Titanic: The Guarantee Group

1. Workers going home from the Harland & Wolff shipyards. Queen2019s Island, Belfast, May 1911. Titanic in background.00a9 National Museums Northern Ireland Collection Harland & Wolff, Ulster Folk & Transport Museum

2. Thomas Andrew, one of the principal architects of RMS Titanic and head of the Guarantee Group, was born in 1873 to a distinguished and well-connected Ulster family. His uncle, Lord Pirrie was the chairman of the shipbuilding firm Harland & Wolff.In 1889, at the age of 16, he left school to become an apprentice in his uncle2019s shipyard. Working in the shipyard by day and taking evening classes in mechanics and naval architecture by night, he quickly rose through the ranks. By 1907 he had become the managing director of the design department and was deeply involved in the construction of Titanic and her sister ships. As leader of the Guarantee Group, Andrews was an active and exacting inspector. He reportedly carried a notebook with him everywhere he went, and frequently consulted the ship2019s plans. When Titanic struck the iceberg on April 14, 1912, Captain Smith consulted with Thomas Andrews to learn the ship2019s fate. Thomas toured the ship and calculated that it would sink in less than two hours. Reports of Thomas2019 final moments are varied. He was seen handing out lifejackets, helping with lifeboats, and throwing deckchairs in the water to be used as flotation devices. He reportedly was last seen in the first-class smoking room, pondering the ship that he designed.He was 39 years old and was survived by his wife, Helen Reilly Barbour, and their daughter, Elizabeth.Photograph Courtesy National Museums Northern Ireland

3. Originally from Scotland, Roderick Chisholm worked at Harland & Wolff2019s shipyard in Clyde before being transferred to Belfast. His father, James, had also worked in shipbuilding, as a journeyman shipwright. Chisholm was the chief draughtsman for both Olympic and Titanic. He worked closely with Thomas Andrews on the design of both ships.Due to his extensive knowledge of the ship and as a reward for his considerable contributions, Chisholm was selected to serve on the ship2019s Guarantee Group and sailed with the ship on her maiden voyage. Although he was responsible for the design of the ship2019s lifeboats, he himself did not make it into one and lost his life with the ship. Photograph Courtesy Deirdre McIntyre

4. Anthony 201cArtie201d Frost joined Harland and Wolff as a machine-boy in 1888, at the young age of fourteen. Shipbuilding was a family career and his father was already working at the yard as a foreman fitter. By the time Titanic began construction, Artie2019s father was retiring and Artie took on his dad2019s position for the first time, supervising the installation of machinery on board Titanic.After Titanic collided with the iceberg, Artie reportedly made his way down to the engine room where he was last seen working to keep the ship2019s lights on.Artie2019s daughter, Marjorie, became the first president of the Ulster Titanic Society and helped lead Belfast2019s gradual recognition that Titanic was not embarrassment, but rather an accident.Photograph Courtesy Ian Frost

5. William Henry Marsh Parr joined Harland & Wolff in 1910, just in time to become an assistant manager in the electrical department for Olympic and Titanic. He supervised electrical installations on both ships.Letters indicate that after the collision with the iceberg, Parr was working diligently in the engine room, keeping the lights running until the ship2019s final moments.Photograph Courtesy David Marks

6. Born into a large family, Frank Parkes began work at Harland & Wolff alongside his four brothers at the age of 16. At the age of 21 he was recognized as a top apprentice plumber and his exemplary work singled him out as the only Parkes to accompany Titanic on its maiden voyage.Following the tragedy, Frank2019s friends presented his mother with a large, framed memorial portrait, which the family keeps to this day.Photograph Courtesy Fred Parkes

7. [Photo: Harland & Wolff workers pose on the dock beside the Titanic's sister ship, the Olympic.]Little is known of William Campbell (not pictured), beyond his employment as a young apprentice joiner at Harland & Wolff. It's apparent that inclusion on the Guarantee Group was not limited to the older, experienced employees at Harland & Wolff. Talented, up-and-coming young apprentices were often recognized with a trip on the maiden voyage as part of the Guarantee Group.Like all members of the group, Campbell lost his life on the ship and his body was never recovered.00a9 National Museums Northern Ireland Collection Harland & Wolff, Ulster Folk & Transport Museum

8. [Photo: Workers pose by Titanic's sister ship, the Olympic, at the Thompson Graving Dock in Belfast.]Robert Knight (not pictured) was a leading hand fitter at Harland & Wolff. Having worked there for 21 years, he was valued as a hard-worker and was ready for promotion, had it not been for the fateful trip.00a9 National Museums Northern Ireland Collection Harland & Wolff, Ulster Folk & Transport Museum

9. [Photo: Workers disembark from an almost completed ship at the Thompson Graving Dock in Belfast.]Alfred Fleming Cunningham (not pictured) was an apprentice fitter for Harland & Wolff. He was initially reported to have survived the Titanic disaster by local newspapers due to the fact that there was another A. Cunningham, (a steward), on board the ship. Several days after receiving the good news, his family was told the horrible truth.00a9 National Museums Northern Ireland Collection Harland & Wolff, Ulster Folk & Transport Museum

10. [Copy of press photograph. Caption reads: "A few of the 15,000 workmen employed by Messrs. Harland & Wolff Ltd. At Queens Island, Belfast, builders of the largest ships in the world. Titanic in the background."]Only 18 years old when he lost his life on Titanic, Ennis Hastings Watson (not pictured) was working for Harland & Wolff as an apprentice electrician. He2019d recently studied and received several academic awards at the Belfast Municipal Technical Institute. Ennis is known to have played cricket with Thomas Andrews, who apparently recognized his potential and encouraged his budding shipbuilding career.00a9 National Museums Northern Ireland Collection Harland & Wolff, Ulster Folk & Transport Museum

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