Centenary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic

Stamps commemorate Royal Mail Steamer (RMS) Titanic

11/04/2012

An Post has produced four stamps commemorating the centenary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic.  

The stamps were unveiled as part
of the National Tribute in Cobh, Co Cork today with the involvement of Cobh Postman, Paul O’Neill.

The stamp designs by renowned Irish designer, Ms Ger Garland are based on individuals associated with the Titanic set against a variety of backgrounds:

Two 55c stamps show Thomas Andrews, shipbuilder in charge of Titanic plans, with the ship under construction in Belfast in the background and famous Irish photographer Father Browne who travelled aboard the Titanic from Southampton to Cork, with the Titanic at anchor off Cobh.

Two 82c stamps show Captain Edward J. Smith against an image of passengers at the Titanic stern and the ‘Unsinkable’ Molly Brown (neé Tobin), with the ship’s magnificent staircase in the background.

The stamps, a collector’s First Day Cover and a special booklet (€12) containing a wealth of background information and illustrations and four full sets of stamps may be viewed and purchased at www.irishstamps.ie and the GPO Stamp Shop and main post offices.

 It is often forgotten that Titanic was not just the largest and most luxurious vessel of her time, she was also ”R.M.S.” – a Royal Mail Ship. Five postal clerks - three Americans and two Britons -  lost their lives aboard the Titanic as they loyally attended to their duty to save the mail, lugging heavy sacks of letters from the mail room (which was located close to the fatal gash in the ship’s hull) to the safety of the upper decks.

Titanic survivor Albert Theissinger, a Steward aboard the RMS Titanic was the last person to see them alive and in his account of the events he says “I urged them to leave their work.  They shook their heads and continued at their work.  It might have been an inrush of water later that cut off their escape, or it may have been the explosion.  I saw them no more.”

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