Even though it is 110 years since the iconic liner sank, Titanic still holds an enduring fascination. At their last meeting Pembroke Ladies Probus were given a very interesting insight on the liner as envisaged by those who built her.

Lt. Cmd. John Blake described how the liner was conceived to be not the fastest but the most luxurious liner of its time. A 1st class ticket equated to roughly £64,000 plus in today’s money, which saw passengers treated to sumptuous decor and facilities. However, although there was a definite separation in what was offered, even 3rd class (or steerage) enjoyed facilities that other shipping lines afforded to 2nd class passengers only. This included their own dining room serving three decent and nourishing meals a day, linen and wood panelled cabins, albeit sleeping six!

As John pointed out it could be seen from photographs and drawings that from its design and construction Titanic surely should have been an ‘unsinkable’ ship. However, as Linda Rees observed in her Vote of Thanks speech, ‘Titanic was an example of no matter how inventive man is, nature can still overwhelm.’