A question asked in 1966 could the Titanic be re floated? The idea was not as unlikely as it sounded at that time.

Douglas Wolley had set his mind on achieving this goal. The fact that the Titanic weighed 46,000 tons and lay 2 ½ miles deep in the North Atlantic, newly painted when she sank, possibly in fairly good condition, the possibilities of R.M.S. Titanic as a floating museum the world would pay to see.

Douglas Wolley from Hertfordshire England set about achieving his dream.

With only consuming enthusiasm and no experience with ships or salvage he set about assembling a group of experts which he believed would help him raise R.M.S. Titanic from the grave.

The owners of Titanic The White Star Line had tried previously in vain to locate the wreck, the recourses and practicalities of the day made success impossible.

Since then the British Board of Trade has received on average one enquiry per year regarding Titanic.

At this time Douglas Wolley was the sole registered claimant to the wreck, although other possible owners had been traced through The White Star Line and the insurance underwriters who had paid out over £4 million for losses aboard the Titanic appeared to have no interest in a pile of scrap metal three miles beneath the North Atlantic, unobtainable and therefore unwanted.

Wolley founded his ‘Titanic Salvage Co. and after pestering the media for publicity his eccentric and as we now know impossible idea was eventually written up in local and then taken up by the national press. The publicity worked and people with qualifications and money joined the team. Money came from American companies, Salvage skills from two Hungarian scientists.

21 Park Street, Baldock became the registered address of the company, operating out of one room the whole project was controlled from there. With the operation all set to go the first phase would cost £40,000 for exploration. A boat was chartered later that year with sonar and underwater photographic capabilities and skilled operators.

Please consider joining our friendly and informed community as an Associate Member. You will have a unique opportunity to get involved in our 2012 Anniversary Commemorative Events & your support will really help us achieve our goals.

To learn more about our unique commemorative Titanic First Day Covers

For more information on how YOU can get involved click here The Titanic Heritage Trust