The story of the Titanic and the iceberg has grown into a legend. It took her discovery in 1985 to begin to find the truth behind the myth. One of the things that makes the Titanic so fascinating is that she represented the best of technology when she set sail on her ill-fated voyage in 1912, and it took the best of technology in the form of sonar, satellite tracking, and dive technology to locate her grave 73 years later.
The Titanic sailed from her company's home port of Southampton on her maiden voyage on 10 April 1912. Five days later, in the early hours of 15 April, she sank with great loss of life after striking an iceberg. The disaster which made headlines across the world and had a devastating effect on the people of Southampton. Most of the crew lived in that area and over 500 households lost at least one family member.
The great ship, at that time the largest and most luxurious afloat, was designed and built by William Pirrie's Belfast firm Harland and Wolff to service the highly competitive Atlantic Ferry Route. It had a double-bottomed hull that was divided into 16 presumably watertight compartments. Because four of these could be flooded without endangering the liner's buoyancy, it was considered unsinkable.
Shortly before midnight on April 14, the ship collided with the iceberg; five of its watertight compartments were ruptured, causing the ship to sink at 2:20 AM. Inquiries held in the United States and Great Britain alleged that the Leyland liner Californian, which was less than 20 miles (32 km) away all night, could have aided the stricken vessel had its radio operator been on duty and thereby received the Titanic's distress signals. Only the arrival of the Cunard liner Carpathia 1 hour and 20 minutes after the Titanic went down prevented further loss of life in the icy waters.
Many of those who perished on the ship came from prominent American, British, and European families. Among the dead were the noted British journalist William Thomas Stead and heirs to the Strauss and Astor fortunes. The glamour associated with the ship, its maiden voyage, and its notable passengers magnified the tragedy of its sinking. Legends arose almost immediately around the night's events, those who had died, and those who had survived. Heroes and heroines, such as American Molly Brown were identified and celebrated by the press. The disaster and the mythology that has surrounded it have continued to fascinate millions.
It is impossible to make ironclad assertions about the possible reality of psychic phenomena, but there were predictions about the Titanic disaster. All available historical facts were weighed in order to determine if these cases might have had origins stemming from "beyond" those of normal, everyday occurrences. Anyone interested in detailed analyses of this should take a look at "Titanic: Psychic Forewarnings of a Tragedy" or "Lost At Sea: Ghost Ships and Other Mysteries," written by Michael Goss. The books are interesting in their own right and offer fascinating glimpses into the personal lives of several people who, in one way or another, found that their very existence had suddenly become entwined with the sinking of the passenger liner Titanic.
My interest in the Titanic stemmed from the acquisition of a reproduction Steiff teddy bear with a small pewter rabbit. Originally designed in 1912 in the aftermath of the Titanic's tragic demise, these bears were coloured black as a mark of mourning and given to children who had lost a member of their family in the tragedy.
I have managed to connect with this great ship through one of it's unfortunate passengers and glimpsed images of what some of the areas were like, a grand ballroom, salon and an indoor swimming pool. It was almost like looking at a movie. Then the lights flickered, everything became an eerie orange colour then nothing but blackness as slowly and without panic the life ebbed out of it's occupants.
There is a legend of a supposed cursed mummy aboard the Titanic which goes something like this:
The Princess of Amen-Ra lived some 1,500 years before Christ. When she died, she was laid in an ornate wooden coffin and buried deep in a vault at Luxor, on the banks of the Nile. In the late 1890s, 4 rich young Englishmen visiting the excavations at Luxor were invited to buy an exquisitely fashioned mummy case containing the remains of Princess of Amen-Ra. They drew lots. The man who won paid several thousand pounds and had the coffin taken to his hotel. A few hours later, he was seen walking out towards the desert. He never returned. The next day, one of the remaining 3 men was shot by an Egyptian servant accidentally. His arm was so severely wounded it had to be amputated. The third man in the foursome found on his return home that the bank holding his entire savings had failed. The fourth guy suffered a severe illness, lost his job and was reduced to selling matches in the street.
Nevertheless, the coffin reached England where it was bought by a London businessman. After 3 of his family members had been injured in a road accident and his house damaged by fire, the businessman donated it to the British Museum. As the coffin was being unloaded from a truck in the museum courtyard, the truck suddenly went into reverse and trapped a passer-by. Then as the casket was being lifted up the stairs by 2 workmen, 1 fell and broke his leg. The other apparently in perfect health, died unaccountably two days later.
Once the Princess was installed in the Egyptian Room, trouble really started. The Museum's night watchmen frequently heard frantic hammering and sobbing from the coffin. Other exhibits in the room were also often hurled about at night. Finally, the authorities had the mummy carried down to the basement figuring it could not do any harm down there. Within a week one of the assistants was seriously ill, and the supervisor was found dead on his desk.
By now, the papers had heard of it. A journalist photographer took a picture of the mummy case and when he developed it, the painting on the coffin was of a horrifying, human face. The photographer was said to have gone home then, locked his bedroom door and shot himself. Soon afterwards, the museum sold the mummy to a private collector. After continual misfortune and deaths the owner banished it to the attic. No museum would take the mummy; the fact that almost 20 people had met with misfortune, disaster or death from handling the casket was now well known.
Eventually, an American archaeologist bought the mummy and arranged for its removal to New York. In Apr 1912, the new owner escorted its treasure aboard a sparkling, new White Star liner about to make its maiden voyage to New York. On the night of April 14, amid scenes of unprecedented horror, the Princess of Amen-Ra accompanied 1,500 passengers to their deaths at the bottom of the Atlantic. The name of the ship was of course, the R.M.S. Titanic.
In case you're curious the coffin lid of the Priestess of Amun is still on display at the British Museum, exhibit BM No. 22542, in the Second Egyptian Room - you have been warned!!
Telegram stating the Titanic has hit an iceberg. With thanks to Sam.
I'm always more psychic during a full moon! Photos: Lez Trend.
The Moon
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Recommended Reading
Highgate Cemetery, Victoria Valhalla - John Gay / Felix Barker.
Kill to get a copy of this the photos are superb.
Cracking Grace - Steven Stromp
A beautiful and touching novel.
Don't drop the coffin / Bury my heart in Bermondsey / Final departures / Strong shoulders - Barry Albin Dyer.
I’ve met Barry; his books are extremely funny and give a great insight into the world of a funeral director.
Deaths Acre, the Body farm - Dr Bill Bass.
Absolutely fascinating
When we die - Cedric Mims.
Highly educational.
London Cemeteries, an illustrated guide and gazetteer - High Meller.
My cemetery bible.
The English way of death - Julian Litten.
I have met Julian. In this book he gives a wonderful insight into death customs and English burial rituals.
The Victorian celebration of death - James Stevens Curl.
A fascinating book about the Victorian funeral.
Necropolis - Catherine Arnold.
An excellent read.
The mystery of the crystal skulls - Chris Morton.
I’ve been lucky enough to hold a very old crystal skull and it was amazing.
Past life angels - Jenny Smedley.
Jenny is a friend, her books are very thought provoking.
The soul bird - Michal Snunit.
It’s meant for kids but it’s so beautiful it makes me cry.
Cemetery stories - Katherine Ramsland.
I’m still laughing!
The fireside book of death - Robert Wilkins.
This book is fantastic.
Selected tales / The fall of the house of usher and other writings - Edgar Allan Poe.
I adore Poe and The Raven.
The London way of death - Brian Parsons.
Lots of photos and information.
Silent Cities volumes one, two and three, Those who have walked before us and The Story of Magic - Jeane Trend-Hill. I have to recommend these because they are mine!
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The Mason
A few weeks ago I was in central London waiting at a bus stop, people were scattered all over the pavement, leaning against walls and standing in the road. A well dressed man appeared in a heavy dark suit, bowler hat, rolled umbrella and briefcase. I noticed him as he seemed a little over dressed in the heat wave we were having at the time and he seemed very 1950s in style. He strode up to the bus stop, stood next to me, and examined the timetable oblivious to the crowd around him. He wore several Masonic badges and a sash; again I thought it peculiar daywear for Oxford Street, but each to their own. I was looking at his badges as I am interested in the history of Freemasonery and was about to speak to him when a bus appeared. The crowd moved forward but the gentlemen remained exactly where he was. I turned back to ask if he needed directions as he didn't appear to be following us and he had vanished into thin air! I then realised he hadn't actually been there at all, there was no bus timetable for him to study, just adverts and he was dressed for another time period as that's exactly where he had come from. I had just witnessed a dead Mason who had somehow popped in to..I'm not sure exactly what, but he was an amazing sight and well worth missing the bus for!
The Magnificent Seven
Abney Park Cemetery, this cemetery extends over 32 acres on a slope running down from an ancient ridgeway track, now Stoke Newington Church Street, to the course of Hackey Brook. Rating: nnn
Nunhead Cemetery 52-acre cemetery, the first burial was Charles Abbott, a 101-year-old Ipswich grocer and the last, a volunteer soldier who became a Canon of Lahore Cathedral. Rating: nnn
West Norwood Cemetery opened in 1836 the cemetery has 64 Grade II and Grade II* listed monuments. Rating: nnn
Kensal Green Cemetery is London's oldest public burial ground.The cemetery was founded by barrister, George Frederick Carden (1798 - 1874). He had seen Pere-Lachaise cemetery on a visit to Paris and was so impressed that he wanted to produce an English version. Rating: nnnn
Highgate Cemetery opened in 1839, Highgate Cemetery is probably most famous for its bust of Karl Marx. Highgate is considered by many to be the finest of London's 'Magnificent Seven' Cemeteries for its Victorian funerary architecture and landscaping. There are over 168,000 people buried in more than 52,00 graves. Rating: nnnnn
Tower Hamlets Cemetery originally called The City of London and Tower Hamlets Cemetery, was opened by a company of the same name, comprising 11 wealthy directors whose occupations reflect the industries of the day. They were corn merchants, merchant ship brokers, a ship owner, timber merchant and Lord Mayor of London. Rating: nnnnn
Brompton Cemetery opened in 1840. Designed by Benjamin Baud containing over 35,000 monuments, many of historical importance. Amazing catacombs. nnnn
Jeane's tombstone cemetery ratings: n = fair nnnnn = the best
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Vault interiors
Woodbridge Suffolk
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Arthur Beresford' Pite's Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather.
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City of London Cemetery
Dover Mercury / Focus magazine interview at Cowgate Cemetery, Dover, Kent
