A RARE AND IMPORTANT TICKET TO THE LAUNCHING OF THE R.M.S. T...

Hammer

£46,000

A RARE AND IMPORTANT TICKET TO THE LAUNCHING OF THE R.M.S. TITANIC

31^st May 1911, numbered '683', printed in black with a red White Star Line burgee to the upper right, the perforated ticket stub detached but taped to the ticket, 8cm x 13.5cm; together with a very rare ticket to the staff inspection of the S.S. ''Olympic'', 27th May 1911, printed on pink card, 6cm x 10cm; and a collection of photographs and ephemera relating the provenance (a lot)

The first ticket would admit the holder to the launch of the Titanic in Belfast. They would have witnessed the fateful first steps of the famous ship's journey.

The staff ticket would seem to have allowed access for workers to inspect the S.S. Olympic prior to its official maiden voyage on June 14^th 1911. The 17^th May was also the date the Olympic opened to the public for the first time at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Ireland.

Billy Herriott grew up in Belfast and is recorded as having lived at number 9, Lisbon Street. During the First World War he served in several Irish regiments, including the Royal Irish Rifles. Photographs and postcards from his service depict him as a well-dressed gentleman with a distinguished moustache. He had two sons with his wife Emma Mitchell. Before the war, family history records him having worked for a sign writer's firm. It is through this work that it appears he was employed in helping outfit the Titanic. In an undated letter from Billy's son John Mitchell (1912-1989, known as Jack by the family), who at the time still lived in Belfast, he writes to his brother Norman who now lives in Cowes:

'I saw a man last week and said to him I recognised his back. Later I asked him was he a 'Freeland' he said yes. It was Ginger Freeland I don't know if you remember him. He lived in Home St and was related to the 'Chip Shop' Freelands. He remembered me and asked about you, too. He said something I haven't heard in 40 years or more. Your father was 'Wee Billy' who painted the murals on the 'Titanic'. I suspect he 'grounded' the panels for the murals. I'd never heard this before. It must have been 40 years since I last saw 'Ginger'…

William 'Wee Billy' Herriott (1877-1942) of Belfast, thence by direct family descent.