Titanic Remembrance Day
Songs have been sung. Books have been written. Films have been made. And stories have been told about the RMS Titanic.
Losing a record number of people, including some famous and noteworthy folks like the ship’s architect and various others, the infamous Titanic sank on its maiden voyage, just four days into its journey.
This day marks the anniversary of the sinking of the ship, also known as Titanic Remembrance Day. Learn more about the history of this remarkable ocean voyager and observe this day by remembering those whose lives were lost.
History of Titanic Remembrance Day
A day that has been remembered for more than 100 years, the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912, was a shock to the world when the ship sank on its maiden voyage, losing more than 1500 lives in the process. This luxury ship, which was built starting in 1909, cost around $7,500,000 to build and two workers were lost during the process of building it.
One of the most important lessons learned about the Titanic is that even though many people thought it was “unsinkable”, it is always necessary to have enough lifeboats on board for everyone. Though the ship was equipped to carry 64 lifeboats, there were only 20 on board. These lifeboats on board the Titanic would have been enough for around 1100 people, but the capacity of the ship including passengers and crew was more than 3300.
Titanic Remembrance Day is dedicated to the memory of the lives that were lost on that fateful day when the RMS Titanic was shipwrecked after hitting an iceberg in 1912. While the day hasn’t been specifically or officially declared by any entity, the tradition has been that these folks are remembered on April 15 of each year, which is the anniversary of the disaster.
The more than 700 survivors of the Titanic have all now passed away, the last of whom lived until 2009. Millvina Dean was only two months old when her family boarded the Titanic to move to the US. Her father perished in the shipwreck but she and her brother and mother were rescued in the lifeboats.
Titanic Remembrance Day is here to remind people about this somewhat avoidable tragedy, to remember the lives lost and make an effort to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
Titanic Remembrance Day Timeline
April 12, 1912
RMS Titanic sets sail
Leaving from Southampton, England, the doomed Titanic sets sail toward America. [1]
April 15, 1912
RMS Titanic sinks
Breaking into two pieces after hitting an iceberg, the Titanic sinks to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
1985
Titanic wreckage is located
Around 2½ miles deep, the remains of the ship are found by a joint expedition of the US and France. [2]
1997
Titanic film is released
Starring Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, Titanic becomes a box office hit and highest grossing film of all time for more than a decade. [3]
2009
Final Titanic survivor dies
Millvina Dean, who was two months old on the Titanic journey, dies at the age of 97. [4]
How to Observe Titanic Remembrance Day
On Titanic Remembrance Day, take some time to pay respect and honor to those whose lives were lost in this tragedy. Consider implementing some of these interesting ideas in observance of the day:
Learn About Titanic Survivors
One interesting way to celebrate Titanic Remembrance Day might be to spend some time learning about some of those who were on the ship who survived and lived to tell about it. Take a look at some of these unique people:
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Molly Brown
Perhaps the most famous of those who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic, Margaret “Molly” Brown was a socialite from the United States. During the shipwreck, it seems that Ms. Brown wanted the crew of her lifeboat to go back to the wreckage to look for more survivors. She earned the nickname “The Unsinkable Molly Brown”.
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Violet Jessup
An ocean liner stewardess, Miss Jessup was not only on board the Titanic when it was sinking, but also the Britannic and Olympic when they both suffered disasters. She lived to tell of all three and continued her career at sea until 1950.
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Charles Lightoller
An officer on the Titanic, Mr. Lightoller was part of the rescue efforts, making sure women and children went first into the lifeboats. He actually went down with the ship at first, but the ship’s boiler exploded, sending him back to the surface where he swam to an overturned lifeboat and helped 30 people survive through the night and make it safely to their rescue the next morning. Afterward he made recommendations for better safety measures for future ships, and many of his suggestions were applied to maritime law.
Learn About the Titanic and its History
Show appreciation and honor for the victims of this shipwreck by learning a bit more about the ship as well as the more than 1500 people who perished that fateful day. Get started with some of these interesting facts about one of the most famous ships of all time, in observance of Titanic Remembrance Day:
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The Titanic was a first class, luxury liner. This ship was meant to cater to the very rich, offering all sorts of amenities such as a gymnasium, Turkish bath, squash courts and more. It was the first ship to ever boast having a swimming pool on board the ocean liner.
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The Titanic had two sister ships. The Olympia and the Britannic were two other ships built at the same time, with similar specifications. The Britannic sank in 1916 after only two years of use and the Olympic lasted 25 years before it was retired and scrapped.
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The Titanic was a ship that carried mail. The reason the name of the ocean liner was RMS Titanic is that the letters stood for Royal Mail Ship.
Watch Titanic, the Film
One superb way to observe Titanic Remembrance Day is to invite a few friends over for a watch party of the Titanic. This film, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, was released in 1997 and tells a fictitious, dramatized love story placed on the real events that occurred. But be sure to start the party early because the movie is a long one – clocking a full three hours and fifteen minutes!
Host an all out party by inviting guests to honor the day by dressing in period costumes. And offer a table full of themed snacks, such as cookies shaped like ships or donuts that are “life preservers”. Decorate with items from the ship or sea theme and don’t forget to play music that hails from that era as well, in honor of the times.
Titanic Remembrance Day FAQs
When did the Titanic sink?
The Titanic came to its demise on April 15, 1912. [1]
How many people survived the Titanic?
There were 706 human survivors, and two dogs, from the Titanic shipwreck.[2]
Can the Titanic be made again?
A replica, called Titanic II, has been in the works for more than a decade. It was planned to set sail in 2022 but finances have continued delays. [3]
Did Titanic break in half?
Yes, after hitting an iceberg, the Titanic broke in half sending both stern and bow to the ocean floor. [4]
Does the Titanic still exist?
After more than a century, the Titanic is in two parts at the bottom of the ocean floor in the North Atlantic.[5]
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