Titanic

100 years since Titanic set sail on its fateful voyage   

                                      

It's 100 years since the Titanic set sail from Southampton on its famous journey to New York.

More than 1,500 of the ship's crew and passengers died when it hit an iceberg and sank, five days into its trip across the Atlantic.
It was the biggest, fastest and most luxurious passenger ship of the time.
Many of the cruise liner's staff were from the city of Southampton, where a special ceremony took place.

Southampton remembers

More than 650 descendants of the crew members and 600 local schoolchildren took part at the dock where the boat set sail.
A minute's silence was held to remember those who died, and people threw wreaths into the water.
The schoolchildren paraded through the streets, each holding pictures of the ship's crew.
The parade finished at the new SeaCity Museum, which was formally opened by Olympic rowing champion James Cracknell.

Cruise follows  Titanic's original route

As well as the ceremony, a memorial cruise has also set sail to mark the anniversary.
The Titanic memorial cruise set off on Sunday and is taking some of the family members of those who sailed on the original boat on a special journey to New York.
The MS Balmoral will follow the same route as the Titanic, even visiting the spot where the liner sank. 
 

How did the Titanic sink? Timeline of events

At 11.40pm on Sunday 14 April 1912, almost 100 years ago, the Titanic was just four days into its first voyage when it struck an iceberg. But how long did it take for the ocean liner to sink?

11.40pm - Titanic hits iceberg

Within minutes of hitting the iceberg the boat begins to take on thousands of tonnes of sea water through holes in its hull. The man that designed the ship, Thomas Andrews, is on board and goes to look at the damage. He tells the captain that the ship is going to sink.

12.30am, 15 April 1912 - Lifeboats are lowered

The captain, Edward J Smith, orders the lifeboats to be lowered. After ten minutes passengers start leaving the ship, with women and children taking the first spots. There are enough spaces for 1000 passengers, but some of the boats are sent off half-full. 

2.10am - Ship's lights go out

The Titanic's bow, the front of the boat, is now completely underwater causing the back of the boat to lift up. 18 out of 20 of the lifeboats have been lowered and all the lights on board finally go out.

2.17am - Titanic breaks in two

The back of the boat gets pushed further out of the water. The ship's hull isn't strong enough to withstand the pressure and snaps in two. 

2.19am - Bow begins to sink

The front of the boat disappears beneath the surface of the ocean, the back half of the Titanic soon following afterwards.

2.24am - Titanic reaches the bottom of the ocean

The front half of the ship reaches the bottom first. Two minutes later, the back half of the Titanic joins it on the floor of the Atlantic. The wreck of the ship is still there today.

TITANIC LETTER

Letter written on board the Titanic returns to Belfast

Doctor Martin holdin the copy of the letter written by his great uncle

It might have taken a long time, but a letter written on board the Titanic 100 years ago has returned to its destination of Belfast.

The letter was from Dr John Edward Simpson, who was on board the ship, to his mum.

It was written just a few days before the Titanic sank on 15 April 1912, and when the doctor died.

The letter got lost somehow but this month ended up at auction in New York.

Dr John Simpson wrote the letter

But the person who bought it decided the best thing to do was to return it to where it was headed all those years ago, Belfast in Northern Ireland.

The doctor's family had been campaigning for the letter to return to the city, so they were very happy with the news.

His great nephew, Dr Martin, said:

"...for it to be on its way back is just amazing and so appropriate now just ahead of the 100th anniversary of his death.

We are so thankful to the benefactor."

It's planned the letter will be placed in a permanent Titanic exhibition in Belfast

 

Clothes and jewels from Titanic ship go on sale

 

Almost 100 years ago the massive Titanic ocean liner was sunk by an iceberg on her first and only voyage to New York.

Over the years since the ship was sunk, experts have been to the bottom of the ocean to search for objects they can bring back to the surface.
Now, some of the items found on the ship are to be sold at auction.
They include fancy jewellery, clothes and belongings like watches, but also parts of the ship's steel body.
Experts say the objects are worth millions of pounds.

Some parts of the ship's steel body are also included in the auction

People who want to buy the old objects will have to make bids, saying how much they'd pay for them.
But the person who makes the highest bid will have to keep to special rules because the items are so special.
They must keep them together and put them on display in the future.
And that means they'll probably have to pay about £100 million for them!