Unsolved Mysteries

Titanic Entombment?
Was a man mistakenly sealed in Titanic's double bottom? Accidental entombment of a worker was thought to be the worst omen possible for a vessel in a shipbuilding yard. Furthermore, because the work on these huge ships progressed at such a rapid pace, it was not unthinkable that an accident of that nature could occur. After Titanic's double bottom was complete, workers reported hearing banging noises from under the new bottom. Some believed the noises was a man trapped in Titanic's mammoth hull; others believed the noises were a result of a disgruntled employee banging on the hull after hours in order to propel superstition.

The SECOND Grand Staircase
We have all heard stories of the grandeur of Titanic's first class grand staircase. What you may not know is that Titanic actually had TWO grand staircases: one forward, one aft. The forward case is the one that is commonly associated with Titanic: the case with the clock and carving of Honor & Glory crowning Time. The aft case, however, is not generally seen. After much careful research and debate, my colleagues and the author have identified the following picture to be Titanic's AFT grand staircase. Interestingly, this photo is often mistaken to be Olympic's grand staircase. Obviously this is a misconception as Olympic's clock carving currently resides in the Ulster Folk Museum…or does it?

The Butcher, The Baker, ...The Who?
Among the many survivor accounts included "A Night to Remember," Walter Lord mentions the story of Walter Belford, chief night baker aboard Titanic. Mr. Belford was in the D-deck galley upon impact with the iceberg; he said he was well aware the ship had struck something because the impact caused a freshly-baked tray of rolls to crash to the floor. Bedford remained aboard Titanic until the very end, holding on to the stern railing as the ship went under. Even after forty years, Belford told Lord that he could still feel the stabbing cold of the water the night that Titanic sank.

Compelling story, eh? Unfortunately, there has been a bit of controversy surrounding Mr. Belford's tale. Firstly, he is not listed among the crew or passenger lists. Furthermore, Titanic's crew list has no official position of 'chief night baker.' The only scrap of information that collaborates Mr. Belford's story one name on the crew list: William Barnet Bedford, cook. Therefore, one must wonder: is this mystery the result of a simple typo, or one man's long-running deception?

The Porthole Puzzle
It appears that both Titanic and Olympic were fitted with fourteen portholes on the port side forecastle deck: photographs of Titanic immediately after launch show her with fourteen portholes. Interestingly, after launch, Titanic received two additional, unevenly spaced portholes on the port side for a total of sixteen; while her older sister Olympic was still equipped with only fourteen. Obviously, this variation was due to the revisions in Titanic's design; however, what were those specific changes?

The starboard side, however, is a different story: both Olympic and Titanic were fitted with fifteen portholes on the forecastle decks. Interestingly, the third sister of the Olympic class, Britannic, was fitted with seventeen portholes on the starboard side. One can only speculate what last-minute design changes incurred these extra portholes

Nice Try…
A woman claiming to have survived the Titanic disaster delivered the following note to a New York Newspaper:
"If I am saved, inform my sister F. J. Adams of Findley Ohio, Lost. J. H. ROGERS.''
Mr. Jay Yates, in fact, wrote the note in New York; and was never on the Titanic. The note, which was delivered to the newspaper by an accomplice, was intended to mislead the police to assume Mr. Yates was dead. Fortunately, the NYPD did not believe the story, and Yates was arrested on charges of federal postal theft a few of months after Titanic sank.

The Fourth Funnel
The fact that Titanic's fourth funnel is actually a dummy is old news by now, but did you know that the
'dummy' funnel occasionally emitted smoke? Both of Titanic's galleys were positioned directly
beneath the fourth funnel. Therefore, the 'dummy' stack served as a ventilation shaft for Titanic's ovens.
Specifically, smoke can be seen rising out Titanic's fourth funnel in the following picture taken
during Titanic's short stay at Cherbourg.

An interesting note, when Titanic left Southampton, witnesses report a man's head appeared at the top of the last funnel. Because the fact that the fourth funnel was false was not well known, the appearance of the strange head shocked many onlookers. Thinking no human could have assumed such a position, many people, therefore, concluded that the figure was supernatural, and hence, that Titanic was cursed. Aside from the superstitious aspect of the issue, the question remains: whom was the man peeking out of the fourth funnel during Titanic's departure from Southampton?