Reference numbers given in italics refer either to the Museum’s Library index or, if prefixed by MSS, to the manuscript number. View the full Library and manuscripts catalogue.

Valuable information on every aspect of the ship can also be found in The Titanic Commutator, the quarterly journal of the Titanic Historical Society Inc, PO Box 53, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts 01151-0053, USA. The Museum's Library has a complete set of the journals from 1964 to the present, with copies of an index to the journals compiled by Southampton Central Library.

The ship

Braynard, Frank O, Story of the Titanic Postcards: 24 Ready-to-Mail Cards (New York: Dover Publications, 1988) 656.61.085.3Titanic

Brown, Mark, and Simmons, Roger, RMS Titanic: A Portrait in Old Picture Postcards (Loggerheads, nr. Market Drayton: Brampton Publications, 1987) 56.61.085.3Titanic

Hutchings, David F, RMS Titanic: 75 Years of Legend (Southampton: Kingfisher Publications, 1987). Includes photographs from the William Burrough Hills collection, now in the Southampton City Museums. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Titanic: the highly important longitudinal sectioned plan of the ship used at the English enquiry June 1912 and a collection of rare Titanic ephemera. At the Park Lane Hotel Ballroom, Piccadilly, London W1. For sale by auction. Wednesday, 15 April 1987, at 18.00 (London: Onslow Auctions Ltd, 1987) 656.61.085.3Titanic

The White Star Triple Screw Atlantic Liners Olympic and Titanic Ocean Liners of the Past: No.1 in a Series of Reprints from The Shipbuilder (London: Patrick Stephens, 1970). This is a facsimile of a souvenir number of The Shipbuilder, issued in 1911, including elevations and plans of both ships, their boiler rooms and engine rooms. Extracts from later editions of the journal are also included, giving an account of alterations and modifications to the original design, an account of the sinking of the Titanic, and summaries of the inquiry report and the Board of Trade's new rules for life-saving appliances. An epilogue gives the subsequent history of the Olympic. 629.123Titanic

Articles in Engineer journal (found in the Caird Library collection):

'Electrical lifts on the Olympic and Titanic’, vol.109, 24 June 1910

'Helical gears for steering apparatus of the new White Star liners', vol.110, 21 October 1910

'The launch of the Titanic', vol.111, 2 June 1911

'The Olympic and Titanic', vol.111, 3 March 1911

'White Star liners Olympic and Titanic', vol.109, 4 March 1910

Article in Engineering journal (found in the Caird Library collection):

'The White Star liner Titanic', vol.91, 26 May 1911

 

Article in International Marine Engineering journal (found in the Caird Library collection):

 

'Launch of Titanic', vol.16, July 1911

Papers (some of Titanic) of J B Hand, Director of White Star Line. MS84/043

Papers (some of Titanic) of T H Ismay, Director of White Star Line. MS84/043

The sinking (titles found in the Caird Library collection):

La catastrophe du Titanic, (Paris, 1912) 656.61.085.3Titanic

The loss of the Titanic: An Address by Washington Dodge (San Francisco: Commonwealth Club, 1912). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Baarslag, Karl, SOS to the Rescue: The Unsinkable Ship: The Heroic Story of the Titanic (Riverside CT: 7 C's Press, 1986). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Beesley, Lawrence The Loss of the SS Titanic: Its Story and its Lessons (London: Heinemann, 1912). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Booth, John, and Coughlan, Sean, Titanic: Signals of Disaster (Westbury: White Star, 1993). A study of the wireless messages sent and received by the Titanic. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Boyd-Smith, Peter, Titanic From Rare Historical Reports (Southampton: Brooks Books, 1992). The reports are principally taken from newspapers and provide a convenient compilation. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Cahill, Richard A, Disasters at Sea: Titanic to Exxon Valdez (London: Century, 1990) 656.61.085.3

Costello, Philip, Titanic: The Tragedy that Became a Legend (Portsmouth: Titanic Products, c.1986). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Davie, Michael, Titanic: The Full Story of a Tragedy (London: The Bodley Head, 1986). Includes a transcript of the cargo manifest, and lists of the on-board provisions, and serviceware and linen. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Dore, David M, Olympic, Titanic, Britannic: A Story of the Beloved, the Damned and the Forgotten, video recording (Fifth Avenue Films, 1985). 529.123Olympic

Eaton, John P, and Haas, Charles A, Titanic: Destination Disaster: The Legends and the Reality (Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens, 1987). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Eaton, John P, and Haas, Charles A, Titanic: Triumph and Tragedy: A Chronicle in Words and Pictures (2nd ed., Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens, 1994). Includes a full passenger list and a transcript of the cargo manifest. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Gardiner, Robin, and Van der Vat, Dan, The Riddle of the Titanic (London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1995). Develops the entertaining theory that the Titanic had been exchanged with her sister ship Olympic as part of an insurance fraud. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Garrett, Richard, Atlantic Disaster: The Titanic and Other Victims of the North Atlantic (London: Buchan & Enright, 1986) 656.61.085.3Titanic

Gibbs, Philip, The Deathless Story of the Titanic (London: Lloyd's of London, 1985) 656.61.085.3Titanic

Gracie, Archibald, The Truth about the Titanic (New York: Mitchell, Kennerley, 1913). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Harrison, Leslie, Titanic Myth: The Californian Incident (London: William Kimber, 1986. A defence of Captain Lord. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Lord, Walter, A Night to Remember (revised illustrated edition. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1976). Probably the best-known account. This edition includes the White Star line's final list of the passengers, lost and saved, dated 9 May 1912. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Lord, Walter, The night lives on (Harmondsworth: Viking, 1986). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Lynch, Don, 'Titanic': an illustrated history (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1992). 656.61.085.3Titanic

MacInnis, Joseph, 'Titanic' in a new light (Charlotteville, Va.:Thomasson-Grant, 1992). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Marcus, Geoffrey, The maiden voyage (London: Allen and Unwin, 1969). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Padfield, Peter, The Titanic and the Californian (London: Hodder, 1965). A defence of Captain Lord. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Reade, Leslie, The Ship that Stood Still: The Californian and Her Mysterious Role in the Titanic Disaster (Yeovil: Patrick Stevens, 1992). 629.123Californian

Rostron, Sir Arthur, The Loss of the Titanic (Westbury: John Booth Titanic Signals Archive, 1991). The relevant chapter from Captain Rostron's autobiography Home from the Sea, together with the wireless messages sent and received by the Carpathia, and a letter from one of the survivors, Walter James Hawksford. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Ticehurst, Brian, The Titanic: Southampton's Memorials (Poole: Waterfront, 1987). 725.945(26)

Wade, Wyn Craig, The Titanic: End of a Dream, (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1980). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Young, Filson, Titanic (London: Grant Richards, 1912). A 'literary' retelling of the story. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Conrad, Joseph, Some Reflexions, Seamanlike and Otherwise, on the Loss of the titanic in the Antiquarian Book Monthly Review, vol.17, no.10. issue 198, October 1990, reprinted from the English Review, May 1912. 656.61.085.3Titanic

The wreck of the Titanic: The Story Told by Sphere Diagrams in a Special Twelve-Page Supplement (London: The Sphere, 27 April 1912). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Foundering of the Titanic, in International Marine Engineering, vol.17, May 1912

Article about the Titanic by Alex Bagot. MSS84/130

SS Californian 1921, papers referring to Titanic Disaster of 1912. MSS85/049

Captain Stanley Lord, papers referring to Titanic Disaster of 1912. MSS85/049

J Bruce Ismay, White Star Line, papers referring to Titanic Disaster of 1912. MSS84/043

Xerox copy of Wireless Operator’s Log of the Olympic. MSS84/130

The official inquiries

Formal investigation into the loss of the SS Titanic. Evidence, appendices and index. British Wreck Commissioner’s Court, (London: HMSO, 1912). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Shipping casualties (loss of the steamship Titanic). Report of a formal investigation into the circumstances attending the foundering on 15th April, 1912, of the British steamship Titanic of Liverpool, after striking ice in or near latitude 41o 46' N. longitude 50o 14' W., North Atlantic, whereby loss of life ensued (Cd. 6352). (London: HMSO, 1912). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Titanic Disaster: hearings of a subcommittee of the Committee on Commerce, United States Senate pursuant to S. Res. 283, directing the Committee on Commerce to investigate the causes leading to the wreck of the White Star liner Titanic 62nd Cong., 2nd sess., 1912, S. Doc. 463 (6179). (Washington: Government Printing Office). 656.61.3Titanic

Department of Transport. Marine Accident Investigation Branch. RMS Titanic: reappraisal of the evidence relating to SS Californian. (London: HMSO, 1992). 347.998.6

'Final reports of Titanic inquiries in America and England' in International Marine Engineering vol.17, September 1912

'The lessons of the Titanic disaster' in Engineering vol.93, 26 April 1912

'The Titanic investigation report' in Engineering vol.93, 14 and 21 June 1912

The wreck

Ballard, Robert D, The Discovery of the Titanic (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1987). Account of the finding of the wreck. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Hoffman, William, and Grimm, Jack, Beyond Reach: The Search for the Titanic (Edinburgh: Paul Harris, 1984). An account of the 1981 expedition, which found a propeller but did not locate the wreck. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Hutchinson, Gillian, The Wreck of the Titanic (London: National Maritime Museum, 1994). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Pellegrino, Charles, Her Name, Titanic: The Untold Story of the Sinking and Finding of the Unsinkable Ship (London: Robert Hale, 1990). Contains a detailed bibliography; particularly useful on the background to Ballard's expedition.

Ballard, Robert D, How We Found Titanic, in National Geographic, December 1985

Ballard, Robert D, A Long Last Look at, in National Geographic, December 1986

Berlins, Marcel, Who Owns the Titanic?, in Lloyd's Log, November 1985

Spalding, Marti, and Dawson, Ben, Finding the Titanic: Image Processing Helped Locate the Historic Wreck in BYTE vol.11, no.3, March 1986

The people

A petition on behalf of the late Captain Stanley Lord ex-SS Californian presented by the Mercantile Marine Service Association to the President of the Board of Trade (Liverpool: MMSA, 1965). 92Lord

Baarsalg, Karl, SOS to the Rescue: The Unsinkable Ship: The Heroic Story of the Titanic (Riverside, Conn.: 7 C's Press, c.1986). A general account of the loss of the Titanic, but with special reference to the role of wireless and Senior Marconi Operator John George Phillips. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Beaumont, J C H, Ships - and People (London: Geoffrey Bles, 1936). Beaumont spent many years with the White Star line as a surgeon, and was serving on the Olympic in 1912. He includes a brief account of how her crew reacted to the loss of the Titanic. 92Beaumont

Beesley, Lawrence, The Loss of the Titanic: Its Story and its Lesson (London: Heinemann, 1912). Early passenger analysis of the disaster, including a non-technical account of the ship's structural defects. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Brown, Richard, Voyage of the Iceberg: The Story of the Iceberg that Sank the Titanic (London: Bodley Head, 1985). 551.311.174

Bullock, Shan F, A Titanic Hero: Thomas Andrews Shipbuilder (Riverside, Conn.: 7 C's Press, 1973). 92Andrews

Carrothers, John C, Lord of the Californian in United States Naval Institute Proceedings no.781, vol.94 no.3, March 1968. 92Lord

Cooper, Gary, The Man Who Sank the Titanic? Life and Times of Captain Edward J Smith (Witan Books, 1992). 92Smith, Edward J

Goldsmith, Frank J W, Echoes in the Night: Memories of a Titanic Survivor (Indian Orchard,Ma.: Titanic Historical Society, 1991). 92Goldsmith

Gracie, Archibald (passenger), The Truth About the Titanic (New York: Mitchell, Kennerley, 1913). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Hart, Eva M, and Denney, Ronald, Shadow of the Titanic: A Survivor's Story (Dartford: Greenwich University, 1994). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Hyslop, Donald, Titanic Voices (Southampton: Southampton City Council, 1994). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Jefferson, Herbert, Viscount Pirrie of Belfast (Belfast: William Mullan, 1948). Useful as a biography of Viscount Pirrie, Chairman of Harland and Wolff. 92Pirrie

Julian, Hester, Memorials of Henry Forbes Julian... who perished in the Titanic disaster... also letters from the Titanic and the Carpathia (London: Charles Griffin, 1914). 92Julian

Lightoller, C H, Titanic and Other Ships (London: I Nicholson & Watson, 1935), concerning 3rd Officer C H Lightoller. 656.61.071.22

Lord, Stanley, and Harrison, Leslie, The Californian Incident: An Echo of the Titanic Disaster: Captain Stanley Lord's Statement (Liverpool: Mercantile Marine Service Association, 1962). 92Lord

Oldham, Wilton J, The Ismay Line: The White Star Line and the Ismay Family Story (Liverpool: Journal of Commerce, 1961). 347.792White Star

Rostron, Sir Arthur H, Home From the Sea (London: Cassell, 1931). 92Rostron

Stenson, Patrick, Lights: The Odyssey of C H Lightoller (London: Bodley Head, 1984). 92Lightoller

Watson, Arnold and Betty, Roster of Valor: The Titanic Halifax Legacy(Riverside, Conn.: 7 C's Press, 1984). Provides a complete listing of the crew of the Titanic, with names, addresses and ratings. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Winocour, Jack (Ed), The Story of the Titanic as Told By its Survivors, Laurence Beesley, Archibald Gracie, Commander Lightoller, Harold Bride (New York: Dover, 1960). Reprints the account, headlined 'Thrilling tale by Titanic's surviving wireless man' (Junior Marconi Operator Harold S Bride) from the New York Times of 28 April 1912. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Kirkpatrick, Graham, The First Officer of the Titanic, in Scottish Field, April 1985, pp 68–72, concerning 1st Officer William MacMaster Murdoch. 656.61.085.3Titanic

Hart, Eva M, The Titanic Disaster: A Survivor Looks Back in USA Today vol.108 no.2420, pp 53–57. 656.61.085.3Titanic

The companies

 

White Star (Oceanic Steam Navigation Company - Ismay, Imrie & Co)

 

Anderson, Roy, White Star (Prescot, Lancs.: T.Stephenson & Sons, 1964). A general company history, including a fleet list. 347.792White Star

Eaton, John P, and Haas, Charles A, Falling Star: Misadventures of White Star Line Ships (Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens, 1989). 656.61.085.3(261)

Haws, Duncan, Merchant Fleets vol.19: White Star Line (Oceanic Steam Navigation Company) (Hereford: TCL Publications, 1990). 347.792White Star

Louden-Brown, Paul, The White Star Line: An Illustrated History 1870–1934 (Coltishall: Ship Pictorial, 1991). 347.792White Star

Rentell, Philip, Historic White Star Liners (Truro: Blue Water Publications, 1987). Primarily a pictorial record of the principal liners. 629.123.3

Oldham, Wilton J, The Ismay Line: The White Star Line and the Ismay Family Story (Liverpool: Journal of Commerce, 1961). 347.792White Star

 

Harland and Wolff

 

Harland and Wolff Limited (Belfast: the Company, c.1960). 629.12Harland and Wolff

Moss, Michael, and Hume, John R, Shipbuilders to the World: 125 Years of Harland and Wolff, Belfast, 1861–1986 (Belfast: Blackstaff, 1986). 629.12Harland and Wolff

 

Marconi

 

Jubilee Year: The Marconi Company 1897–1947 (Chelmsford: Marconi, 1947). 621.396Marconi

Baker, W J, A History of the Marconi Company (London: Methuen, 1970). 621.396Marconi

Hancock, H E, Wireless at Sea: The First Fifty Years: A History of the Progress and Development of Marine Wireless Communications to Commemorate the Jubilee of the Marconi International Marine Communications Company Ltd (Chelmsford: Marconi, 1950). 621.396

Miscellaneous

 

The Walter Lord and William Macquitty Titanic Collection - Archives reference: LMQ

 

Walter Lord

(1917–2002)

Walter Lord published his most famous work, A Night to Remember in 1955. Over the years he had talked to and corresponded with survivors, rescuers and others connected with the disaster. He also amassed a large collection of books, manuscripts and memorabilia which he bequeathed to the National Maritime Museum, encouraged by his close friend William Macquitty, the producer of the film A Night to Remember. The collection also includes items previously owned by Macquitty.

William Macquitty

(1905-2004)

Born in Belfast, William Macquitty was six when he watched the launch of the Titanic on 30 May 1911 and saw her depart on her fateful maiden voyage a year later. During World War II he worked in film production for the Ministry of Information but it was only in the 1950s that his interest in the Titanic was rekindled. His wife had been reading Lord's A Night to Remember and he realized that here was the film he had been waiting for. He took an option on the film rights, met Walter Lord and together they developed a screenplay based on the book. The film (directed by Roy Ward Baker) had its premiere on 3 July 1958. Walter Lord also acted as consultant on James Cameron's film Titanic which came out in 1998.

Augarde, Haydon, The Wreck of the Titanic: Descriptive Musical Sketch for the Piano (London: Lawrence Wright Music Co., 1912). 786.2

Bainbridge, Beryl, Every Man For Himself (London: Duckworth, 1996). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Eaton, W A, Eaton's Popular Poems. No.57. The Loss of the Titanic, Sunday, April 14th, 1912 (London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co.Ltd, c.1912). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Pelham, Paul, and Wright, Lawrence, Be British: Descriptive Song and Recitation: Dedicated to the Gallant Ill-fated Crew of the Titanic (London: Lawrence Wright Music, 1912). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Robertson, Morgan, The Wreck of the Titan: or Futility with Stevenson, Ian, Paranormal Experiences Connected with the Sinking of the Titanic (Riverside, Conn.: 7 C's Press, 1974). Robertson's story was originally published in 1898 and describes the loss of a transatlantic liner named Titan in circumstances similar to the loss of the Titanic fourteen years later. 656.61.085.3Titan

St Clair, F B, The Ship That Will Never Return (The Loss of the Titanic), song (London: E.Marks, 1912).784.4:656.61.085.3Titanic

Stafford, Frederick H (compiler), How to go to sea in the merchant service: a complete, practical, up-to-date, and reliable reference book for parents and guardians; giving full particulars of all the training establishments both for officers and lower ratings, lists of firms that take apprentices with their terms, and other useful information (Glasgow: James Brown, 1912). Uses pictures of the Titanic as an incentive for the prospective seamen. 377.6:656.61

White, Alma, The Titanic Tragedy: God Speaking to the Nations (Bound Brook, NJ: Pentecostal Union, 1913). 656.61.085.3Titanic

Maritime Collectors Items and RMS Titanic Ephemera (London: Onslow Auctions Ltd, 1988). 017.4

Next steps

Other guides in the series which may be useful for researching the Titanic are:

For general research help see:


Although care has been taken in preparing the information contained in this document, anyone using it shall be deemed to indemnify the National Maritime Museum from any and all injury or damage arising from such use.