New northern take on the Titanic tragedy

Few maritime tragedies have held such a place in the public imagination as that of the Titanic. The tales and testimonies of passengers aboard that doomed voyage in 1912 have inspired countless books and several film adaptations, some more fictionalised than others.

Titanic: The Greater Manchester Connections, however, shifts the spotlight. By anchoring the narrative in the lives of those from Greater Manchester in northwest England, author James W. Bancroft gives the Titanic story a tangible regional dimension, reminding us that global tragedies are always made up of local losses. In particular, he draws our attention to the hundreds of crew members who worked behind the luxurious facades.

Showcased are stories of exceptional bravery from the Titanic’s crew, many of whom lost their lives trying to save others. Steward Thomas Whiteley and second officer Charles Lightoller are typical examples. Both men, after helping women and children into the lifeboats, miraculously survived by clinging to an overturned lifeboat, while also assisting other passengers to do the same.

Other accounts are less dramatic but no less powerful, pointing to the quiet courage and sense of duty shown by those onboard. Bancroft pays tribute to the engine crew who, after impact, remained at their posts to maintain power and lighting. Without their sacrifice, the death toll would have been far higher.

It’s true that there are already a great many books about the Titanic disaster, perhaps sometimes at the expense of other maritime tragedies. But Bancroft’s book stands out for avoiding the usual clichés and offering a quietly powerful tribute to those who worked, suffered, and often died in service.

Titanic: The Greater Manchester Connections
By James W Bancroft
Frontline Books, £22
ISBN: 978 10361 24694