“It was sad when that great ship went down”—Titanic 100 years later

“It was sad when that great ship went down --
Husbands and wives
And children lost their lives.
It was sad when that great ship went down.”

This April marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, legendary among maritime disasters. There have been other shipwrecks with great loss of life, but the Titanic catastrophe continues to mesmerize the public a century after the headlines carried the news Titanic Sunk to an unbelieving and horrified world.

Many people know the basic facts about the event: the collision with an iceberg, the inadequate number of lifeboats, and the rescue of the survivors by the Carpathia. But here are some lesser-known facts about the Titanic and its doomed maiden voyage.

The Titanic had its own newspaper: The Atlantic Daily Bulletin.

There were two dogs among the survivors of the sinking.

The company that built the Titanic, Harland and Wolff, is still in business.

One urban legend claims the sinking was the result of a mummy’s curse.

There are now no survivors of the sinking left. The last survivor, Milvina Dean, died recently at the age of 97.

Some Titanic aficionados will mark the occasion by joining one of the 100th anniversary cruises. Others are hosting dinners that feature dishes from the ship’s menus. But whatever the observance, there is little doubt that the story of the great ship’s final night will continue to exert its fascination for another hundred years.

For more information on the RMS Titanic:

“It was sad when that great ship went down” music and lyrics:
http://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=7051

10 Facts About the Titanic:
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1910s/a/titanicfacts.htm

Harland and Wolff:
http://www.harland-wolff.com/

No mummy on the Titanic:
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/ghosts/mummy.asp

Last Titanic survivor:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31030935/ns/world_news-europe/t/last-survivor-titanic-dies-aged/

100th Anniversary Cruises:
http://titanicmemorialcruise.co.uk/

http://www.titanicanniversarycruise.com/anniversary/itinerary.php?gclid=CISAoLS3lK8CFQUGnQodtSyiLw

Titanic cookbook:
http://encore.bham.lib.al.us/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1711185__Slast+dinner+on+the+titanic__Orightresult__X5?lang=eng&suite=def