Featured Article: The Coal Strike / Titanic's Second Class Passengers

The Becker Family

Many of Titanic's Second Class passengers hold First Class tickets on ships like Oceanic or Majestic. Less elegant White Star liners whose voyages had been canceled because of a coal strike that has affected Britain since February. The coal supplies as well as the passengers of the other ships were transferred to Titanic. 

Many of the Second Class passengers are educated middle class people, some are on vacation and some are returning home. Among them are Lawrence Beesley, a science professor from London. Also, the Becker Family, American missionaries returning from India. Their accommodations on Titanic will be just as comfortable as a First Class cabin on any other ship. Before the ship sets sail, these passengers are allowed to tour the luxurious First Class sections of Titanic.

More About the Coal Strike

The national coal strike of 1912 was the first national strike by coal miners in the United Kingdom. Its main goal was securing a minimum wage. After 37 days, the government intervened and ended the strike by passing the Coal Mines Act, establishing a minimum wage for the first time.

The dispute centered upon an attempt made by the Miners Federation of Great Britain, the main trade union representing coal miners, to secure a minimum wage for miners in their district and replace the complicated wage structure then in place which often made it difficult for a miner to earn a fair day's wage. The same issues had caused a major dispute the previous year in South Wales and had become a national issue. The strike was a repeat of the unsuccessful strike of 1894 which also sought a minimum wage.

The strike began at the end of February in Alfreton, Derbyshire and spread nationwide. Nearly one million miners took part. It ended on 6 April after 37 days. The strike caused considerable disruption to train and shipping schedules.

Timeline Article: The White Star Line Grows - Teutonic & Majestic

By the end of the 19th century, the rate of inventions had accelerated like never before. The illusion was that man could do anything. Things were getting bigger and better all the time. The new industrialized western world was secure and prosperous. With this fast-paced industrial beat, people would find new ways of making money. In their world someone would arrive at a party with a dog wearing a diamond collar. Mark Twain referred to this period as the "Gilded Age". Poverty was still everywhere, but the growing middle class enjoyed leisure time while the upper class showed off their wealth.

Teutonic & Majestic

White Star had to consider how the world was changing. The new liners that were being built had to attract these new wealthy passengers. Bigger certainly was better because of the increasing trade and immigration, but they also had to be fast and comfortable. In 1887 Harland and Wolff lays the keels for two new ships, Teutonic and Majestic. These ships were big and fast. They were considered the first modern ocean liners because of their triple expansion steam engines, at which they could reach an average speed of 20 knots. Teutonic and Majestic were the first White Star ships not to have rigged sails. The ships were designed with three compartments to separate the First, Second, and Third classes. Therefore, they were considered to be more comfortable.

With over 20 ships either ordered from Harland and Wolff or acquired from other lines, the White Star line had created an impressive fleet.