Southampton will mark the anniversary of the RMS Titanic tragedy with a commemorative service – honouring more than 540 residents who lost their lives when the ship sank in 1912.
All 35 engineer and electrical officers perished when the Titanic sank as they gallantly remained at their posts to keep the lights burning and the pumps running thus allowing the ship to be abandoned.
Organised by a sub-committee of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board’s (MNWB) Southern Port Welfare Committee, in partnership with the Institute of Marine Engineers, Scientists and Technologists(IMarEST) Guild of Benevolence, the service will bring together representatives from across Southampton’s maritime community alongside civic leaders to remember those who were lost.
The Guild of Benevolence shares a particularly close connection to both the disaster and the memorial itself. The organisation was originally established as the Titanic Engineering Staff Memorial Benevolent Fund, created to support the families of the marine engineers and electricians who died in the tragedy, and played a role in funding the construction of Southampton’s Engineers Memorial where the service will be held on 15th April at 11am.
The Lord Mayor of Southampton, Councillor James Baillie, will attend the half-hour ceremony, which will feature readings, the laying of wreaths and a two-minute silence.
During the service, names recorded on the Engineers Memorial will be read aloud by representatives from The Mission to Seafarers and Stella Maris, while Eternal Father is played in the background. A reading of MacAndrew’s Hymn by Rudyard Kipling will be given by Sharon Coveney, followed by a further reading of The Convergence of the Twain by the Lord Mayor.
As Deputy Chief Executive of MNWB, the umbrella charity for the UK Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets that represents 47 member charities, Sharon Coveney said:
“Commemorating the anniversary of Titanic provides an important opportunity for today’s maritime community to come together in reflection and pay tribute to the engineers and crew whose dedication and bravery remain an enduring part of Southampton’s shared heritage.
“It is also a moment to recognise the continued importance of supporting the welfare of seafarers and their families, both at sea and ashore, in the spirit of those whom this memorial was created to remember.”
Neil Atkinson, Deputy Chair of the Guild of Benevolence, said:
“Southampton’s connection to Titanic is profound. The vast majority of the ship’s crew came from this city, and many of those who were lost were engineers and electricians whose skills kept the vessel running until the very end. The Guild of Benevolence was established in their memory, and we are proud to play our part in ensuring that their sacrifice continues to be recognised more than a century later.”
Wreaths will be laid by the Lord Mayor, SEE Southampton on behalf of the British Titanic Society, IMarEST Guild of Benevolence, and other representatives of the maritime community.
The service will conclude with a blessing from Rev Frans Sahetapy of Sailors’ Society.
Members of the public are welcome to attend at the Titanic Engineers Memorial.
