Titanic Table Laid For Journalists

There was a 'Titanic' touch at a Northern Ireland Guild of Agricultural Journalist's meeting held in Belfast Harbour Commissioners office recently.

Hosted last week by the NI Grain Trade Association, the visitors heard details of the industry's trade and at the same time they had the chance to sit at a unique table, originally made for the cabin of Captain Edward Smith on the ill-fated RMS Titanic.

NI Guild Chairman Rodney Magowan, pictured, centre, took a seat with Declan Billington, left, and Gareth Boyd of the Grain Trade Association as they heard how, on April 2, 1912 Titanic left Belfast's Harland and Wolff shipyard for Southampton.

The table and chairs were not quite ready so were forwarded by cargo vessel a few days later.

However, they were not loaded when Titanic left the Solent on April 10 and were placed in storage by the White Star Line marked 'Hold for return of Titanic'.

Some 60 years later the Titanic table and chairs were found and retuned to Belfast to be displayed in the Harbour Commissioners office built in 1854 across the River Lagan from what was once the world's largest shipyard and birthplace of Titanic.

Picture by: Cliff Donaldson

(BMcC/JM)