Titanic Historical Society Commutator 230

THS Commutator No. 230, Summer 3rd Quarter
Membership Year 2020

Contents

Belfast Built: Atlantic Transport Line’s Minnwaska & Minnetonka, London’s Largest Liners and Belfast’s Largest Liners
Of the three great shipping lines, White Star, Red Star and Atlantic Transport, that made up the International Mercantile Marine Company’s premier passenger-carrying business, the Atlantic Transport Line is by far the most interesting. ATL operated a unique service on the North Atlantic. Sailing out of the Port of London to New York, via Cherbourg (later replaced with Boulogne), the company’s services appealed, particularly to business people. The departures for both vessels, westbound and eastbound were on a Saturday, giving businessmen ample time to finish up their work for the week on the proceeding Friday.
By Paul Louden Brown
Page 4

Margaret Brown and “The Four Hundred”
At the beginning of the 20th century the Astors, Vanderbilts, Wideners and many other of the country’s richest citizens were summering at Newport in “cottages” that were in fact grand mansions so elaborate and expensive that the average American citizen could never dream of even delivering fish to such a home — much less owning and living in one. Ward McAllister’s list of The Four Hundred served as an informal guide that enabled Newport’s upper crust to avoid associating with boorish members of the nouveau riche who were lacking in true good taste.
By George Behe
Page 18

Memorial Service 2020
When we welcomed our first guests to Titanic Museum Attractions in Branson & Pigeon Forge, we could not have imagined a global pandemic closing most businesses in the United States in 2020 and forcing us to observe our tenth anniversary without the guests who are the essence of what we do.
By Campbell Cloar
Page 29

Called Home
Robert Hardy Gibbons, Angela Becker
Page 30

Titanic Museum Reopens to a Panda Bear
Titanic Museum Attraction guests are wearing masks. The Crew are wearing masks. There are stickers on the floors of each gallery and signage throughout the museum to remind guests to help us through social distancing.I think we were all a little nervous, all the Crew wondering how the “new normal” would affect the guest experience as we reopened.
By Titanic Museum Officer Campbell Cloar
Page 32

Memories of Titanic Passengers
In the years following the Titanic disaster many writers, often in autobiographies, wrote of those they had known who were aboard ship at the time of the sinking. Some recalled victims, while others survivors. The following is a collection of those memories: Col. John Jacob Astor, Madeleine astor, Alice Astor, Major Archibald butt, Henry B. Harris, Emily Ryerson, Frederick K. Seward, William T. Stead, George, Eleanor and Harry Widener
By Don Lynch
Page 34

Covers: Front: Charles Dixon’s painting of a ‘Minne’ class liner at the French port of Boulogne, reproduced on a contemporary postcard. Steaming away from the vessel’s side is a passenger and baggage tender, belonging to the Holland-America Line and employed by ATL at the port under a hire agreement with the Dutch company.
Back: Another work by Charles Dixon showing Minnetonka leaving New York.