THE White Star Line was one of the most prominent shipping companies in the world in the late Victorian to early Edwardian period, priding itself on providing comfortable passages for every passenger, whether first, second or third-class. 

The deckchair pictured above was gifted to Captain Walter Parker, captain of the RMS Olympic, on his retirement in the late 1920s. It’s made of high-quality oak and features a five-pointed star - the logo of the White Star Line – on its headrest and would have been available for hire by the ship’s passengers.

The chair is identical to those which would have been aboard the ill-fated liner the Titanic. The image behind the chair shows these deckchairs stacked up on the boat deck of the Titanic – it was taken in her last port of call in Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland.

Just days later the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic in one of the most tragic maritime disasters in history. The public fascination with the disaster has never waned, particularly interest into the individuals affected whose stories span the whole range of human emotion: incomprehensible tragedies, acts of incredible bravery and heart-warming joyful reunions.

The Titanic: Honour & Glory exhibition is now open at Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum, Monday to Saturday, 10.30am-4.30pm, with free entry.

The exhibition charts the history and legacy of the White Star Line and the Titanic through an astonishing array of rare items original to the ship, props from the 1997 James Cameron film, and real stories of people from Worcestershire who were aboard the ship on what should have been her triumphant maiden voyage to New York.

There are many exhibition-themed events in the coming weeks too! For those who want to celebrate the splendour of the ship in style, join Museum After Hours online at 7pm on Friday, May 28 – streaming from the Museums Worcestershire YouTube account.

Coming up soon, there is also an online Bite Size Talk: Titanic Stories at 1.30pm on Tuesday, June 8, with the Titanic collection’s curator.

For the full event list and to find out more about the exhibition, visit museumsworcestershire.org.uk/whats-on/.