History of Titanic in Timeline

The RMS Titanic, a British ocean liner, sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, during its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. After striking an iceberg, the ship, carrying 2,208 passengers and crew, resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,500 people. The Titanic was operated by the White Star Line and carried a diverse group of people, from wealthy elites to emigrants seeking a new life in North America. The disaster led to significant reforms in maritime safety regulations and has had a lasting impact on popular culture.

June 1907: RMS Oceanic departs from Southampton

In June 1907, RMS Oceanic departed from a new home port in Southampton along with the Teutonic, Majestic, and Adriatic on the Southampton-New York route.

1907: Captain Smith's Statement on Shipbuilding

In 1907, Captain Smith stated that he "could not imagine any condition which would cause a ship to founder. Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that."

1907: White Star Line Establishes Southampton Service

In 1907, White Star Line established its "Express Service" from Southampton, which became a major departure point due to its proximity to London and access to continental Europe.

1907: Discussion between White Star Line and IMM

In mid-1907, J. Bruce Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line, and J. P. Morgan, controlling the International Mercantile Marine Co. (IMM), discussed the creation of the Olympic-class ocean liners, including the Titanic.

July 1908: Approval of Titanic's Design

On July 29, 1908, Harland and Wolff presented the drawings to J. Bruce Ismay and other White Star Line executives; Ismay approved the design, and on July 31, 1908, he signed the "letters of agreement" authorising the start of construction of Olympic and Titanic, referred to as "Number 400" and "Number 401" respectively.

December 1908: Keel Laying of Olympic

On December 16, 1908, the keel for the Olympic was laid down, marking the start of its construction.

March 1909: Keel Laying of Titanic

On March 31, 1909, the keel for the Titanic was laid down, beginning its construction process.

May 1911: Launch of the Titanic

On May 31, 1911, the Titanic was launched at 12:15 pm in Belfast, Ireland. The event was attended by notable figures such as Lord Pirrie, J. Pierpont Morgan, J. Bruce Ismay and an estimated 100,000 onlookers.

June 1911: Olympic Replaces Teutonic

In June 1911, the Olympic entered service and replaced the Teutonic, which was then transferred to the Dominion Line's Canadian service.

September 1911: Collision of Olympic

In September 1911, the Olympic was involved in a collision, which caused a temporary pause in work on the Titanic as repairs were needed for the Olympic.

1911: Opening of White Star Dock

In 1911, the deep-water dock at Southampton, known as the "White Star Dock", specially constructed to accommodate the Olympic-class liners, opened.

January 1912: Titanic Insured

In January 1912, the Titanic's hulls and equipment were insured through Lloyd's of London and London Marine Insurance for £1 million, with a premium of £7,500 for one year.

February 1912: Titanic Enters Thompson Graving Dock

In February 1912, the Titanic was pulled into the Thompson Graving Dock to receive its propellers and final red hull coating.

March 1912: Titanic Moved for Olympic's Repair

On March 6, 1912, the Titanic was moved out of the Thompson Graving Dock to allow the Olympic, which had lost a propeller blade, to come in for repairs.

April 1912: Titanic's maiden voyage began

In April 1912, Titanic's maiden voyage commenced on Wednesday, April 10, 1912, from Southampton. Passengers boarded, with Third Class embarking first, followed by First and Second Class. A total of 920 passengers boarded at Southampton, with additional passengers slated to board at Cherbourg and Queenstown.

April 1912: Sinking of the Titanic

In April 1912, the RMS Titanic, a British ocean liner, sank in the early hours of April 15th after striking an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City, resulting in approximately 1,500 deaths out of 2,208 passengers and crew.

April 1912: Titanic's Sea Trials

On Tuesday, April 2, 1912, the Titanic's sea trials began at 6 am, involving 78 stokers, greasers, firemen, 41 crew members, representatives from Harland and Wolff, IMM, and a surveyor from the Board of Trade, to ensure the ship was fit for passengers.

May 1912: Recovery of Bodies by RMS Oceanic

In mid-May 1912, the RMS Oceanic recovered three bodies over 200 miles (320 km) from the site of the sinking who were among the original occupants of Collapsible A. The bodies were buried at sea.

June 1912: Guglielmo Marconi's Testimony

In June 1912, Guglielmo Marconi gave evidence to the Court of Inquiry regarding the telegraphy. Its final report recommended that all liners carry the system and that sufficient operators maintain a constant service.

August 1912: Corsican struck an iceberg

In August 1912, the liner Corsican struck an iceberg in the Atlantic, severely damaging the bow; speed was reduced to 'dead slow'.

December 1912: Titanic's Voyage Schedule

The Titanic's voyage schedule through December 1912 intended the ship to make trans-Atlantic crossings between Southampton and New York via Cherbourg and Queenstown on westbound runs, returning via Plymouth in England while eastbound.

1912: Part of the White Star Line Fleet

In 1912, the RMS Titanic was among the largest vessels of the White Star Line's fleet, which consisted of 29 steamers and tenders.

1912: Titanic's Cargo on Maiden Voyage

In 1912, the Titanic's maiden voyage included a large amount of baggage, regular cargo like furniture and foodstuffs, and a 1912 Renault Type CE Coupe de Ville motor car. Despite later myths, the cargo was fairly mundane, lacking items like gold bars or exotic minerals.

1912: Radio Act of 1912 Passed

In 1912, the United States government passed the Radio Act of 1912. This Act stated that radio communications on passenger ships would be operated 24 hours a day, along with a secondary power supply, so as not to miss distress calls.

1912: Coal Strike Affects Titanic's Maiden Voyage

In the spring of 1912, a national coal strike in the UK caused disruptions to shipping schedules, affecting the Titanic's maiden voyage. Coal was transferred from other vessels to ensure the Titanic could sail on its scheduled date.

1913: Formation of the International Ice Patrol

In 1913, following the Titanic disaster, the International Ice Patrol was formed and internationally funded. This U.S. Coast Guard agency monitors and reports on North Atlantic Ocean icebergs, reducing the risk to transatlantic sea traffic. Except for the World War years, the patrol has operated each season since 1913, preventing any loss of life or property from iceberg collisions within the patrol area.

May 1914: New "Rules for Life Saving Appliances" passed

In May 1914, new "Rules for Life Saving Appliances" were passed by the Board of Trade on 8 May 1914 and then applied at a meeting of British steamship companies in Liverpool.

1914: Supreme Court Ruling on White Star Liability

In 1914, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of White Star Line, determining that the sinking was largely unforeseeable and limiting the company's liability, thus sharply limiting damages entitled to survivors.

December 1915: Settlement Agreed to by Claimants

In December 1915, 44 claimants agreed to a settlement with White Star Line for $664,000, with funds allocated for American and British claimants, as well as for interest and legal expenses.

1955: Publication of "A Night to Remember"

In 1955, the first historically accurate book about the Titanic disaster, "A Night to Remember", was published, written by Walter Lord. Before this, several survivors had written books about their experiences, but none were considered as historically accurate.

1958: Release of "A Night to Remember" film

In 1958, the British film "A Night to Remember" was released. It is widely regarded as the most historically accurate movie portrayal of the Titanic sinking.

1969: Queen Elizabeth 2 Registered in Southampton

In 1969, the Queen Elizabeth 2 was one of the first ships registered in Southampton when it was introduced into service by Cunard.

September 1985: Discovery of Titanic Wreck

On September 1, 1985, a Franco-American expedition led by Jean-Louis Michel and Robert Ballard successfully discovered the wreck of the Titanic.

1985: Discovery of the Wreck

In 1985, the wreck of the Titanic was discovered by a Franco-American expedition led by Jean-Louis Michel and Robert Ballard, revealing that the ship had broken in two.

1995: Renaming of Queen's Island to Titanic Quarter

In 1995, Queen's Island in Belfast Harbour, where Harland and Wolff built over 1,600 ships, was renamed Titanic Quarter after the most famous ship ever built there, Titanic.

1997: Filming of James Cameron's Titanic

During the filming of James Cameron's "Titanic" in 1997, the replica of the Grand Staircase was destroyed by inrushing water on the set. This event drew parallels to the original event, suggesting the actual staircase may have been ejected during the sinking.

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1997: Impact of the 1997 film Titanic on Tourism

The 1997 film "Titanic" boosted global interest in the Titanic story, subsequently influencing the Northern Ireland Tourism Board's strategic framework.

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2004: Northern Ireland Tourism Board's Strategic Framework

In 2004, after the Troubles and Good Friday Agreement, the Northern Ireland Tourism Board's Strategic Framework for Action 2004–2007 identified that the global interest in Titanic (partly due to the 1997 film "Titanic") was not being fully exploited as a tourist attraction.

2006: Estimated Deterioration of the Wreck

In 2006, it was estimated that within 50 years, the hull and structure of the Titanic would eventually collapse entirely due to iron-eating bacteria.

2007: Continued Tourism Strategy in Northern Ireland

In 2007, the Northern Ireland Tourism Board's Strategic Framework for Action continued to highlight the significance of Titanic as a potential tourist attraction.

May 2009: Death of Millvina Dean

In May 2009, Millvina Dean, the last living survivor of the Titanic and the youngest passenger on board at only nine weeks old, passed away at the age of 97.

April 2012: Possible Human Remains Discovered

On April 16, 2012, the day after the 100th anniversary of the sinking, photos were released showing possible human remains resting on the ocean floor.

2012: Opening of Titanic Belfast

In 2012, the Titanic Belfast visitor attraction opened on the site of the shipyard where the Titanic was built.

2012: Centenary Commemorations

In 2012, the centenary of the Titanic disaster was marked by various events, including plays, radio programs, parades, exhibitions, special trips to the sinking site, commemorative stamps, and coins. Royal Mail issued ten 1st class UK postage stamps to mark the disaster's centenary.

November 2016: Construction of Titanic Replica Commences

In November 2016, the Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., Ltd started building a replica of the Titanic in China. The vessel was planned to house many of the original's features and permanently docked at a resort and feature an audiovisual simulation of the sinking.

2016: Titanic Belfast's Visitor Count

In 2016, Titanic Belfast became Northern Ireland's second most visited tourist attraction with almost 700,000 visitors.

August 2018: Groups Vying to Purchase Titanic Relics

In late August 2018, several groups were competing for the right to purchase the 5,500 Titanic relics owned by the bankrupt Premier Exhibitions. Titanic Belfast, Titanic Foundation Limited, and the National Museums Northern Ireland joined with the National Maritime Museum as a consortium seeking to purchase the artifacts and keep them together for a single exhibit.

October 2018: Hedge Funds Purchase Titanic Relics

On 17 October 2018, it was reported that a consortium of three hedge funds—Apollo Global Management, Alta Fundamental Advisers, and PacBridge Capital Partners—had paid US$19.5 million for the collection of 5,500 Titanic relics. The purchase price would give Premier's unsecured creditors an 80% recovery.

August 2019: Submersible Damage to Wreck

In August 2019, a two-person submersible vehicle crashed into the wreck of the Titanic, leaving a red rust stain on the submersible's side.

2022: Status of Titanic Replica in 2022

As of 2022, the Titanic replica being constructed by the Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., Ltd was reportedly only 25% complete. Its website and Twitter account were offline.

May 2023: "Digital Twin" of Titanic Created

In May 2023, Magellan Ltd. announced the creation of a "digital twin" of the Titanic, showcasing the wreckage in unprecedented detail using 715,000 3D images captured in 2022.

June 2023: Submersible Titan Implosion

On June 18, 2023, the submersible Titan, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, imploded in the North Atlantic Ocean while carrying tourists to view the wreckage of the Titanic.

July 2024: RMS Titanic Inc. Expedition to Wreck

On July 15, 2024, RMS Titanic Inc. held their first expedition to the wreck in 14 years, with the objective of examining its status in high-resolution photography for future scientific studies and identifying artifacts.

2025: Compensation Claim for Lost Artwork

In 2025 (adjusted for inflation), the claim for the lost painting La Circassienne au Bain was valued at $3.3 million. It was part of the compensation claims filed after the Senate Inquiry, following the Titanic's sinking.