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Titanic Plaque

Ceremony held to mark 100th anniversary of work beginning on ship

The centenary of work beginning on RMS Titanic was marked today by a symbolic keel laying ceremony hosted by Belfast Titanic Society at Titanic Quarter.

John M Andrews, great nephew of Titanic’s Thomas Andrews and president of Belfast Titanic Society, unveiled a memorial plaque on a replica keel plate which has been erected on the exact spot on the Titanic slipway where construction began in 1909.

One hundred years to the day since work began on the world’s most famous ship, the historic event was attended by the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tom Hartley, and a range of Titanic enthusiasts, including two members of the South African Titanic Society who had travelled from Cape Town especially for the event.

Speaking at the event, the Lord Mayor said:

“Belfast is justifiably proud of the Titanic and the skills and expertise of the men who built and designed her. No other city in the world can lay claim to her name in the way that we can.

“The Titanic, from her inception to her loss, is an inspirational story. Today’s event marks the start of the countdown to the centenary of Titanic’s maiden voyage in 2012 – a date which will focus enormous international interest on Belfast and attract thousands of visitors.”

Mike Smith, CEO of Titanic Quarter Ltd, added:

“Titanic has a special place in our history, but the romance and pathos of her story has captured imaginations across the world.

“Events such as today are part of a wider celebration of Belfast’s maritime achievements and an opportunity to help recapture the Titanic legacy for the city which built her. Thanks are due to the Belfast Titanic Society, Harland & Wolff and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board for helping make today possible.”

Keel laying was the first step taken in the building process of the Titanic. Preparations to lay the first keel plate for the Titanic began on March 22nd, 1909, when wooden keel blocks were laid out on the slipway in Queen’s Yard at Harland & Wolff.

The keel was 850ft long and the keel blocks were used to support the weight of the growing structure of steel, which was launched as the Titanic two years later. The first keel plate was laid on March 31st, 1909, close to where the centre of the ship was to be, with the rest of the structure growing from this point. The single plate was 26ft, 6in long, 52in wide and 1.5in thick. It weighed over three tons.

Unveiling the plaque, John M Andrews, President of Belfast Titanic Society, added:

“As a representative of my great uncle and the Andrews family, as well as the Belfast Titanic Society, I am absolutely delighted to unveil the keel plate and plaque at this ceremony.

“Every time I walk out on to the slipway at Titanic Quarter I get a real sense of the history of the area, so to be here 100 years to the day when work began on that great ship is remarkable. Thousands of men helped shape the Titanic right here in Belfast and this is part of our ongoing work to tell their story.”

Using the expertise of the Belfast Titanic Society, Belfast City Council is currently providing special bus tours of various historical sites throughout the former shipyard area, such as the slipways, the Drawing Offices and the Thompson Dry Dock. An experienced guide from the society will lead a tour every Saturday and Sunday until Sunday, April 19th, at 11am and again at 2pm.

The tours, which last around two hours and start at the front of Belfast City Hall, will also run every day during Easter Week. The tours are free, but tickets must be collected in advance from the Belfast Welcome Centre. The Society will also be manning the old Main Offices, which house the Titanic Drawing Office on Easter Monday 13th April, 12pm to 4pm, to allow the public to visit this very special space. For more information, visit www.belfast-titanic.com