Joseph Bell, Chief Engineer on the R.M.S. Titanic

Dear Frank,

I hope that you got to Belfast all right and started work on time; I got your wire from Liverpool.

We have made a good run from Southampton everything working A1, we nearly had a collision with the New York and Oceanic when leaving Soton, the wash of our propellers made the two ships range about when we were passing them, this made their mooring ropes break and the New York set off across the river until the tugs got hold of her again, no damage was done but it looked like trouble at the time. Keep well and be a good lad.

Regards to *Mrs. Johnston, Your loving father. J. Bell.

*The Bell family in 1911/12 were living with Mrs Johnstone, a widow, as boarders in Belfast.

A scan of the last message from the Titanic, a PDF, click to view

Letter reads:  Sir, In reply to your letter of the 5th April.  We beg to point out that personal applications only are entertained for the position you seek.

Yours,

J Bell Chief  Engineer

per WSL

Joseph Bell letter
dated 6th April 1912

The Cumbria Country Council have designed posters for their libraries to advertise the local links to the area. You can view the posters below (click on them to enlarge) or view them in PDF here and the bookmarks here.

Tile Films : ‘SAVING THE TITANIC’

The Tile Films film ‘Saving the Titanic’ (website here) will have its UK premiere showing on the UK History Channel at 18.00  on the eve of the centenary, the 14th of April ’12.  Programme schedule as below:

“Heroes Of The Titanic 1

[Sat 6:00 PM] 120mins

Gripping drama-doc revealing the unsung heroism of the Titanic’s boilermen and engineers. Below deck, they gave their lives to power the sinking ship as its passengers struggled to safety. …”

St Faith’s Church, Waterloo, Merseyside,  will hold their regular Sunday morning Solemn Eucharist at 11.00 a.m. on April 15th.   This  will include an Act of Remembrance for the 100 years anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

The choir will sing an anthem by the Acting Director of Music, Mr Daniel Rathbone, entitled “They that go down to the sea in ships”, in memory of Joseph Bell, Chief Engineer of the Titanic.

Joseph and his wife Maud attended St Faith’s, and a plaque is to be seen in the church placed there by his wife in his memory.

St Faith’s Seviice Register

Take a look at the selection of photos here they are a good selection:

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/speck-on-ocean-floor-incredible-new-images-of-the-titanic-16129265.html