In the freezing early hours of April 15, 1912, 350 miles off
the coast of Canada, an epic tale was unfolding that would stop the
world in its tracks. Nearly 100 years on the story of the Titanic
is being brought to life in Kent. Rachael Woods reports.

Full of hope and expectation, more than 2,000 passengers stepped
aboard the luxury RMS Titanic for her maiden voyage to New York in
1912.

But the terrible fate that awaited the passengers when the
luxury liner collided with an iceberg off the Newfoundland Grand
Banks on a moonless night is etched in the minds of generations
that have followed.

Just a third of passengers who boarded the White Star Line’s
pride and joy at Southampton were to survive the collision which
caused the ship, famously described as unsinkable, to go down
within hours. Now an award-winning exhibition, Titanic Honour &
Glory, is to dock at Chatham’s Historic Dockyard – and it offers a
see-it, feel-it and touch-it experience of life on board the luxury
liner.

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A look behind the scenes
at the exhibition

The exhibition has been touring the country for a number of
years and has been seen by half a million people. The Times listed
it in its top five exhibitions for 2008.

Visitors can take a tour of the mock-up first- and third-class
cabins, home to the millionaires and immigrants who were among the
variety of passengers on the ship.

Artefacts and material from the largest private collection in
Scotland have been made available for public display. Luxury items
such as silverware and White Star Line-branded fine china can be
seen.

On show too is the gold pocket watch which belonged to Italian
waiter Vincenzo Gilardino, who perished in the tragedy, as is the
fountain pen owned by Titanic captain Edward John Smith. Also on
show will be the captain’s Steiff bear and a cup presented to him
in 1911.

Famous props from the blockbuster 1997 movie Titanic will be on
display, including the Heart of the Ocean necklace worn by leading
lady Kate Winslet.

Dresses worn by Kate in the film can also be seen, together with
the costumes of her co-stars Leonardo di Caprio and Billy Zane. A
drawing by Titanic director James Cameron of Kate wearing the
famous necklace completes the picture.

The detail and thought put into the exhibition is the product of
work by exhibition managers Sean Szmalc and Margot Corson, who aim
to give visitors a true picture of life on board the Titanic in the
run-up to the 100th anniversary of the disaster.

Mr Szmalc promises: “Each visitor to the exhibition will get a
feeling of what it was like to have been on Titanic. The
exhibition will take you on a voyage of discovery.”

Titanic Honour & Glory runs until Friday, September 30,
at No.1 Smithery at Chatham Historic Dockyard.