Belfast honours Titanic designer

Exactly ninety years ago Thomas Andrews left his home in a leafy suburb of Belfast for the last time to board his proud creation - the Titanic.

Twelve days later, the Titanic’s chief designer died saving lives as the world’s most famous liner sank below the waves.

Today the city honoured one of its greatest engineers when a plaque was unveiled at his former home, now the headquarters of the Northern Irish Football Association in Windsor Avenue, South Belfast.

Members of the Andrews family were there to witness the event, among them his great nephew James Andrews.

‘‘The fact that he left this house and went on the one and only voyage of the Titanic - it is a very poignant occasion,’’ he said.

Today’s ceremony was one of the highlights of the city’s nine-day Titanic - Made in Belfast Festival, which has attracted thousands of people fascinated by its enduring legacy.

John Parkinson, President of the Ulster Titanic Society was five years old when he saw the great ship sail up Belfast Lough en route to Southampton to begin its maiden voyage.

Mr Parkinson had been taken down to the loughside by his father a joiner, who worked on the Titanic at Belfast’s Harland and Wolff Shipyard.

‘‘I remember quite well taking my handkerchief out and waving goodbye. Little did we think that it was indeed goodbye and we would never see that ship again,’’ he said.

He paid a moving tribute to the ship’s designer: ‘‘My father respected Mr Andrews greatly as all the workers at Harland and Wolff did.

‘‘We had a photograph in our hall of him. My father was very proud of him and greatly saddened when went down on that fateful evening with the ship.’’

Belfast Lord Mayor Jim Rodgers led today’s tributes to Mr Andrews. ‘‘This is a day that will live long in our memories,’’ he said.

He said that this week more than 12,000 people had either passed through Belfast City Hall or visited the shipyard to see the dry dock where the Titanic was built.

Among them was Denise Stouffer from Phoenix, Arizona, who has made a replica of the Kate Winslett evening gown worn on the blockbuster Titanic to wear at a gala banquet in the City Hall.

Mrs Stouffer has been fascinated by the ship and the chief engineer in particular, since she was a little girl.

‘‘He was a hero. He helped build a great ship and the last few hours of his life he spent saving other people.

‘‘I have a love for the Titanic but also for the people of Belfast and the people who built the ship. It was a great accomplishment,’’ she added.