Authenticity is Everything
OT: September 1st, 1985 Titanic Found after 73 years.
Forty years ago today the wreck of the WSL Titanic was found by a joint French-American expedition on September 1, 1985. The leaders of the expedition were Dr. Robert Ballard of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Jean-Louis Michel of IFREMER (the French National Institute for Research and Exploitation of the Sea). Below are some items from my collection. A unique hand tinted photo of the WSL Adriatic signed to me by the youngest and last survivor Millvina Dean. It was this WSL ship that took her, her mother and brother back to England, and it was while in command of this ship in 1907 Captain Smith was famously quoted saying something like "I cannot imagine any condition which could cause a ship to founder. I cannot conceive of any vital disaster happening to this vessel. Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that." There are some photographs of "The Big Piece" being raised and on land, and some images of very rare fragments I have from this section of the hull. The horsehair insulation was recovered from portions of cabin C-79 and/or C-81 (just behind the aft Grand Staircase, by the Verandah Cafe and Palm Court), which made up most of "The Big Piece." Archibald Gracie, who wrote the book the insulation is mounted in, was in C-51 (near the aft Grand Staircase). The insulation was saved by a friend of mine who worked the exhibition. Apart from a few fragments, this was all discarded down the drain during what I can only call power washing. :-(
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Ryan Sloss on
-
Still as fascinating today as it was then. Thanks for sharing!
-
Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on
-
Thank you :-)
I remember seeing this "first photo" back then and being blown away:
-
Permalink Reply by JMS1223 on
-
Thanks for sharing. I agree, just as interesting now as it was the first time I saw these photos.
-
-
I recall that day, as well. It was the end of one of the 20th century's greatest mysteries.
I have a few Titanic-related mementos, including a few letters from Dr. Robert Ballard. The first letter was written not long after the discovery, and he was diplomatically non-committal regarding the topic of retrieving artifacts. As the years passed he became more outspoken about the issue.
I also have a note from Millvina Dean in which she answered my question about how her family ended up back in England. She explained that her father was moving their family to Kansas where he was to open a tobacconist's store. She said that after he "drowned" (more likely succumbed to hypothermia in the water), the family moved back to England to be with relatives.
I don't have any pieces from the Titanic except for pieces of coal, but I did touch that Big Piece in Boston when it was on display as it underwent preservation.
© 2025 Created by Steve Cyrkin, Admin.
Powered by
Badges | Report an Issue | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
