578 days ago

Graeme Jupp, talks Titanic

Rhondda Sweetman from Plimmerton Rotary

This week’s speaker was Graeme Jupp, who is a professional cartographer and appears to spend every waking minute thinking about the ill-fated ‘Titanic’.
Graeme’s talk was fascinating. It would be an understatement to call him a Titanic enthusiast. He owns more than 650 books on the subject, and has visited museums and memorials and consulted experts and fellow enthusiasts all over the world.
He has written an e-book from a new angle - a 366-day calendar of events relevant to the design, launch, sinking and its aftermath.
Why has the Titanic caught the popular imagination and remained an alluring subject to so many people ever since it sank? It was not, after all, the world’s worst maritime disaster. If you Google ‘Titanic’ it will produce over 64 million hits!
Graeme offered some reasons. It has been the subject of popular films; it raises some interesting issues for engineers; there were numerous famous people on the passenger list; there are bitter controversies surrounding the rescue of the passengers and crew, and interest was rekindled when the wreck was discovered and explored in 1987.
There is thus a mixture of scandal, rumour, celebrity, catastrophe, heroism, official failures and technical hubris which has proved irresistible.
Graeme chose not to market his book but has made it available as a free PDF on the internet. He explained that it contains material, especially images, which are subject to copyright and which have been freely given on the understanding they would not be exploited commercially.
Note: You can access Graeme’s E-book here

More messages from your neighbours
5 days ago

What's your favourite tomato recipe?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.

Image
1 day ago

Moe mai rā, Nicholas.

Justin Wong Reporter from The Post

We're sad to announce the passing of Nicholas Boyack, our Hutt Valley reporter who has long written for The Dominion Post, The Hutt News and Upper Hutt Leader.

Image
1 day ago

Moe mai rā, Nicholas.

Justin Wong Reporter from Kapi-Mana News

We're sad to announce the passing of Nicholas Boyack, our Hutt Valley reporter who has long written for The Dominion Post, The Hutt News and Upper Hutt Leader.

Image