Launch Facts about Titanic 

Titanic Facts

12.15:02 

Launch Facts about Titanic ship show that this was the time at which the Titanic ship entered the water. (there was no pomp, no champagne or ceremonial naming of the ship, as was the policy of the White Star Line).


Titanic Facts at its Launch 


  • White Star line did not “christen” their ships with a naming ceremony and champagne.
  • There were 90 members of press at the launch.
  • The crowd was estimated to be 100,000.
  • The Titanic ship was launched from No. 2 slipway.
  • The length of the slipway was 772 feet or 235 metres.
  • The day was also the birthday of Lord Pirrie, the chairman of Harland and Wolff and his wife, Lady Margaret Pirrie.
  • A celebration dinner was held for Harland and Wolff and White Star bosses following the launch.
  • The press who were covering the launch were taken to lunch at Belfast’s Grand Central Hotel.
  • A shipwright called James Dobbin was injured during the launch when his legs were trapped under the ship. He died in hospital the next day.
  • Titanic took just 62 seconds to make her journey down Slipway number 2 into the water.
  • At Titanic’s launch, Thomas Andrews’ 5 year old nephew, John was allowed to knock away one of the small wedges which held her in place.
  • Once launched, Titanic was towed by five tugs to the deep water fitting out wharf. Four of these tugs came from the Alexandra Towing Company in Liverpool.
  • There were 2 rockets launched to announce the launch (one 15 minutes before launch, at around noon, and one at the point of launch).







Top to Facts About Titanic Launch

Return to Titanic Facts

Home to Uniquely northern Ireland