Titanic Exhibition at Guildhall is rare and fascinating

The  sell-out Titanic Exhibition, which runs until November 4, drew in large crowds at Worcester Guildhall on the city's High Street where they had a chance to get close to unusual objects from survivors and from the wreck itself.

The Olympic-class liner sunk on April 15, 1912, the disaster claiming the lives of 1,523 people - although 705 people did survive as SS Carpathia approached the lifeboats, later bringing passengers to New York.

ELEGANT: A replica of the cherub from the staircase of Titanic which matches well the opulent surroundings of Worcester Guildhall (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

The now sold out Titanic Exhibition at the Guildhall provides a rare and fascinating insight into the life of the ship and the people on board her.

Crowds have been left spellbound by the haunting photographs and artefacts at the exhibition, which opened on Wednesday, telling her story from her beginning to her tragic end.

Large photographs showed the sheer enormity of the ship and a replica of the cherub in the Forward Grand Staircase gave people the sense of being on board while photos of the crew brought people face-to-face with those caught up in the tragedy.

Lindsey Barney, 40, of Droitwich came to the exhibition with daughter Rose Barney, 10, while Claire Smith, 46, arrived with her daughter, Libby Pittaway, 10.

STORY: Left to right Claire Smith, 46, with daughter Libby Pittaway, 10, and Lindsey Barney, 40, with daughter Rose Barney, 10, wanted to learn about the human story of Titanic (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

Mrs Barney said: "What I find most interesting is the human story. It's not a film. It was people's lives."

The group also said they found the Worcester connection to the ship interesting - Henry Morley who had a confectioners' shop  in the city, including one in The Shambles, died in the disaster. 

Henry, who was married at the time, fell in love with a young girl (Kate Florence Phillips) who was working at the store at 22 Foregate Street.

CRAFTSMANSHIP: Engineer John Pride, 71, and grandson Edward Tanner, 14, were struck by both the scale of the Titanic and the skills of those involved in its construction (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

Planning a new life together in San Francisco,  Morley removed money from the company accounts and booked tickets on board the Titanic, leaving behind his wife and child.

Henry died in the disaster and his young lover, who was 19 years younger than him, survived and returned to Worcester. Her daughter, Ellen Mary Walker, was born on January 11, 1913.

BUSY: Worcester Guildhall was the perfect setting to bring to life the lavishness and opulence of the Titanic (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

Tom Rudderham, the exhibition director for White Star Heritage, said he owned most of the artefacts with around 250 on display.

"Since the age of 15 I was obsessed," said Mr Rudderham, now aged 40.

RARE: Chinaware from the Titanic is a precious survival (Image: Newsquest)

Some objects from the Titanic's sister ship the Olympic, such as grand staircase door handles which were on display, would have been identical to those on the lost ship.

The displays also included props from the 1997 film Titanic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

"We try and tell the whole story of the ship from construction to life on board to the sinking to the wreck site. It is one of the biggest collections in the UK," he said.

CROWDS: Titanic Exhibition at Worcester Guildhall (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

He began collecting when he saw a fork from the Olympic, sister ship of the Titanic, on eBay and later became an officer of the British Titanic Society.

Mr Rudderham explained that everything brought up from the wreck site was owned by the RMS Titanic, Inc. There was an exception including a few personal objects handed down to him. 

Titanic Museum is one of the largest collections of Titanic and White Star Line artefacts in the UK, and is part of White Star Heritage LTD.

RARE: Pocket watch and other personal items of Titanic’s stoker William James Major. (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

Founded by Mr Rudderham, items in the collection include pottery, silverware, structural items, and paper ephemera such as menus and postcards.

Items of interest include travelling Patience cards and a handkerchief owned by survivor Elsie Bowman and used on board Titanic. It was reputed she was playing cards when the Titanic struck the iceberg and were saved in her pocket.

She went on to become the first female barrister to practice at the Old Bailey.

Also on display were the personal items of Titanic fireman William James Major including his pocket watch and a piece of band leader Wallace Hartley's sheet music.

TRAGEDY: Wallace Hartley's sheet music. The music was protected from the sea water in a leather case beneath a life jacket and was found when Hartley's body was retrieved 10 days after the disaster.  (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

The music was protected from the sea water in a leather case beneath a life jacket and was found when Hartley's body was retrieved 10 days after the disaster. 

Also included are items from the wreck site such as a small piece of the Titanic’s hull, chinaware and silverware used by first class passengers and items from the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, where the Titanic was built.

WOW: Playing cards and handkerchief used by a Titanic survivor (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

For those who have missed the exhibition, it is coming to Bristol between February 10 and 18 and Birmingham between July 27 and August 25 next year. 

For forthcoming exhibitions organisers plan to recrate the bow of the wrecked ship as it appears on the sea bed with support from a Hollywood prop company with a spotlight for a dramatic and immersive experience for visitors.