TITANIC HERITAGE TRUST

The Titanic Heritage Trust is the only international charitable trust set up
to protect the history and name of RMS Titanic and those connected to it.

The Titanic Story: Timeline For 1958

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The film “A Night to Remember” has its world premier

The Rank Organisation’s “A Night to Remember” still stands as the most compelling and accurate film account of the disaster, many hardened Titanic enthusiasts of today owe their lifelong interest to their parents taking them to see “A Night to Remember” when they were very young.

I myself with my Father when I was twelve years old.

The film starred: Kenneth More as 2nd officer Lightoller, and Lawrence Naismith as Captain Smith.

Survivor Lawrence Beesley gave valuable advice to the production and was deeply moved by the re-enactment of the deck scenes.

Survivor Edith Russel during the making of the film walked on to the set and saw part of the ship rise from its bed of concrete.

She stopped in her tracks and stood in silence for a long time until she said, “I can’t believe it” She had walked to the spot where she had stood on the Titanic on that fateful night in 1912.

Survivor Joseph Wheat a steward in charge of boat 11 and Frances Hendrickson a stoker both advisors on the making of the film, were guests at a special showing in London.

After seeing the film, their verdict “Very factual; it brought back many

Vivid memories.”

A little known actress called Honor Blackman also appeared in the film.

I had the pleasure of meeting her in 2003, she remembered well filming “A Night to Remember”.

Sadly Director William MacQuitty died in 2004.

1958

“The White Star Line” finally ceases to exist

Cunard was in a hurry to erase all remnants of White Star and began to phase out holdings and vessels alike. Double house flags were flown on the new Cunard-White Star ships until 1957 at which time Cunard bought the remaining shares held by White Star and liquidated most of it's ships and holdings.

By 1958, all traces of the famed White Star Line ceased to exist.

“It’s ironic that the White Star Line will only be remembered for the tragic loss of RMS Titanic and over 1500 lives on the evening of the 14 and early morning of the 15 April 1912”.David Scott-Beddard

The Queens

Cunard went on to produce its magnificent Queens, such as the Queen Mary (currently a permanently docked hotel and shopping centre owned and operated by the city of Long Beach,Ca.)

After the war, the Queen Mary resumed her elegant status.

However, as air travel became increasingly more safe and affordable, the days of the transatlantic voyages were numbered.

In 1967, the Queen Mary sailed from Southampton, England, to her new permanent home in Long Beach, California. It would be her last crossing - the end of an era.

Lets not forget the Elizabeths.

The Queen Elizabeth launched on September 27 1938, by

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, now the Queen Mother, before she begun her speech, the Queen Elizabeth started to make her way to the water.

Fortunately, the queen was quick to smash the bottle of champagne across the bow, and name the ship. She enjoyed a checkered career serving as a troop ship during the war and then cruising the world and after being sold to the Taiwanese

shipping giant C.Y. Tung. She came to a very undignified end in 1972 Hong Kong Harbour when an arsonist set a fire, she remains on her side there to this day.

The QE2 launched by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1967.

The Queen Elizabeth 2 has had her share of ups and downs but she is still in service.

Construction on Cunard’s QM2 began in 2001 at St. Nazaire in France by Chantiers deI ’Atlantique. She was lunched on 8 January 2004, by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and sailed from Southampton on her maiden voyage to New York.


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