Newsletter – April 2012
April 11th, 2012What history society could let April 2012 pass without recognition of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and who better to tell the story than renowned raconteur and Titanic expert, Andrew Lound? Andrew’s take on the story was to look at the Midlands connections to the ship and the disaster; this he did with tremendous effect, dressed in White Star uniform and using a sophisticated digital presentation.
Set against the well-known story of the building and ultimate sinking of the ‘unsinkable’ ship, Andrew took us on a journey of the Birmingham and Black Country craftsmen such as Hingley’s, Avery, Stuart Crystal, Hudson whistles and countless others engaged in manufacturing lighting, locks, interior fittings, heaters and cutlery. It was moving to see these products photographed lying at the bottom of the ocean. For his next Midlands connections, Andrew turned to the stories of some of the passengers from the area. Through extensive research, he had pieced together their history leading up to that last fateful voyage and was able to share some of their personal tragedies. This was a poignant presentation by someone who is a renowned expert on the subject.
Our next trip is to Witley Court and Abberley Hall & clock tower. To cater for demand, this is being offered twice in June and July.