While the world took pause to reflect on one of history’s worst marine tragedies in mid-April, Haligonians prepared for a much longer time of contemplation.
No city in Canada has closer ties to the Titanic tragedy than does Halifax and special tours and museum displays will be taking place throughout the spring and summer months of 2012 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic.
The Titanic: The Unsinkable Ship
When the unsinkable Titanic went down on April 14, 1912, Halifax led the way in rescue and recovery efforts.
As the closest major port city with rail service, bodies recovered were brought to Halifax where they were prepared for burial and then either shipped via rail to family members or buried in local cemeteries.
Local residents participated in volunteer recovery efforts and opened their homes and their hearts to the world.
The Fairview Lawn Cemetery should be a first stop for anyone wishing to see Titanic sites in Halifax. In all, 150 Titanic victims are buried in Halifax — most (121) at the Fairview Lawn Cemetery. The black granite headstones of Titanic victims line the cemetery in a curve that resembles the bow of a ship.
The company that owned the Titanic, the White Star Line, purchased a section of land in the cemetery and paid for simple black granite headstones with the name, victim number and date of death.
The cost of additional engraving or larger stones was assumed by family, friends, or other groups.
Many of the simplest stones mark the gravesites of those victims who were never identified.
In recent years, scientists have managed to identify some victims using DNA evidence, but 40 victims are still unidentified.
Wandering around the Titanic Cemetery is fascinating and it is interesting to see which gravestones have fresh flowers and small gifts or tokens left on them.
One of the largest monuments was purchased by the crew of the cable ship Mackay-Bennett. The crew recovered 306 bodies from the frigid waters, but only one child. Since no one claimed the baby, the crew paid for a beautiful funeral at St. George’s Anglican Church and a monument that was inscribed in memory of the unknown child. Another touching gravestone is that of 21-year-old ship’s violinist John Law Hume, who is said to have played his violin to the very last possible moment. Since the blockbuster movie Titanic first premiered in 1997, the gravestone of victim 227, J Dawson has also become popular with visitors who wish to pay their respects to the namesake of Leonardo DiCaprio’s fictional character, Jack Dawson.
Halifax’s historic churches were also involved in the Titanic recovery efforts. The recovery effort was stressful and difficult for those involved and they sought comfort and peace in religious services and funeral services that took place in the churches. There were many churches that served the people during this difficult time, but St. George’s round church, St. Paul’s church and St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica were three key churches. St. Paul’s Church should not be missed, because it is the oldest structure in Halifax and the first and oldest still standing Anglican Church in Canada.
The next stop on a do-it-yourself Titanic tour should be the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, which boasts the world’s finest collection of wooden artefacts from the Titanic. One of the newest and most emotionally-charged artefacts is a tiny pair of brown leather shoes that are believed to have belonged to the unknown child. Although clothing items of victims were supposed to be burned to prevent souvenir hunters from acquiring them, the police sergeant in charge of guarding the morgue did not have the heart to burn the tiny leather shoes, so he put them in a desk drawer. The shoes were donated to the museum a few years ago and played a key role in the efforts to finally identify the unknown child.
The Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO) located in Dartmouth’s Bedford Basin also has a small permanent Titanic display that can show you what the Titanic currently looks like as it rests on the ocean floor. James Cameron spent time consulting with Canadian marine engineering geophysicist, Dr. Steve Blasco before the filming of Titanic. Blasco led a team of researchers in a deep sea expedition to the wreck of Titanic in 1991. Several scientists and staff working at BIO also appeared in very minor roles in the movie. BIO is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012.
The best way to end a day of exploring Titanic sites is with a visit to the Five Fishermen Restaurant in downtown Halifax. One of the city’s top seafood restaurants, The Five Fishermen is located in what was once John Snow and Co. Funeral Home - the funeral home which received the bodies of some of the wreck’s most prominent individuals. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the tragic sinking of R.M.S. Titanic, the restaurant has created a menu inspired by the First Class Dinner Service menu that was served the night before the accident on April 14, 1912. The full course menu costs $49 per person and is served in the more formal upstairs area of the restaurant. If you prefer more casual dining, you can enjoy fish and chips in the bottom of the restaurant, where the bodies were once kept.
Even though it has been more than a century since the tragic sinking of the Titanic, the disaster is still prominent in the public mind and the tragedy has come to symbolize different things to different people. For many, Titanic is the ultimate symbol of man’s misplaced faith in technology and the price people pay for technological advancement in an expanding and competitive world. It is a physical reminder of mankind’s frailty and limitations, but its human stories are also a reminder of heroism in the face of great tragedy. It is a history that we cannot afford to forget.
If You Go:
-You can visit the Titanic sites on your own or via a new guided bus tour called the Titanic 100 Year Experience Tour offered through Grayline Tours. The bus will take you past scenic sites with a single guided stop at the Fairview Lawn Cemetery. The tour cost $28 and lasts about 75 minutes. For reservations or information, visit: www.ambassatours.com/titanic-100-year-experience-tour or call 1-800-565-7173.
-For more information on the Titanic and its connection to Halifax, visit: titanic.gov.ns.ca/connection.asp or www.novascotia.com/en/home/discovernovascotia/history/titanic/default.aspx .
Debbie Olsen is a Lacombe-based freelance writer. If you have a travel story you would like to share or know someone with an interesting travel story who we might interview, please email: DOGO@telusplanet.net or write to: Debbie Olsen, c/o Red Deer Advocate, 2950 Bremner Ave., Red Deer, Alta., T4R 1M9.