See new artefacts recovered from Titanic shipwreck (Photos)

The mission to recover all the precious artefacts from the world’s most famous shipwreck -the Titanic may not be over soon as research has shown that more precious items are still hidden in the wreckage.

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The latest fact-finding mission has unearthed new artefacts recovered from the wreckage and their historical significance.

In a unique opportunity granted recently to the BBC crew to tour the storage facility, the crew discovered the stories behind some of these objects.

A purse crafted from alligator hide and tiny perfume vials that retain their strong aroma are among the priceless items retrieved from the Titanic, the most well-known catastrophe in history. Because of the importance of the items inside, the precise location of the warehouse where they are kept is a closely-kept secret. All we know is that it’s located in the United States, specifically someplace in Atlanta, Georgia.
The shelves are crammed with thousands of objects, from tiny buttons and elaborately carved glassware to an overturned bathtub and a dented porthole.

An alligator bag hiding a tragic tale
“It’s a really beautiful, fashionable little bag,” says Tomasina Ray, director of collections for RMS Titanic Inc, the company that has recovered these artefacts. The US firm has the salvage rights to the ship and over the years has retrieved 5,500 items from the wreck site, a selection of which are put on display around the world.

The bag is made from alligator skin, which has survived decades in the depths of the North Atlantic. The delicate items inside have been preserved too, revealing details of the life of its owner – a third-class passenger called Marian Meanwell.

“She was a 63-year-old milliner,” says Tomasina. “And she was travelling to the US to be with her daughter who was recently widowed.”
Among the mementos inside was a faded photograph, thought to be Marian Meanwell’s mother.

A handwritten reference letter from her previous landlord in London was among the documents she would want for her new life in America.

“We have always found Miss Meanwell to be a good tenant, prompt with payment,” the statement reads.
Along with it came her medical inspection card, which was required for all third-class travelers to show they weren’t bringing any illnesses into the country. However, a sad turn of events is revealed by this water-stained document.

Marian Meanwell has a reservation on another White Star Line ship, the Majestic. However, it did not sail, and Majestic is crossed out on the card, indicating that she was transferred to the Titanic, where she perished along with 1,500 other passengers.

Fragrance with a strong aroma
From the depths, items that belonged to survivors have also been recovered.
When Tomasina opens a plastic container, the air is filled with an overly sweet scent. “It’s quite strong,” she acknowledges.
There are little scent vials within. Even after decades on the seafloor, their potent scent still permeates the enclosed container.
Tomasina says, “There was a perfume salesman on board and he had over ninety-nine of these little perfume vials.”
Adolphe Saalfeld was the passenger in question, and he was traveling in second class.

Among the 700 survivors was Saalfeld. However, some males who survived the ship’s evacuation were left concerned since women and children were given priority during the evacuation.
Tomasina recalls, “By the time we found this, he had passed away.” However, from what I hear, he did experience some survivor’s remorse.

A champagne way of living
A champagne bottle with champagne inside and a cork on top is also included in the collection.
It’s likely that some water entered through the cork as it squeezed, bringing the pressure to equilibrium. Then, according to Tomasina, it merely sat on the ocean floor.

The Titanic broke apart and its cargo spilled out as it sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg, leaving behind a massive debris field.

“There are a lot of bottles on the ocean floor and a lot of stock pots and kitchen pots too, because Titanic actually broke up around one of the kitchens,” says Tomasina.

There were thousands of bottles of champagne on board. The liner’s owner wanted its first-class passengers to experience the ultimate in opulence, with sumptuous surroundings and the finest food and drink.

Ship’s Rivets

When the Titanic struck the iceberg, she was making her first voyage from Southampton to the US.
The ship was renowned for being unsinkable and boasted cutting-edge safety measures for its day.
A few of the ship’s rivets, which are large metal pins that kept its thick steel plates together, are displayed to us by Tomasina. More than three million of them would have existed.