These Rare Titanic Photos Will Give You Goosebumps

On April 14th, 1912, the Titanic, the world’s largest and most luxurious “unsinkable” ship, struck an iceberg and sank in just under three hours. Immortalized in the movie Titanic, these rare photos give us a glimpse into what really happened that fateful night. Built using steel rivets, the Titanic was the latest technology of the time. Sadly, her maiden voyage became her last.

The Legacy of the Titanic

Practically everyone has heard of the RMS Titanic, a British passenger liner that infamously sank after colliding with an iceberg. It’s one of the most well-known disasters in human history. A fictional story surrounding the event was the basis for the 1997 film Titanic, which remains one of the highest grossing films ever made.

There Are Many Things You May Not Know

But despite how famous the liner and its story might be, there are many interesting facts and details about the doomed vessel that you may not know. As we step back into history and recall the true events surrounding the construction, voyage, and sinking of the Titanic, we’ll unearth many interesting facts you might not have known.

The Size of the Ship

For its time, the Titanic was massive, although today would seem relatively small compared to modern cruise ships. The Titanic was nearly 883 feet long and 104 feet tall. It had ten decks and three main engines that were powered by steam from 29 boilers and 159 furnaces.

Details About Lifeboats

There are many details about Titanic’s lifeboats that would be called into question following the sinking of the ship. There were a total of 20 lifeboats aboard the Titanic but there could have been up to 64. Had the Titanic been fully stocked, 64 lifeboats could have saved as many as 4,000 people, more than the ship’s total capacity.

Lifeboat Laws

What many people don’t know is that the Titanic actually had more lifeboats than legally required. At the time, lifeboats were considered a means to transport people from a sinking ship to a rescue ship. They were not considered to be a means to keep every single passenger from drowning or falling into the sea.

The Maiden Voyage

Titanic’s home port was Liverpool but it departed from Southampton due to its more advantageous location. At the time of its maiden voyage, the plan was for the ship to frequently travel between Southampton and New York. Because the Titanic was so large, a special deep-water dock was constructed to accommodate it.

Titanic’s Crew Members

The Titanic had a total of 885 crew members, 97% of which were male. The vast majority of these crew members were just temporary workers who first boarded the ship shortly before it left Southampton on its maiden voyage. The largest department was the engine crew, which had 325 workers.

Captain Edward Smith

The captain of the Titanic was Edward Smith. Smith had been captain of the Olympic, a sister ship to the Titanic. In 1911, the Olympic crashed into a British warship. Although the damage was considerable, the Olympic did not sink and was able to return to Southampton. The British Navy blamed the Olympic for the incident.

Passengers Aboard the Titanic

There were 1,317 passengers aboard the Titanic, the majority of whom were in third class. 66% of these passengers were male and 34% were female. Among the first class passengers were some famous or notable historical figures, such as John Jacob Astor IV, Benjamin Guggenheim, Isidor Straus, Archibald Gracie, and William Thomas Stead.

The Unsinkable Molly Brown

Perhaps the most well-known first class passenger aboard the Titanic was Margaret Brown, later known as The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Aside from surviving the Titanic’s sinking, she would later become known as an outspoken advocate for women’s rights. She even ran for the U.S. Senate in 1914.

A First Near Disaster

The Titanic began its first voyage at noon on April 10, 1912. Within minutes, it nearly caused an accident. The Titanic caused another ship’s mooring cables to snap, causing the ship to nearly collide with the Titanic. Thankfully, a nearby tugboat was able to gain control of the unmoored ship and avert disaster.

Last Known Photos

The Titanic first made its way to the French port of Cherbourg, 77 nautical miles away from Southampton. It then headed to Queenstown, New Zealand. Photos taken by passengers departing from Queenstown are the last known images of the Titanic before it sank. The two last known photos were taken by Francis Browne, a Jesuit trainee, and Kate Odell.

En Route to New York

The Titanic was scheduled to arrive in New York on April 17. For three days while traveling from Queenstown to New York, there were no major incidents aboard the ship. All seemed to be going well. But Captain Smith received some prescient warnings from other ships that he ignored.

Iceberg Warnings

The Titanic received warnings from other ships of drifting ice near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Despite these warnings, the Titanic continued at full speed ahead, which was considered appropriate action at the time. Warnings of ice were seen as advisories to be noted by lookouts and the bridge, who were tasked with sighting any dangerous icebergs.

Why the Captain Was Not Concerned About Icebergs

Although it seems obvious in retrospect that precautionary measures should’ve been taken, Captain Smith was not terribly concerned about icebergs while on board the Titanic. In 1907, a German liner collided with an iceberg but did not sink. The belief at the time was that ships like the Titanic would not sink even if they hit an iceberg.

The Titanic Hits an Iceberg

On April 14, at nearly midnight, a lookout spotted an iceberg in front of the Titanic and alerted the bridge.

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The order was made from the bridge to steer around the iceberg but it was too late. The starboard side of the Titanic was struck by the iceberg and dented so severely that a hole allowed water to enter the ship.