RMS Titanic departing Southampton on April 10, 1912
Photographer: Francis Godolphin Osbourne Stuart
Date: April 10, 1912
Location: Southampton, England, UK
Francis Godolphin Osbourne Stuart photographed the RMS Titanic — then the world's largest ship — departing Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912, the beginning of her maiden voyage to New York City. The Titanic, operated by the White Star Line, was designed to be unsinkable and carried some of the wealthiest people in the world alongside hundreds of emigrants in third class. On the night of April 14–15, 1912, the ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank in approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes. Of the 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, approximately 1,500 died — the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in history. The lack of sufficient lifeboats and the absence of adequate safety regulations contributed to the death toll. The disaster led to major reforms in maritime safety laws, including the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). Stuart's photograph is one of the last known photographs of the Titanic afloat.
← Explore all photos on the map
