Civil servant Maurice Clarke warned that Titanic needed ‘50% more lifeboats’ but his fears were suppressed, a newly uncovered document reveals. The documents were obtained by a solicitor more than 50 years ago and it is his son who is now selling them with a pre-sale estimate of £30.000.
Titanic safety officer’s warning that they needed ‘50% more lifeboats …
BBC Radio Cumbria’s Belinda Artingstoll interviewed Ann Freer, currently living in the former Bell family home in Farlam, Cumbria, where Joseph Bell was born in 1861 and lived his early years here. This audio interview walkabout was part of Radio Cumbria’s marking of the death of Joseph Bell on R.M.S. Titanic, and was broadcast in April 2012.
Derbyshire Times 30th July 1892
MARRIAGE OF MISS MAUD BATES OF
RIPLEY
The marriage of Mr. Joseph Bell, R.N.R. chief engineer White Star Line, eldest son of Mr. John Bell, of Edentown, Carlisle and brother in law to Mr. W H Lowthian, of the Nottingham Joint Stock Bank, Ripley, to Miss Maud Bates daughter of late Mr. Joseph Bates, and niece of Mr. George Day, of the Grange Ripley, has just taken place at Ripley.
The ceremony was performed by the vicar of Ripley. The bridesmaids were Miss Shawcross of Warrington, Miss Garnham of Ripley, Miss Nellie Day & Miss Gertie Lowthian. The best men were Mr.John Bell jnr and Mr.W R Bates. The bride was given away by her uncle Mr. George Day.
The wedding presents were numerous and valuable, and included a tea service and address from All Saints Church Sunday School teachers, with which Church she had for many years been identified.
Life for a young H & W [Harland & Wolff] apprentice like Francis [Frank] Bell was both exciting and demanding in its requirements and conditions in Autumn 1911. I am unable to confirm if Frank was an ordinary or a premium apprentice at H & W, but suspect it to be the latter. Being a premium apprentice would be a ‘shipyard pupil’ whose parent i.e. Joseph Bell, Chief Engineer on the Titanic at the time, would normally make a payment to H & W and Frank would consequentially be indentured by them.
Some of the conditions of Indenture were not to damage or waste materials or goods belonging to H & W, neither was fornication, getting married, playing cards, dice, or any other unlawful games allowed. Visits to taverns, alehouses or playhouses were also out of the question.
The apprentice was paid an initial first year income of 8 shillings a week, with an annual increase of 2 shillings per year if he had been a good lad until the indenture of five years was completed. H & W were punctilious about attending work, anyone not attending more than one day without permission was liable to dismissal or fine. Lastly no liquor or smoking on the premises – pretty hard going for ten bob a week, but with such assured futures for apprentices in the H & W world of the period.
See the example of the certificate of Indenture of c.1912:
Indenture Harland & Wolff c.1912
Blue Star Line Chairman, Professor Clive Palmer, today announced one of the world’s leading ship design and marine engineering companies has been commissioned to assist with the Titanic II project. Finnish-based Deltamarin, which has offices worldwide, will undertake a full review of the Titanic II project to ensure the vessel will be compliant with all current safety and construction regulations, as well as meeting the design criteria laid down by Blue Star Line. The work carried out by Deltamarin will enable China’s CSC Jinling Shipyard to begin construction of the passenger liner. Professor Palmer said Blue Star Line had been overwhelmed by the international response to the Titanic II project, which was announced in April this year. “More than 20,000 people have registered on Blue Star Line’s website expressing an interest in receiving regular updates from us or requesting information on how to secure bookings for Titanic II’s maiden voyage,” Professor Palmer stated. He reaffirmed the 2016 launch date for the ship and the intention for Titanic II to sail from China to England before her maiden passenger voyage retracing its original journey. “Titanic II will be a regular feature on the transatlantic route between the UK and USA,” Professor Palmer said. “This magnificent vessel is being constructed in memory of the heroic people who served on the first ship, as well as the passengers who sadly shared their fate. “We also want to recognise the artists and artisans whose skill, creativity and dexterity has never been fully recognised because of the ship’s limited service.” On April 30, 2012, Professor Palmer announced to the world his intention to build and launch Titanic II in conjunction with leading Chinese shipbuilders, CSC Jinling Shipyard. The announcement came 100 years after the original vessel last sailed. Professor Palmer said Titanic II would have the same dimensions as its predecessor, with 840 rooms and nine decks. The main changes to the original Titanic would be below the water line including welding, a bulbous bow for greater fuel efficiency, diesel generation and bow thrusters for increased manoeuvrability. Deltamarin specialise in consulting, design and engineering and project management from small concept development tasks and studies, to complete engineering packages in the marine field. They offer services to the marine and offshore industries worldwide. They were founded in 1990 by a group of naval architects and engineers, some of whom still work for the company. More than 400 people are currently employed by the group worldwide. Their major projects include ‘Oasis of the Seas’, a vast cruise vessel launched in 2009 that can carry over 5400 people. Also on Deltamarin’s impressive list of more than 5000 marine developments are ‘Celebrity Solstice’ and ‘Celebrity Equinox’, two of the most ground breaking cruise ship designs in operation today.
Clive Palmer says new Chinese-built ship will make maiden voyage across Atlantic in 2016
FEBRUARY 2013
A HUNDRED years after the original Titanic sank, she – or rather, a ship like her – is set to sail again, thanks to one of Australia’s richest men, who has commissioned a replica of the famous passenger liner.
The new version of the ship already dubbed Titanic II, will be custom-built for billionaire Queensland businessman Clive Palmer, who has signed a memorandum of understanding with state-owned Chinese company CSC Jinling Shipyard. The ship is due to make its maiden voyage in 2016.
The 21st-century liner will be an almost exact replica of the original ill-fated ship and will have the same dimensions, with 840 rooms and nine decks. The diesel-powered vessel will also have four funnels, like the original, which ran on coal, but they will be purely decorative.
However, there will be some differences below the waterline. The new ship will feature a “bulbous bow for greater fuel efficiency and diesel generation, and an enlarged rudder and bow thrusters for improved maneuverability” explains the Sydney Morning Herald.
The ship will have a few other features that the original lacked. They include an exhibition room dedicated to promoting tourism in the state of Queensland, and, crucially, an escort from the Chinese navy when it makes its maiden voyage from London to New York in 2016, something that should help it avoid the same fate as the first Titanic.
The original liner was the largest ship of its time. It struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York and sank on 15 April 1912, killing 1,500 people.
When asked if the new version of the Titanic would sink, Palmer responded with typical Australian honesty. “Of course it will sink if you put a hole in it,” he said. “It is going to be designed so it won’t sink. But you never know what could happen.”
“Palmer did not provide a cost estimate. He said he had established a new shipping company, Blue Star Line Pty Ltd, and that design work for the Titanic II has begun with assistance from a historical research team,” reported the Daily Mail. ·
Snr Engineer, Francis John [Frank] Bell, b.21.08.1895 Tottenham London.
Francis John [Frank] Bell – Service Record aged 24 in 1919
Joseph and son Frank Bell, from film ‘SAVING THE TITANIC.
HONOURING OUR TITANIC HERO
SIR – Remembering Joseph Bell, chief engineer of the RMS Titanic, who was born in Farlam, near Brampton:
A headstone in Farlam churchyard near Brampton: The headstone marks the death of Joseph Bell from Farlam who was the chief engineer on the RMS Titanic.
He was a grand lad that,
So I eared tell,
A grand lad that,
Aye Joseph Bell.
For when that damn great iceberg struck
An all a t’world’s foundations shook,
He kept that ship alive did he, or
Mare’d a been lost to the crashin sea.
Aye, a grand lad that,
So I eared tell.
God bless his soul, Joseph Bell.
Miss Janice M ROBINSON
Mill Street, Frizington
First published at 11:58, Thursday, 12 April 2012 Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk
On the 15th of April 2012, the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic was commemorated across the world. The article in the April edition of ‘Cumbrian Life’ features Joseph Bell, and other Cumbrian born heroes whose courage prevented an even greater loss of life on that tragic day 100 years ago.
Titanic Pierhead Memorial Liverpool
The information here cannot possibly convey the emotional
feelings generated as a consequence of the memorial service
on the afternoon of the 15th of April 2012, but is offered as
small insight into the occasion which took place at
St. Thomas a Becket Church, Farlam, Cumbria.
The new page can be found by clicking here
Joseph Bell, Chief Engineer on the R.M.S. Titanic 