Today in 1911, RMS Titanic was launched. It was the largest ship afloat and the second of three Olympic-class ocean liners built for the White Star Line. The ship was built by the Harland and Wolff shipbuilding company in Belfast. The first-class accommodation was designed to be the pinnacle of comfort and luxury. It included a gymnasium, swimming pool, smoking rooms, fine restaurants and cafes, a Victorian-style Turkish bath and hundreds of opulent cabins. A high-powered radiotelegraph transmitter was available to send passenger "marconigrams" and for the ship's operational use. Titanic had advanced safety features, such as watertight compartments and remotely activated watertight doors, which contributed to the ship's reputation as "unsinkable.”
RMS Titanic sank on 15 April 1912 as a result of striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, 1,496 died, making the incident the deadliest sinking of a single ship at the time. Titanic carried some of the wealthiest people in the world, as well as hundreds of emigrants from the British Isles, Scandinavia and elsewhere in Europe who were seeking a new life in the United States and Canada. The disaster drew public attention, spurred major changes in maritime safety regulations and inspired a lasting legacy in popular culture.
Today we were delighted to welcome back Dick Jones and to congratulate him on his award from the Gosport Business Awards as highly commended in the category Independent Cultural and Creativity Business of the Year. We were also delighted to welcome Lyndsey Blake from Home Instead, who made her first visit of 2024.
A reminder to contribute here to Paul Samrah's charity drive to deliver an ambulance to Kyiv in September.
