April 10 Departure date

Southampton port is bustling with activity. Passengers and crew have been arriving since the early hours, as have the many sightseers, eager to catch a glimpse of the newest leviathan, as she make her way into history, as the largest and most luxurious ship in the world.

Most of the passengers arrive on the boat train, or from one of the many hotels nearby built for the countless thousands coming and going from the port each year.

The last of the supplies and cargo are being loaded, as the passengers are guided to their boarding areas.

1st and 2nd class have a fairly easy time of the boarding process, but it is not so straight forward for those travelling by 3rd class or steerage.

One of the major draw backs to those travelling third class was the delay they endured before they were even allowed to board the ship, being forced to undergo rudimentary health checks, much like a cattle inspection. First and second class passengers were exempt from such checks, being feted on board to the upper decks, no matter the condition of their health.

Third class passengers were forced to gather, not unlike a herd of cattle, at the base of the lower gangway, where they were poked and prodded. They had their eyes, ears and mouths checked to ensure they were disease free, before being allowed to enter the bowels of the ship that would be home for the next week. This was enforced upon them by law of the US government and was repeated again on their arrival at Ellis Island. The European lines were very stringent in these checks, as anyone who was rejected by the US officials at the other end was sent back, at the expense of the ship owners who brought them over.

Ingeborg was excited, not just because they were sailing on the world’s biggest ocean Liner, she would also be celebrating her tenth birthday on board, along with her sister, Sigrid, who shared the same birthday, although two years older. Their birthday was April 16, the day before they were due to land in New York.

She was certain that somewhere amongst her mother’s luggage would be a small gift for each of them, and with all these people, they might even have a party.

Quite often on transatlantic crossings, third class passengers were responsible for things such as providing their own meals etc,. On Titanic however all meals were provided. They also had separate cabins for groups and families, instead of the open dormitory style accommodation on most ships of the day. They even had two baths, one for the men and one for the women and children. It was quite a treat.

They had the luxury of a separate dining room in the middle of the sleeping areas. The single men were quartered in the bow of the ship, while the single women and family cabins were in the stern. Their was also a general room, where third class passengers could gather, read, write letters or simply share each others company. This was in between their sleeping areas below and the poop deck, where they could enjoy the fresh sea air above. The poop deck was perhaps aptly named on these ships, as it was also where the stewards would exercise the pampered pooches of the first and second class passengers.

Below decks, where the third class passengers were quartered was a rabbit warren and it was amazing they were able to find their way from one section to another. It was such a labyrinth that second officer Charles Lightoller commented in his memoirs “It is difficult to convey any idea of the size of a ship like the Titanic, when you could actually walk miles along decks and passages, covering different ground all the time” and further, “it took me fourteen days before I could with confidence find my way from one part of that ship to another”. This was to prove not only difficult during the voyage but more especially so when the ship struck serious trouble.

Ingeborg and her family, having passed their health checks were guided onto the ship through the lower gangway and then directed to their cabin at the stern of the ship.

The Anderssons were just one of a number of large family groups travelling on Titanic to a new life.

Mabel Skoog, 9 years old, also from Sweden with her parents 2 brothers and baby sister. Like Ingeborg she had a sibling 2 years older but hers was a brother Karl. She would have been very happy to find other girls for playmates. There were quite a few children in their section of the ship, although there were almost as many languages too. With children language never seems to be quite the problem it is for adults and play seems to be a universal language. Music, another universal language was shared by the adults at night after dinner.

There was also Elizabeth Sage, a member of the largest family on the ship with her parents and siblings totalling eleven. Elizabeth was only a few months older than Ingeborg and her younger sister Constance was seven.

Little Torborg Palsson another 8 year old was also travelling from Sweden with her mother, and three younger siblings, a sister aged 3 and brothers aged 6 and 2, to meet up with their father who had also gone ahead to set up their new home.

Then there were the Goodwins, Frederick and Augusta, travelling with their six children, from Lillian aged sixteen, down to little Sidney just 18 months. Frederick was an electrician and decided to move his family to America after his brother, Thomas, told Frederick of an opening at the big power station at Niagra Falls, where he was already living. The family sold their home and booked passage on a small steamer but their ship was cancelled due to the coal strike and they were transferred to the Titanic.

It was a rush to get everyone and their luggage on board in time for the scheduled departure at midday. White Star had a very strict schedule when it came to departure times, all their ships left dock at 12 midday, when the sun was at it's highest point in the sky.

At 11:45 the ship sounds her mighty triple steam whistle three times as a warning to any who were still lagging around that they need to get a move on. It was also useful to clear the pubs of any crew who were still not on board.

As the last of the crew scrambles aboard the hatches are closed and the tugs prepare to to tow Titanic out of the harbour.

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