Ben Tillet was one of the leading trade unionists of his day, organiser of the famous London Docks strike of 1889 and a man who meglected no opportunity to strike at the capitalist system. Like the editor of the New York Evening Journal, he had no doubt as to who was to balme - the ship's owners, the seeking short-term profit at the expense of human life. Rich and poor alike were drowned although the way in which accomodation on the Titanic was arrnaged meant that the first-class passengers, whose state-rooms were on Deck A, were nearer the boats. Not all emigrants in Third Class had a good command of English and mnay may not have realised what was happening until it was too late. Was Ben Tillet blinded to the facts by the rhetoric of class warfare in his damning critique? The British Commission of Enquiry's final report stated that no discrimination had been shown against third class passengers. Board of Trade officals noted on the file cover of this letter that it was not to recieve a reply
18th April 1912 PRO reference BT 9/920 A [no.19]
The Making of History
| Register for Transmission to Registrar-General
of Shipping and Seamen | The Report of
Survey of An Emigrant Ship |
| Titanic's boilers |
Leaving for the New World
| Certificate for Clearance |
Boarding Card | Luggage Stickers |
Steerage - the Aks family |
On Board
| Passenger List | Music
Booklet | Notes for First-Class Passengers
|
| 1st Class Dinner Plate |
| First-Class Lunch Menu | The
"Last Dinner" Menu |
Disaster
| Telegraph transcripts from Titanic intercepted
By SS Birma |
Lifeboats and Carpathia
| Photograph of a Survivor climbing aboard
SS Carpathia | Landing Card |
Aftermath
| Correspondence from the White Star Line
to the Board of Trade concerning loss of Titanic |
| Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Worker's
Union |
| The politician's responce | Commemorative
Medal |
British and American Inquiries
| Sub-committee of the Committee on Commerce
of the United States Senate | A
Report on the Loss of the "Titanic" (S.S) |
| Report on the Senate Committee enquiry
report into the loss of the Titanic |