April 12 -13 All's Well

Passengers and crew have quickly settled into the routine of life aboard Titanic. Life was much easier for the first and second class passengers on the upper decks. They had easy access to everything, there was the pool and the gymnasium to keep them amused and a barber shop to keep them neat and tidy.

Lower down in the third class quarters, many were commenting on how luxurious their accommodation was. For many this was the first time they had seen a toilet and one of the jobs of the matron, as well as keeping an eye on the health of her charges, was to show the passengers how to use the toilet and the running water in the hand basins and baths.

There was a wide range of food available and most would find the opportunity to try something new. They were limited in their movement on the ship and all the gates leading to the upper areas of the ship were locked to prevent them accidentally wandering into a second or first class area. This was not just a White Star policy it was actually insisted upon by the US government. It was their immigration laws that prevented any contact between third class passenger and others. It was also at their behest that the health checks were carried our prior to them being allowed on board.

If any passengers were found to have anything amiss when they arrived at immigration in New York, the liner that brought them had to take them back, at their own expense. The type of things that would cause a failure were as simple as head or body lice. It was a blessing for a group of Syrian children who were rejected and therefore lived. There were 125 passengers listed form Syria, which at that time also encompassed what is modern day Lebanon. That made them one of the larger 'foreign' groups on the ship.

By this stage the Guarantee Group, led by Titanic's designer Thomas Andrews, were hard at work taking note of anything that needed fixing and fixing the smaller things as they could. Harland and Wolff had team who went on the maiden voyages of any ships built by the, to observe ship operations and spot any necessary improvements. During the voyage, Andrews took notes on various improvements he felt were needed. He remarked to a friend that Titanic was "as nearly perfect as human brains can make her.”.

 

Thomas Andrews was well liked among crew and passengers alike, no one had anything but a kind word for him. He was the nephew of Lord Pirrie, part owner and chairman of Harland and Wolff. This didn't give him any favours though, he did his apprenticeship like anyone else.

During his apprenticeship, he worked in all facets of ship building, learning the business inside and out. He was very studious and committed and this saw him rise through the ranks fairly quickly. In 1907, Andrews was appointed the managing director and head of the draughting department at Harland and Wolff. The same year He began on the plans for the White Star Line's new 'olympic-class' liners, Olympic and Titanic.

As designer, he was the obvious choice to head the team. On their inspections, the team explored all areas of the ship, and Andrews again showed his character by taking time to speak to passengers and crew alike no matter what part of the ship they were on.

 

He found nothing major in his tours, but did make notes of minor changes for either practical or aesthetic reasons. He should have been proud of his achievements, he had built a most wondrous ship. It was a great achievement in both luxury and safety. The only pity was that he had been over ruled on the number of life boats she would carry.

 

Background
Part 1   Introduction to the story.
Part 2   Sign of the Times
Part 3  The Times They are a Changing
Part 4  Crossing the Atlantic
Part 5  Iceberg Dead Ahead

The Journey
Part 1 Preparation
Part 2 Setting Sail
Part 3 A few stops
Part 4 All's well
more coming soon

Another Perspecive
Part 1 An astrological look
Part 2 An astrological perspective