Dining on the Titanic

First Class Luncheon Menu, April 14

The White Star Line aimed not only to impress Titanic’s passengers with luxurious accommodations and amenities, but also with its dining selection.  After Captain E. J. Smith, head chef Charles Proctor was the highest-paid crew member on board the ship.

First class dining saloon

First class passengers had the largest number of dining options.  Bugles sounding “The Roast Beef of Old England” (the traditional call to meals aboard White Star ships) signaled the serving of lunch and dinner (though a dress call was sounded a half hour prior to dinner as well).  At this time passengers would perhaps go to the dining saloon located on D deck.  Stretching the entire width of the ship (114 feet), it could seat up to 500 people.  Seating was assigned and passengers generally had the same dining companions throughout the trip.  The large saloon had some recesses as well as portable screens that would allow privacy for those parties that wanted it.  But if first class passengers were looking for a more intimate space to take their meals, they might choose the a la carte restaurant located on the Bridge deck, or perhaps the Cafe Parisien, which was a favorite spot for the younger first class passengers.

Cafe Parisien, a favorite spot for the younger set of first class passengers

A la carte restaurant

The second class dining saloon was also located on D deck and stretched the width of the ship, but was smaller at 71 feet and a capacity of 394 people, which meant diners had to come at different “sittings.”  The room was nicely appointed with mahogany furniture and oak paneling.

The kitchens for both the first and second class dining saloons were located on D deck to expedite service, as were the serving rooms, pantries, and bakeries.  Each kitchen was equipped with two ranges (each with 19 ovens), as well as electrical slicing, potato-peeling, mincing, whisking, and freezing machines.

The third class dining saloon was located on F deck, and once again stretched the entire width of the ship.  At 100 feet long, it could accommodate 470 passengers, which meant that third class passengers ate at three different “sittings.”  The room was well lit with portholes and side lights, and was finished in enamel white.  The third class kitchen and pantry were located just aft of the dining saloon.

Before leaving Southampton, Titanic took into its inventory 127,000 pieces of tableware, including bone china dinner plates, cut-glass tumblers, and fine crystal.  75,000 lbs. of fresh meat and 11,000 lbs. of fresh fish were brought on board, along with 40,000 fresh eggs and 1,500 gallons of milk.  Ingredients to prepare meals to rival those of the finest restaurants in Europe stocked the ship’s pantries.

Front of first class dinner menu

On the evening of April 14, first class passengers in the dining saloon were served a seven-course meal.  Hors d’oeuvres or oysters came first, then a choice of two soups.  Next was a salmon dish followed by a choice of chicken Lyonnaise or stuffed marrow.  This was followed by the main course, which was a choice of lamb, duckling or sirloin of beef along with vegetables.  After the main dish passengers chose from four light savory dishes such as cold asparagus vinaigrette, and then finally were served one of four desserts: Waldorf pudding, peaches in Chartreuse jelly, chocolate and vanilla eclairs, or French ice cream.  If one wanted wine or other spirits they were required to fill out a card at the table.  This order would be charged to their account, which passengers would settle at the end of the voyage.

Inside of first class dinner menu for April 14

On the same evening in the second class dining saloon, passengers were served a four-course meal.  This included a clear soup, a fish course of baked haddock, a choice of curried chicken with rice, spring lamb, or roast turkey with vegetables or rice, and a choice of dessert, which included plum pudding, wine jelly, coconut sandwich or American ice cream.

While the first and second class midday meal was called “lunch,” and the evening course called “dinner,” the main meals in third class were labeled “dinner” and “tea.”  ”Dinner” in this case was served midday, and consisted of soup, a meat dish such as roast pork, a dessert, and fruit.  Tea included a cooked course, bread, a light dessert, and, of course, tea.  Besides these two meals, breakfast and a late supper were also served.  Breakfast included cereal, kippers or boiled eggs, bread, marmalade, and tea or coffee.  The supper meal consisted of cheese and biscuits or gruel and coffee.

Meals were a time for camaraderie among the ship’s passengers.  And for first class, it was a time to see and be seen.  The next post will focus on some of the famous faces aboard the Titanic.

Sources: Anatomy of the Titanic by Tom McCLuskie, Titanic: Fortune & Fate by Beverly McMillan and Stanley Lehrer, The Titanic: The Extraordinary Story of the “Unsinkable Ship” by Geoff Tibballs, The Titanic Collection Guide by Eric Sauder and Hugh Brewster, Notes for First Class Passengers On Board the Steamers of the White Star Line

Interior photos from Anatomy of the Titanic, menus from The Titanic Collection

Passenger Life Aboard the Titanic

Titanic leaving Queenstown, Ireland

On the afternoon of April 11, Titanic steamed away from Queenstown, Ireland, and out into the open waters of the Atlantic, bound for New York.  The ship would be the home of 322 first class passengers, 275 second class passengers, and 712 third class passengers for the next six days.

Turkish bath

As a reflection of the period, Titanic was divided into separate classes, with separate areas of the ship available to each class.  As one might imagine, a great deal of attention went into the amenities offered to first class passengers.  Facilities unique to first class included a gymnasium, squash court, Turkish and electric baths, swimming pool, and a dark room for photographers.  It is important to note that while these facilities were available, they came at a price.  It cost 4s to use the Turkish bath, 1s for the gymnasium, and 4s for a session on the squash court.  Three elevator lifts were available to first class passengers to conveniently travel between decks.

Saltwater swimming pool (likely on the Olympic)

First class sleeping quarters rivaled those of the finest hotels in Europe.  You had to pay for that luxury though: the most expensive first class ticket cost 870 pounds (compared to 7 pounds 10s for a third class ticket).  A variety of decorative styles were used to outfit the various state rooms, including Louis XVI, Italian Renaissance, Georgian, Regency, and Adams.  The most luxurious accommodations were the promenade suites located on B deck, which had their own private decks.  These suites also included two bedrooms, a sitting room, two wardrobe rooms, a private bath, and a room for the occupant’s personal servant.  Ship stewards and stewardesses were also available around the clock to meet any request made by first class passengers.  Their quarters were located along the first class corridors, so that they could come quickly when a bell was rung to summon them.   Over half of the ship’s 900 crew members were assigned to look after Titanic’s passengers.

Cabin B60 opening onto a private drawing room

Sitting room of a parlor suite in the Adams style

Sitting room of a parlor suite in Regency style

First class cabin B38

Second class cabins were equivalent to first class accommodations on most other ships.  Each room held between two and four berths and had mahogany furniture and white walls.  Like first class, second class passengers had their own library and smoking room.  They also had promenade space located on the aft portion of the boat deck, which could be reached through the second class stairway or through a lift that ran from G deck to the boat deck.

Wallace Hartley

One amenity shared by both first and second class was the ship’s orchestra, which was comprised of 8 members led by violinist Wallace Hartley, who had been recruited from the Mauretania.  Pianist Theodore Brailey and cellist Roger Bricoux had previously played on the Carpathia.  The band had a repertoire of 352 songs, and each member was expected to know each tune by its number when Hartley called it out to be played.  The orchestra was divided into two sections: a violin, piano, and cello trio played in the second class lounge and dining saloon as well as in the first class reception room.  The remaining five members played during teatime and Sunday service, and gave after-dinner concerts.

Third class passengers were mostly immigrants.  Shipping lines like the White Star Line made the majority of their profits from the transport of immigrants to the New World, but because their passage was almost always one way, it was not thought necessary to impress them with the ship’s amenities.  However, on Titanic, third class passengers found their accommodations to be much better than what they would have had on other ships.  Sleeping arrangements were somewhat cramped, with four or six-berth cabins, along with dormitories that had up to 8 bunks.  But the White Star Line provided third class passengers with a general room, which served as a meeting room where passengers could converse.  It was panelled and framed in pine, and finished with enamel white.  Teak tables, chairs, and benches were also provided, along with a piano for entertainment.  There was also a smoking room, and third class passengers could take the air on the Well deck, which was located near the stern of the ship.

One of the most important social functions that took place on the ship was dining, which will be covered in the next post.

A few photos to compare accommodations:

First class smoking room

Second class smoking room (on the Olympic, but similar to what would have been on the Titanic)

First class corridor (all pipes are hidden behind paneling)

Third class passageway

The first class grand staircase

Second class staircase (on the Olympic)

Third class staircase

Sources: The Titanic: The Extraordinary Story of the “Unsinkable” Ship by Geoff Tibballs, Anatomy of the Titanic by Tom McCluskie

All interior photos (except Turkish bath) from Tom McCluskie’s Anatomy of the Titanic