Thomas Andrews, Jr. (February 7, 1873 - April 15, 1912) was a managing director and head of the draughting department for the shipbuilding company Harland and Wolff in Belfast, Ireland. Andrews was the shipbuilder in charge of the plans for the ocean liner RMS Titanic. He was travelling on board the Titanic during its maiden voyage when it hit an iceberg on April 14, 1912 and was one of the more than 1,500 people lost in the disaster. February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 1912 is a leap year starting on Monday. ... Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries began as a shipyard located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... Belfast (Béal Feirste in Irish) is the second-largest city in Ireland. ... Shipbuilding is the construction of ships. ... The New York Herald reports the disaster. ... The maiden voyage of a ship or aircraft is the first cruise or flight in revenue service, typically following a series of shakedown cruises or test-flights. ... An iceberg (berg is the German word for mountain) is a large piece of ice that has broken off from a glacier or ice shelf and is floating in open water. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... 1912 is a leap year starting on Monday. ...

History

Thomas Andrews was born in Comber, Northern Ireland, to the Right Honourable Thomas Andrews and Eliza Pirrie. The younger brother to future Northern Ireland Prime Minister John Millar Andrews, Thomas Andrews lived with his family in Comber, County Down. In 1884 Andrews began attending the Royal Belfast Academical Institution until 1889 when, at the age of sixteen, he began a premium apprenticeship at Harland and Wolff where his uncle William James Pirrie was part owner. Comber (An Comar in Irish) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland, lying on the Ards Peninsula. ... Royal motto: Quis separabit (Latin: Who will separate?) Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area  - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 4th 1,685,267 122/km² NUTS 1... The Right Honourable (abbreviated The Rt Hon. ... The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland was the head of the Government of Northern Ireland, appointed by the Governor of Northern Ireland under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. ... John Millar Andrews (July 17, 1871 - August 5, 1956) was the second Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. ... County Down, (An Dún in Irish) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, covering an area of 2,448 km² (945 square miles). ... 1884 is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar). ... The Royal Belfast Academical Institution is Non-Denominational Voluntary Grammar School for boys, that was founded in 1810, in College Square, Belfast. ... 1889 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries began as a shipyard located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... William James Pirrie, Viscount Pirrie, KP (May 31, 1847) - (June 6, 1924) was a leading Irish shipbuilder and businessman. ...

In Harland and Wolff Andrews worked his way up through the company and in 1901 became the manager of the construction works. That same year he also became a member of the Institution of Naval Architects. In 1907 Andrews became the managing director and head of the draughting department of Harland and Wolff. During his years of work Andrews had become well liked in the company and amongst the workers in the shipyards. On June 24, 1908 Andrews married Helen Reilly Barbour, with whom he had a daughter, Elizabeth, in 1910. 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1907 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... 1908 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1910 in topic: Arts Architecture- Art- Film- Literature- Music- Television Science and technology Aviation- Rail transport- Radio- Science Other topics Australia- Canada- Ireland- South Africa- Sport Births- Deaths Lists of leaders: State leaders - Religious leaders 1910 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

RMS Titanic

In 1907 Andrews began to oversee the plans of a new superliner, the RMS Olympic for the White Star Line. Along with Andrews, the Olympic and its sister ship the RMS Titanic, which began construction in 1909, were designed by William Pirrie and Alexander Carlisle. As with the other ships he had oversaw Andrews familiarized himself with every detail of the Olympic and Titanic to make sure they were in best working order. Superliner is a term sometimes used for an ocean liner of over 10,000 gross tons. ... The RMS Olympic, sister ship of the famed RMS Titanic. ... White Star Line logo and burgee If you are looking for the Babylon 5 starships, see the article White Star. ... The New York Herald reports the disaster. ... 1909 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Andrews headed a group of Harland and Wolff workers who went on the maiden voyages of the ships built by Harland and Wolff to observe ship operations and spot any needed improvements. The Titanic was no exception and Andrews and the rest of his Harland and Wolff group travelled from Belfast to Southampton on Titanic for the beginning of Titanic's maiden voyage on April 10, 1912. During the voyage Andrews took notes on various improvements he felt were needed. The maiden voyage of a ship or aircraft is the first cruise or flight in revenue service, typically following a series of shakedown cruises or test-flights. ... Civic Centre, Southampton Southampton is a city and major port situated on the south coast of England. ... April 10 is the 100th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (101st in leap years). ... 1912 is a leap year starting on Monday. ...

On April 14, at 11:40 PM, the Titanic struck an iceberg on the ship’s starboard side. Andrews had been in his stateroom working at the time and had noticed the ship striking the iceberg. Captain E. J. Smith had Andrews summoned to help examine the damage. Andrews determined that there was nothing that could be done and that the Titanic would sink. April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... An iceberg (berg is the German word for mountain) is a large piece of ice that has broken off from a glacier or ice shelf and is floating in open water. ... Starboard is the nautical term (used on boats and ships) that refers to the right side of a vessel, as perceived by a person facing forward (i. ... Captain Edward J. Smith. ...

As the evacuation of Titanic began, Andrews searched staterooms telling the passengers to put on lifebelts and go up on deck. Knowing the short time Titanic had left and lack of lifeboat space for all of Titanic's passengers and crew he continued to urge reluctant people into the lifeboats. A personal flotation device (also named PFD, lifejacket, life preserver, Mae West, life vest, life saver, cork jacket) is a device designed to keep a wearer afloat and their head above water, often in swimming pools, rivers, or oceans. ... For the 1944 movie, see Lifeboat (movie). ...

According to one steward, Thomas Andrews was last seen staring at a painting above the fireplace in the first–class smoking room. Newspapers accounts of the disaster labeled Andrews a hero and his hometown of Comber built the Thomas Andrews Jr. Memorial Hall which was opened in 1915 and is now used as a primary school. The terms steward or stewardess can refer to a number of different professional roles. ... 1915 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

In the 1997 film Titanic, Andrews was portrayed by actor Victor Garber. He has also been portrayed on film by Michael Goodliffe in A Night to Remember. 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Titanic is a 1997 dramatic movie released by Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox. ... Victor Joseph Garber, born March 16, 1949, in London, Ontario, Canada, is a film, stage, and television actor. ... See also A Night to Remember (album) for the Cyndi Lauper album by this name. ...

References

• M. A. Kribble. Thomas Andrews: Builder of the Ship of Dreams. Thomas Andrews: Builder of the Ship of Dreams. Accessed on July 9, 2005.
• "Thomas Andrews". Titanic-Titanic.com. URL accessed on July 8, 2005.