Story Highlights
- Historical event:
- 10 April 1912
- It is known to only a small number of people that the Titanic actually first sailed from Southampton to France, rather than to America. Only when the passengers from mainland Europe boarded the ship in France did it set sail towards New York.
The Titanic set off on its fateful voyage from the British port of Southampton on this day – a voyage that would result in the loss of 1,517 lives.
It was the largest ship built at that time, being 269 meters long and weighing 52,310 tons. Her nine decks could accommodate 3,327 people (2,435 passengers and 892 crew members). Only 20 lifeboats were present during that voyage, and they could accommodate only about a third of the total number of people on board.
Some of the richest people of that time boarded the ship in Southampton, in order to witness the maiden voyage of the ship. Among them were John Jacob Astor IV, from the legendary wealthy Astor family (owners of the famous New York’s Waldorf-Astoria) and the Jewish rich man Benjamin Guggenheim (brother of the famous Solomon Guggenheim, after whom the museum in New York is named).
A large number of emigrants who left Europe seeking their fortune in the United States were also on board. It is known to only a small number of people that the Titanic actually first sailed from Southampton to France, rather than to America. Only when the passengers from mainland Europe boarded the ship in France did it set sail towards New York. Of course, the ship never got there – it sank five days after setting off.
