2010

The 2010 membership year begins with more great original stories. Many of the articles in this journal about the Titanic disaster began by reading about a person or family involved and following up with a personal letter. Laurence Stoudenmire was a college student who took his camera with him when he was hired as a driver to travel to the Mediterranean on board Carpathia in April 1912. He kept a diary that he sent home and his local newspaper printed his commentary shortly after Titanic’s sinking.

Thanks to Kate Finnegan who performed yeoman’s work on the day of Millvina’s memorial services in church and at Southampton Docks. After the 11 a.m. memorial service for Millvina at St. Mary’s Church, she collected THS’s floral tribute from the chancel steps and she and her friend, Liz, made their way to Berth 22 in the Eastern Docks where they had arranged to meet our pilot for the day, Alan Greenham, on the Harbourmaster’s launch, Sentinel. This came about earlier when she realized that the Titanic Historical Society wouldn’t have been represented on the day and she offered to try and take some photographs for the Society. With the help of Ron Hancock at the VTS Centre, Sentinel was put at her disposal. The result is a wonderful display of photographs and a tribute to the last Titanic survivor.

Titanic’s speed immediately prior to the collision was in excess of 21 knots (24 MPH) and as a result the damage to the hull would have occurred in about 10 seconds. Tom McCluskie presents the sequence of events that occurred in Titanic’s boiler room.

An enigmatic photograph of two beautiful little girls in Victorian dress mesmerized THS member Loree Collins. Turning the frame over to expose an old, worn board with several lines of writing, she could make out the names Mabel Skoog and Margit [sic]. Alongside their names were the numbers 9 and 2, respectively. She is looking for positive identification if these were the Skoog children aboard Titanic.

Nine months after surviving the Titanic disaster, Margaret Hays embarked upon a journey which would have an even greater impact on her life. The visit to Southern California did change it in a big way. One person Margaret met in Pasadena was Dr. Charles D. Easton of Newport, Rhode Island, a 1904 graduate of Harvard Medical School. Newspapers would later report that it was Margaret’s compassion for the two Navratil children which attracted him to her. On his own vacation, he may have altered his travel plans in order to spend more time with her.

Oceanic III, the Unfinished Dream, has been delayed. Tim Trower uncovered a very rare image and by seeking permission to reproduce and use, would have held up the Commutator’s printing schedule. His original research and years of work uncovering the elusive White Star liner made it mandatory to wait until the story is complete.

The latest list of donors for the THS’s Titanic Centennial Memorial Project is included. We need the help from all our readers to make our mission a reality. Thank you.

Contents

MEMORIAL SERVICE CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF MILLVINA DEAN By Kate Finnegan

SAYING GOODBYE TO MILLVINA DEAN AT BERTH 44 SOUTHAMPTON DOCKS By Kate Finnegan

THE SKOOG GIRLS? – ANGELS IN STEERAGE, UNRAVELING A TITANIC MYSTERY By Loree Collins

INTRODUCTION AND CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE OF PRINCIPALS IN TITANIC’S ENGINE AND BOILER ROOMS AT THE TIME OF COLLISION Compiled by Tom McCluskie

LAURENCE STOUDENMIRE’S CARPATHIA PHOTOS Compiled by Ed and Karen Kamuda

SEA POSTE
Message of thanks from Paul Phaneuf; important notice about the new Titanic Museum Store––whether you are new or an old-timer, everyone starts fresh creating a new password; corrections and additions for the Archie Butt article from George Behe who has written a new biography about him; Discoveries of Rare Titanic Artifacts article pleased THS member Sharon Lee Willing whose great-grandparents occupied stateroom E-31; new URL for additional data on Rockets, Lifeboats and Time Changes article.

BOOK NOTES Titanic and Liverpool, by Alan Scarth and Titanic Scandal – The Trial of the Mount Temple by Senan Molony

TITANIC SAILAWAY PARTIES Registration Form and Updated Program

THS’s PROJECT FOR 2012 UPDATE: TITANIC CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL

MARGARET HAYS JOURNEY TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA By Don Lynch

FRONT COVER
The boiler room on a steamship circa 1912. Tom McCluskie describes the sequence of events at the time of Titanic’s collision. (Kamuda collection)

BACK COVER
On the day of the memorial service for Millvina Dean, the chancel of St. Mary’s church was decorated with bouquets and wreaths of flowers from Titanic societies and organizations. (Kate Finnegan)