Inside titanic

The 'Shipbuilder' wrote on completion of the Olympic that the passenger accommodation was of 'unrivalled extent and magnificence . . .. and the excellent result defies improvement'.

The Olympic and the Titanic could each carry 3, 295 people: 2,435 passengers, and crew of 860.

Travallers were separated into three sectors: first, second and third class: 689 first, 674 second and 1, 026 third respectively.

Passenger accommodation and public areas were located on the Promenade, Bridge, Shelter, Saloon, Upper, Middle and Lower Decks. The other three were reserved for the crew, cargo and machinery.

The Boat and Promenade Decks were above the superstructure of the ship. Their lengths did not run the entire length of the ship.

The Bridge Deck extended 550 feet, the complete length of the superstructure. The length was interrupted by the Forecastle (106 foot long) and the Poop Decks (128 foot long).

During Titanic's design, entirely new features were added which had never been seen before. A swimming pool, Turkish Baths, Squash courts and a gym were provided.

First Class gym

FIRST CLASS TRAVEL ON BOARD

The first class public rooms included a dining saloon, reception room, restaurant, lounge, reading and writing room, smoking room and the veranda cafes and palm courts.

Cafe Parisien

There was a gym and squash court. The sisters were the first liners in history to have them installed.

The first class also enjoyed several Turkish and electric baths, which although technically saunas, were decorated in an Arabian style. The portholes were covered with a carved Cairo curtain so that when light shone through an Orient look was given to the room.

The first class grand staircase was exactly that. It was over 60 feet from the lower landing to the glass skyline above. It had a seventeenth century William and Mary style with solid oak carved panelling running all the way around. At the foot of the stairs was a Cherub light with a very distinctive wood carving clock behind, which although quite decayed in the wreck is still visible today.

The Turkish Bath

1. Reading and Writing Room

This room was really designed for use by travelling first class women. It was painted in white and furnished very elegantly. There was a huge bow window that enabled the occupiers to lookout on to the Promenade Deck. There was a large fire which burned intensely adding warmth to the room.

2. First Class Lounge

The Lounge was situated on the Promenade Deck and again elaboratly fitted out. This room was dedicated to reading, conversation, playing cards and other social interactions of the day.

It was decorated in the French Louis XV style. The craftsmanship wasexquisite. The walls were covered with 'boiseries' (elaborate woodern carving)which gave the room a distinct symmetrical appearance.

3. First Class Smoke Room

Towards the back of the Promenade Deck was situated this very fine room. The walls of the first class Smoking Room were panelled in mahogany carved in the Georgian style and were inlaid with mother of pearl.

Above the centerpiece fireplace was a painting by Norman Wilkinson called the 'Approach to the New World.'

Those who required an after dinner drink could find exactly what they wanted in the well stocked bar.

Others enjoyed walking around the room looking at the painted glass windows depicting many different ports from around the world, and other White Star Line ships.

On the portside of the room was a small Verandah area, which led to the Palm Court areas (30ft by 25ft) overlooking the aft Promenade Deck.

Walled trellises with climbing plants gave the impression that the room was part of a conservatory. Passengers could sit on wicker chairs to finish their drinks.

4. First Class Reception Area

Behind the Grand Staircase was a spaceous Reception Room 54 foot long. It was decorated in the Jacobean style and had a white ceiling and a dark rusty colour carpet.

Before dinner, saloon passengers could gather to discuss the day's activities aboard the ship. Some would sit on one of the many floral patterned Grandfather Chairs to be found there.

The Reception Room led directly to the Dining Room.

5. First Class Dining Room

The first class passengers would certainly dine in style. Their dining room was 114 foot long and spanned the full width of the ship. Seating 532 passengers at once, it was the largest dining room ever seen on a ship. The room was decorated in attractive Jacobean style, and was painted in peanut white.

The decoration had been the result of painstaking research. The designs were based on Hatton Hall and some very fine houses in Hatfield, England. The furniture (chairs and tables) were oak and designed to add luxury and comfort at all times. In those days dinner was considered a very important part of a voyage.

6. A La Carte Restaurant

This restaurant served the finest meals all of which were not included in the fares of its guests. It added an extra touch of class.

The room was decorated in Louis XIV style and had floor to ceiling panelling in French light brown walnut. Specially mounted ornaments and mouldings gave a regal effect. Candle-style lamps hung in the centre of the panels. Plain silk curtains covered the large bay windows that gave a great feeling of spaciousness.

Passengers could sit around the tables in groups of two to eight people. An orchestra played to them from a raised platform. Dining would have been quite an experience.

7. First Class Accommodation

Titanic provided 39 private suites: 30 on the Bridge Deck and 9 on the Shelter Deck. The suites included bedrooms with private toilet facilities. All had up to five different rooms: 2 bedrooms, 2 wardrobe rooms and a bathroom.

First class accommodation also held 350 cheaper standard cabins with single beds.

The expensive and exclusive staterooms boasted excellent fittings. Each were decorated in different periodic styles including Louis XVI, Louis XV, Georgian and Queen Anne.

SECOND CLASS TRAVEL ON BOARD

Second class passenger accommodation was to be found over seven decks. Exits were either by the second class grand stairway or an electric elevator which ran up and down all seven decks.

1. Smoke Room

After dinner, the gentlemen of the second class could retreat from the Dining Room to their Smoking Room.

This room was decorated in Louis XVI style and it had oak panelling with daido rails. Linoleum tiles were specially designed for the room and were unique to the ship.

2. Library

After dinner, travelling second class women would part company from their partners and often sought in the Library. This was the equivalent of the First Class Reading and Writing Room. The room was excellently appointed filled with mahogany furniture. A large book case was situated at the forward end opposite the bulkhead. Large windows had silk curtains hanging. The rich fabric of the Wilton carpet gave a snug feel to the room.

3. Second Class Dining Room

The Dining Room was 71 foot long and it could seat 2394 people at one sitting. The room had oak panels with pivoted sidelights which provided a great elegance dining room. There was a piano in the room to entertain diners. All the furniture was mahogany with crimson upholstery.

4. Second Class Accommodation

Second class accommodation was provided in either two or four berth rooms. A maximum of 550 passengers could be accommodated. The rooms were fitted in enamel white with mahogany furniture.

The Staterooms of the second class were very similar to the standard cabins of the First Class.

However when comparing the size of room, staterooms and galleys etc. it must be remembered that the Titanic and Olympic set entirely new standards of transatlantic travel. The second class or middle class would have been treated in exactly the same way as the first class passengers would have been on other contemperary shipping lines.

THIRD CLASS TRAVEL ON BOARD

Third class accommodation was much less luxurious than second class. Even so, third class or 'steerage' passengers as they were known still enjoyed levels of luxury compared to most liners of their day.

1. Third Class Smoke and General Room

The General Room was the heart of the Steerage, third class community. It was the main meeting room. It was panelled in pine and finished in enamel white with teak furniture.

The Smoke Room was panelled and furnished in oak with teak furniture and was very comfortable.

It was clear from outset that the White Star Line had given much consideration for the third class passengers, many of whom would be crossing the Atlantic to start new lives away from their home country left behind. The White Star Line wanted them to enjoy the voyage as a good start to their 'new life.'

2. Dining Room

The Dining Room, situated on the Middle Deck, was 100 foot long and extended the full width of the ship. It could seat approximately seat 470 passengers in each of the three sittings. The pantries and galley were situated behind the Dining Room.

3. Third Class Accommodation

There were over 1000 third class passengers on the Titanic. Their accommodation was much more modest than the other two classes. The rooms comprised mainly of two to six berth rooms. There were only 84 two-berth cabins onboard.

The size of the rooms compared to first and second class reflected the class attitudes of the age. The first class Turkish Bath was larger than the third class galley. A thousand passengers would rely on the galley but only a handful would have used the Turkish Bath.

The designers wanted to change the attitudes towards third class travel. The third class cabins were not dormatory like rooms but individual closed cabins, thus adding privacy to the passengers, but they would still have shared their experience with strangers.

CREW ACCOMMODATION

The White Star Line intended that the crew and passengers should not meet at any time during the voyage.

The engine room staff were housed on the starboard side at the forward end of the ship on the Lower, Middle, Upper and Saloon Decks. Two spiral staircases connected their rooms to the boiler and engine rooms.