Thank you for posting this seminar by Walter Lord (1917-2002). He was quite the historian and author on Titanic and other subjects (Everything from the Alamo to WW2). His “A Night to Remember” will long stand as a noteworthy Titanic book. He found and interviewed 63 Titanic survivors at a time when interest in the Titanic was waning. There was a Hollywood film made in 1953 called “Titanic” starring Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck, and including a very young Robert Wagner. But that film’s script was highly fictional, it captured some of the spirit of the Titanic disaster but it had very little of the substance that made the Titanic tragedy unique in history. Walter Lord wrote his book and pretty soon the public’s interest in Titanic was booming. A film was made in the UK in 1958 called “A Night to Remember” and was based on his book. This interest grew and eventually branched out into other notable events… the founding of the Titanic Historical Society in 1962, the finding of the wreck by Robert Ballard in 1985, the James Cameron film in 1997, the 100th anniversary of the sinking in 2012, and many more events. But Lord’s book was a necessary step towards all of that.
In 1958 Walter Lord brought the Titanic to the public’s attention with his book “A night to remember.” He personally interviewed over 60 survivors. Walter Lord is Titanic royalty.
28:34 Lifeboat #1 (capacity 40 people, occupancy 12) was the one lowered with the lowest occupancy rate, 30%. #6 (capacity 65, occupancy 22) was the one lowered with the most empty seats, 43. Of those 12 people in #1, only five were passengers, the other seven were all crew .
Here's why the Titanic's story will never die: (1) she was the largest movable man-made object of her day, (2) she excelled in luxury appointments, (3) it was her maiden voyage (of all voyages), (4) there were many celebrities of the day on board, (5) there was already a lot of talk about all her features before she was ever launched (including her "unsinkability"), and (6) the Titanic was the first ship in living memory to be sunk by an iceberg. The Titanic shall always be in our minds despite herself; unlike the ship itself, the story remains unsinkable
A misconception about the Titanic which I believe still exists is that there was a painting in her 1st-class smoking room called "Approach to the New World" . That was actually the painting in the Olympic's 1st-class smoking room; the one in the Titanic was "Plymouth Harbor." I can see how this came about, though ; saying that Plymouth Harbor was the painting in the Titanic instead of Approach to the New World takes away from sensation. Both paintings are by the British marine artist Norman Wilkinson who in 1917 invented dazzle painting .
He witnessed the time when the event was still recent, so his books and account of the incident have been valuable and authentic. This interview is important as one of his last views on the topic. He praised 1997 movie as a revival of history for the new generation while participating in premiere show, he considered love story somewhat distracting though. His contribution is authentic and trustworthy.
A quite interesting story I've heard about Ismay is that around the time "A Night to Remember" was published in November 1955 Walter Lord got a letter from England about the "remarkable finish" at the 1913 Derby in Epsom Downs. Craganour, the favourite, crossed the line first and was escorted to the winners' circle. Then, without a protest from anyone, it was disqualified and the race was awarded to second-place Aboyeur. Craganour, Lord's correspondent said, was owned by Bruce Ismay, and I guess the inference is clear: the establishment would never let an Ismay-owned horse win the hallowed Derby. Walter Lord then went to check the story. Everything turned out to be accurate except for one important detail. Joseph Bruce Ismay didn't own Craganour. His younger brother, Charles Bower Ismay, did. Still, Craganour remained disqualified. The reason? Craganour's original jockey had been replaced by an American one, Johnny Reiff. I don't know why that was but the move was immensely unpopular, and the discussions the judges are (apparently) supposed to conduct at the end of the race before announcing the winner presented them with the golden opportunity to discredit Reiff. Walter Lord, though, said he still got letters afterwards still linking Bruce (not Bower) Ismay and Craganour together
26:18 1st Officer Murdoch, along with Cpt Smith and Thomas Andrews, may in the end have actually chosen to go down with the ship rather than potentially get faced with hefty, unpleasant grilling at court (and probably jail time too, on top of that). It would've been either that or at least they were afraid of becoming outcasts. The reasons are very cogent: Murdoch issued the very orders that failed to save the ship; Cpt Smith and Thomas Andrews knew exactly that the Titanic had far from enough lifeboats.
The Night Lives On is a separate book he wrote after to include the discovery of the wreck by Robert Ballard Anyway though that's right he's reading from The Night Lives On.
Cpt Lord thought he'd get away at court by stating that he took the "prudent" step of laying stopped for the night while the Titanic careened recklessly through the ice. Well that slap on Cpt Smith's face didn't work
23:50 Cpt Smith handed one of those warnings to Ismay rather than posting it on the bridge right away for the officers to read. Again that's not an experienced captain that's a teen .
Thank you for posting this seminar by Walter Lord (1917-2002). He was quite the historian and author on Titanic and other subjects (Everything from the Alamo to WW2). His “A Night to Remember” will long stand as a noteworthy Titanic book. He found and interviewed 63 Titanic survivors at a time when interest in the Titanic was waning. There was a Hollywood film made in 1953 called “Titanic” starring Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck, and including a very young Robert Wagner. But that film’s script was highly fictional, it captured some of the spirit of the Titanic disaster but it had very little of the substance that made the Titanic tragedy unique in history. Walter Lord wrote his book and pretty soon the public’s interest in Titanic was booming. A film was made in the UK in 1958 called “A Night to Remember” and was based on his book. This interest grew and eventually branched out into other notable events… the founding of the Titanic Historical Society in 1962, the finding of the wreck by Robert Ballard in 1985, the James Cameron film in 1997, the 100th anniversary of the sinking in 2012, and many more events. But Lord’s book was a necessary step towards all of that.
Thank you for sharing. Walter Lord is my favorite historical writer.
My all time favorite Author.
Walter Lord was a really good storyteller
I have a feeling not too many like him; they seem to consider his research outdated .
Oh and tyvm for this upload btw
In 1958 Walter Lord brought the Titanic to the public’s attention with his book “A night to remember.” He personally interviewed over 60 survivors. Walter Lord is Titanic royalty.
His book came out in '55 actually, the film "A Night to Remember" came out in '58 .
Walter Lord is indeed royalty in the Titanic community.
6:20 He said on A&E's awesome documentary "Titanic: The Complete Story" (1994) that all those if-onlys stirred him "more than anything."
28:34 Lifeboat #1 (capacity 40 people, occupancy 12) was the one lowered with the lowest occupancy rate, 30%. #6 (capacity 65, occupancy 22) was the one lowered with the most empty seats, 43. Of those 12 people in #1, only five were passengers, the other seven were all crew .
I hear Morgan Robertson first published his novella as "Futility" in 1898 and then he revised it as "The Wreck of the Titan" in - of all years - 1912
As he said in "The Night Lives On" (1986), in the end of Chapter 6, "The wonder is that [the Titanic] lasted as long as she did."
Here's why the Titanic's story will never die: (1) she was the largest movable man-made object of her day, (2) she excelled in luxury appointments, (3) it was her maiden voyage (of all voyages), (4) there were many celebrities of the day on board, (5) there was already a lot of talk about all her features before she was ever launched (including her "unsinkability"), and (6) the Titanic was the first ship in living memory to be sunk by an iceberg. The Titanic shall always be in our minds despite herself; unlike the ship itself, the story remains unsinkable
A misconception about the Titanic which I believe still exists is that there was a painting in her 1st-class smoking room called "Approach to the New World" . That was actually the painting in the Olympic's 1st-class smoking room; the one in the Titanic was "Plymouth Harbor." I can see how this came about, though ; saying that Plymouth Harbor was the painting in the Titanic instead of Approach to the New World takes away from sensation. Both paintings are by the British marine artist Norman Wilkinson who in 1917 invented dazzle painting .
He witnessed the time when the event was still recent, so his books and account of the incident have been valuable and authentic. This interview is important as one of his last views on the topic. He praised 1997 movie as a revival of history for the new generation while participating in premiere show, he considered love story somewhat distracting though. His contribution is authentic and trustworthy.
A quite interesting story I've heard about Ismay is that around the time "A Night to Remember" was published in November 1955 Walter Lord got a letter from England about the "remarkable finish" at the 1913 Derby in Epsom Downs. Craganour, the favourite, crossed the line first and was escorted to the winners' circle. Then, without a protest from anyone, it was disqualified and the race was awarded to second-place Aboyeur. Craganour, Lord's correspondent said, was owned by Bruce Ismay, and I guess the inference is clear: the establishment would never let an Ismay-owned horse win the hallowed Derby. Walter Lord then went to check the story. Everything turned out to be accurate except for one important detail. Joseph Bruce Ismay didn't own Craganour. His younger brother, Charles Bower Ismay, did. Still, Craganour remained disqualified. The reason? Craganour's original jockey had been replaced by an American one, Johnny Reiff. I don't know why that was but the move was immensely unpopular, and the discussions the judges are (apparently) supposed to conduct at the end of the race before announcing the winner presented them with the golden opportunity to discredit Reiff. Walter Lord, though, said he still got letters afterwards still linking Bruce (not Bower) Ismay and Craganour together
26:18 1st Officer Murdoch, along with Cpt Smith and Thomas Andrews, may in the end have actually chosen to go down with the ship rather than potentially get faced with hefty, unpleasant grilling at court (and probably jail time too, on top of that). It would've been either that or at least they were afraid of becoming outcasts. The reasons are very cogent: Murdoch issued the very orders that failed to save the ship; Cpt Smith and Thomas Andrews knew exactly that the Titanic had far from enough lifeboats.
He said in "The Night Lives On" (end of Chapter 14) that the Californian was "presided over by a cautious captain and an uninspired watch."
He is reading parts of the second part of A Night To Remember: The Night Lives On
The Night Lives On is a separate book he wrote after to include the discovery of the wreck by Robert Ballard Anyway though that's right he's reading from The Night Lives On.
31:41 I think Cpt Lord didn't feel like giving up on his nice and toasty warm bunk
Cpt Lord thought he'd get away at court by stating that he took the "prudent" step of laying stopped for the night while the Titanic careened recklessly through the ice. Well that slap on Cpt Smith's face didn't work
10:50 Talk about that, was Morgan Robertson maybe trying to warn people with his novel I wonder
23:50 Cpt Smith handed one of those warnings to Ismay rather than posting it on the bridge right away for the officers to read. Again that's not an experienced captain that's a teen .
11:05 One little difference between the two ships: the fictional one had been out on several voyages already, the real one had not
Did he say about Titanic broke in two, somewhere in this video?
@@BlueandGrayDivision Oh - he might've; I haven't watched all of it
23:45 That's right.... Why didn't he take that most obvious of precautions
25:13 You don't do that during a voyage Capt that you do during sea trials. That's what sea trials are for.
25:14 25:36 Really that's not an experienced captain that's a teen .