Wireless operators interacting with first class passengers

[LLWH]

Hi! I'm working on a novel, and I was wondering if there was any situation in which the marconi operators, specifically Phillips, would interact with the first class passengers? I know the marconi room was very close to the first class entrance, but I don't know how the hallways were structured, or where it was appropriate for them to be. I know they're crew, but they seem almost at an officer level, considering their duties and education, so on a practical level, (where they're allowed to be/ appropriate interactions, etc.) what "class" were they? Is there any reason they'd been in the first class dining room, entrance, promenade, anything? Or would there be any reason why a number of first class passengers might be in a place where it would be more normal for him to be?
Thanks so much in advance!!

 

[Thomas Krom]

Hello,


Good to see you again. How have you been?

I was wondering if there was any situation in which the marconi operators, specifically Phillips, would interact with the first class passengers? I know the marconi room was very close to the first class entrance, but I don't know how the hallways were structured, or where it was appropriate for them to be.

The hallways were structured like this around the Marconi wireless room, the silent room and their sleeping quarters:

The Marconi room which was in the middle had no access point in the first class corridor.

I know they're crew, but they seem almost at an officer level, considering their duties and education, so on a practical level, (where they're allowed to be/ appropriate interactions, etc.) what "class" were they? Is there any reason they'd been in the first class dining room, entrance, promenade, anything? Or would there be any reason why a number of first class passengers might be in a place where it would be more normal for him to be?
Thanks so much in advance!!

The Marconi officers’ were considered part of the victualling crew due to their assignment to the enquiry office on C-deck (with the two pneumatic pipes that were connected between the Marconi room and the enquiry office. They had their own dining saloon on C-deck, attached to the maids’ and valets’ saloon, which they shared with the postal clerks. Since they weren’t officially White Star Line employees they properly didn’t knew much of the rules on-board as the other officers’. Most likely based on that their route to their dining saloon would have been through the port or starboard doors of the officers’ quarters, going aft towards the first class promenade on the boat deck until they reach the engineers promenade and then making their way down the stewards stairwell from the boat deck to C-deck, where they would reach the pantry of the maids’ and valets’ saloon where the servants meals were assembled.

Is there any reason they'd been in the first class dining room, entrance, promenade, anything? Or would there be any reason why a number of first class passengers might be in a place where it would be more normal for him to be?

Unlike as shown in A Night To Remember the wireless messages to the captain would be delivered by a steward, most likely by his own steward Arthur Paintin. The Marconi wireless operators only left to deliver messages to the bridge during her shift.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,

Thomas

 

[LLWH]

Hello,


Good to see you again. How have you been?

The hallways were structured like this around the Marconi wireless room, the silent room and their sleeping quarters:
View attachment 111177
The Marconi room which was in the middle had no access point in the first class corridor.

The Marconi officers’ were considered part of the victualling crew due to their assignment to the enquiry office on C-deck (with the two pneumatic pipes that were connected between the Marconi room and the enquiry office. They had their own dining saloon on C-deck, attached to the maids’ and valets’ saloon, which they shared with the postal clerks. Since they weren’t officially White Star Line employees they properly didn’t knew much of the rules on-board as the other officers’. Most likely based on that their route to their dining saloon would have been through the port or starboard doors of the officers’ quarters, going aft towards the first class promenade on the boat deck until they reach the engineers promenade and then making their way down the stewards stairwell from the boat deck to C-deck, where they would reach the pantry of the maids’ and valets’ saloon where the servants meals were assembled.

Unlike as shown in A Night To Remember the wireless messages to the captain would be delivered by a steward, most likely by his own steward Arthur Paintin. The Marconi wireless operators only left to deliver messages to the bridge during her shift.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,

Thomas

Jeez you're fast! Thanks!

 

[Thomas Krom]

Jeez you're fast! Thanks!

I own all that energy to someone special in my life. It's the least I can do to help.

 

[brionboyles]

Intrigued by the idea of a novel... so here are a few of my thoughts:
Yes, Bride and Phillips were in an odd status as employees of the Marconi Company and yet had some of the aura of ship's officers... and as such there would be rules of conduct about interacting with passengers, but two things come to mind...

1) As a child, I was once allowed to enter the cockpit on a trans-Atlantic flight. Unthinkable today, but this was in the 1960's. With wireless being "the newest thing" in 1912, I cannot but imagine that some passengers (particularly those of the First Class, used to having some influence) would be curious enough to ask for a tour/visit to the wireless "shack". Perhaps a common denominator... a shared hometown or some experience like school or a relative... might be coincidentally introduced during such a visit and a friendship struck up...?
Not enough cozy familiarity to grant a passenger "free reign", but perhaps enough to presume some interaction during a later chance encounter... ?
2) Having myself served at sea, aboard ship with many restricted areas... I have found that some individuals feel their rank or military/social status means those restrictions do not apply to them. Some of the bolder ones march on in without much regard for "keep out" signs, and still others feign innocence or ignorance when caught snooping around after their curiousity or arrogance gets the better of them. I cannot help but think that might also happen with a bolder First Class passenger...
...and then again, accidents DO happen. Perhaps a precocious or lost child might wander into the restricted area, and a parent come following...?

After all, what would be the consequences of such an infraction?
They wouldn't be thrown overboard LOL...
There were often no locks, gates or chains to be broken to gain entrance to such areas... perhaps only a sign to indicate "crew only" or some such admonishment. I could easily see my old Aunt Emmy saying "Pfft!" to such a thing, if her mind was made up to take a peek...
Lastly, the Officers' Promenade was smack dab in the middle of the First Class Promenade on the Boat Deck. I could easily see a passenger hailing an officer for a question or a chat over the "dividing line".
I mean to say, there wasn't a "No Man's Land" separating the two... and the White Star would be understanding if an officer responded out of politeness rather than a rude snub to a valued passenger... and 4 days is a lot of time for repeated encounters...
Good luck with the novel!

 

[Seumas]

Intrigued by the idea of a novel... so here are a few of my thoughts:
Yes, Bride and Phillips were in an odd status as employees of the Marconi Company and yet had some of the aura of ship's officers... and as such there would be rules of conduct about interacting with passengers, but two things come to mind...

1) As a child, I was once allowed to enter the cockpit on a trans-Atlantic flight. Unthinkable today, but this was in the 1960's. With wireless being "the newest thing" in 1912, I cannot but imagine that some passengers (particularly those of the First Class, used to having some influence) would be curious enough to ask for a tour/visit to the wireless "shack". Perhaps a common denominator... a shared hometown or some experience like school or a relative... might be coincidentally introduced during such a visit and a friendship struck up...?
Not enough cozy familiarity to grant a passenger "free reign", but perhaps enough to presume some interaction during a later chance encounter... ?
2) Having myself served at sea, aboard ship with many restricted areas... I have found that some individuals feel their rank or military/social status means those restrictions do not apply to them. Some of the bolder ones march on in without much regard for "keep out" signs, and still others feign innocence or ignorance when caught snooping around after their curiousity or arrogance gets the better of them. I cannot help but think that might also happen with a bolder First Class passenger...
...and then again, accidents DO happen. Perhaps a precocious or lost child might wander into the restricted area, and a parent come following...?

After all, what would be the consequences of such an infraction?
They wouldn't be thrown overboard LOL...
There were often no locks, gates or chains to be broken to gain entrance to such areas... perhaps only a sign to indicate "crew only" or some such admonishment. I could easily see my old Aunt Emmy saying "Pfft!" to such a thing, if her mind was made up to take a peek...
Lastly, the Officers' Promenade was smack dab in the middle of the First Class Promenade on the Boat Deck. I could easily see a passenger hailing an officer for a question or a chat over the "dividing line".
I mean to say, there wasn't a "No Man's Land" separating the two... and the White Star would be understanding if an officer responded out of politeness rather than a rude snub to a valued passenger... and 4 days is a lot of time for repeated encounters...
Good luck with the novel!

After all, what would be the consequences of such an infraction?

Suspension from duties, a fine, or termination of employment to name just three consequences.

You could not have just anyone coming into the wireless cabin and potentially poking around highly sensitive electrical equipment like that.

 

[brionboyles]

Please try to differentiate from extremes and discern the subtleties and context of my response(s).
By "consequences", I wasn't referring to punishment of officers/crew. I was referring to punishing a First Class passenger testing the bounds of White Star hospitality or attempting to fraternize with officers... not "poke around sensitive electrical equipment" like some covert operative out of "Mission Impossible" LOL... which, please forgive me...I didn't mean to imply at all.
;-)