what it is claimed to be, full provenance. Can't think of a reason why Percy Bates would hand over an untruthful case.
 
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