Lectures

Lectures appearing on the Titanic Memorial Cruise so far:

Claes-Göran Wetterholm

Claes – Goran Wetterholm Author and maritime historian's interest in the Titanic began in 1961 when he watched a television documentary from the BBC on Swedish television.

Claes's research initially focused on the ship but gradually he has taken a greater interest in the personal history of the people on the Titanic and particularly the third class passengers. This has led to various books, publications, TV, and radio documentaries. Claes is also cofounder and president of the Scandinavian Titanic Society.

Claes has worked with various Titanic exhibition projects as a full time Titanic historian and has also worked with Voyager Titanic Exhibition, GmbH.

He has partaken as a maritime and Titanic historian in four different expeditions to the Titanic in cooperation with RMS Titanic, Inc. The most extensive recovery expedition so far was in 1994 when he spent around four weeks over the wreck. Whilst Claes has not dived to the wreck himself he has had the privilege to see and investigate thousands of objects as they were raised.

Philip Littlejohn

Alexander survived after being ordered to row Lifeboat 13, which also contained the youngest passenger on the Titanic, nine week old Millvina Dean and her mother.

Philip lectures widely in England and overseas for cruise liners, professional groups, schools and universities. He is the author of "Titanic- Waiting for Orders" which tells his grandfather's story. He is the only Titanic relative to make the dive to the Titanic wreck site.

“ I am delighted to be part of the cruise to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the maiden voyage of the Titanic. I'm sure my grandfather who was a 1st Class Steward on RMS Titanic would be proud to know his story will be shared with the passengers on the Balmoral. It will be an emotional moment when we are over the wreck site to which I dived in 2001 and where grandfather left Titanic rowing lifeboat 13. I am sure that everyone who takes part in the cruise will share the words of James Cameron when he completed filming his Titanic documentary "Ghosts of the Abyss" - "You may leave Titanic but Titanic will never leave you" ”

Philip Littlejohn - Grandson of Titanic survivor Alexander James Littlejohn

Alan Aldridge

Alan Aldridge is the principal auctioneer of Henry Aldridge and Son, the Worlds leading auctioneers and experts on the sale and attribution of Titanic memorabilia. Alan has sold some of the finest Titanic memorabilia ever auctioned and has a wealth of experience in this marketplace. He has been reasonable for the sale of items such as the collection of Titanic Passenger Carl Asplund. This included Mr Asplund's pocket watch frozen in time at 2.19am the moment Titanic sank beneath the frozen North Atlantic on April 15th 1912, the collection made over £125,000. A personal highlight was the sale of the Titanic's postal keys recovered from one of the postal officers by the name of Oscar Woody, these sold for a world record £101,000. 

Alan has lectured widely on the commercial aspects of Titanic memorabilia and has been seen on BBC television favorites such as Bargain Hunt, Flog It! and Cash in the Celebrity Attic as well as ITV's This Morning and The Richard and Judy Show on Channel Four.

Peter Boyd-Smith

Born and brought up in Southampton, England, Peter has been associated with ships for most of his life.  As a young child he was often on board warships with his father, who was in the Royal Navy.  As a young adult he worked in shipping offices and for other companies associated with ships.  In 1975 he opened Cobwebs in Southampton as an antique and collectables shop.  He then decided to specialise in liners and has now become known throughout the world for his knowledge of ships and their artefacts. 

Peter advises both individual collectors and organisations such as museums, shipping lines and film and television companies.  He was an advisor to Cameron’s Titanic movie, and a consultant to RMS Titanic Inc. Salvors of the Titanic and to the Titanic Museum in Orlando, Florida.

As well as lecturing, Peter is a contributor to television and radio programmes and writes for magazines and journals.  He has written several books on ocean liners and on local history.

Books - Titanic From Rare Historical Reports, Life on the Liners, Southampton: Gateway to England, Southampton in Focus, A History of Southampton in Picture Postcards

Susie Millar

Susie Millar has lived in Belfast all her life and now runs a tour company specialising in the Titanic sites in the city. Her great grandfather, Thomas Millar was an assistant deck engineer on board Titanic and was lost in the tragedy. Her grandfather, who was left orphaned by Titanic's sinking went on to become a celebrated author and poet. Much of his work dealt with the Titanic tragedy and its effect on the family.

Susie was a television reporter in Belfast for over 20 years before setting up her own company. She also works with the SS Nomadic Trust, delivering the Titanic Nomadic Schools Project. She is a committee member of the Belfast Titanic Society.

All lectures will be spoken in English, more lecturers to be confirmed soon.