On This Day (April 10) : The Titanic Set Sail From Southampton

The White Star Liner Titanic left Southampton for New York City, 1912.

The world had been waiting with baited breath for the Titanic to begin it’s epic voyage from Southampton to New York City. The impressive Liner set sail on the 10th calling at Cherbourg in France and Queenstown in Ireland before heading West towards New York City.

Men stand with the giant chain links that were forged for the Titanic’s Hingley anchor, 1910 At the time, the Titanic had the largest anchor in the entire world.

With impressive decor, lavish meals, precious cargo and some of the wealthiest guests in the world, the impending tragedy was unforeseen for the decadent journey.

Interior decor in the Titanic. The smoking room, 1912.

Four days after departure, the ship hit an iceberg at around 11:40pm south of Newfoundland. After five of the sixteen watertight compartments were exposed to the sea, the Titanic gradually filled with water before breaking into two parts at around 2:20am.

Women and children had been evacuated from the ship as a priority, but the lifeboats were not fully loaded, leaving approximately 1000 passengers on board. As the Cunard liner RMS Carpathia arrived at the scene of the sinking, she managed to save over 700 survivors.

A fascinating look at Beatrice Wood, the woman James Cameron modeled Rose Dewitt Bukater Calvert after in the movie “Titanic”.

Public outrage ensued as the world was outraged with the lack of precaution, failures and loss of life. The controversy has seen Titanic go down in history as the most famous ship in history.

Many artifacts were retrieved from the ship to be displayed in museums around the world, with the body of the boat still sleeping on the sea bed part way through her journey.