Exhibitions, superstitions a 3D film and now stamps mark Titanic anniversary

Next week will mark the 100th anniversary of the disastrous maiden voyage of the Titanic, and it seems public interest in the ill-fated ship remains as strong as ever.

A range of events, exhibitions, films and TV shows will all mark the anniversary.

To commemorate the ill-fated journey from Southampton, for instance, a collection of stamps are set to be launched a century after 1,500 men, women and children died when the ship hit an iceberg and sank in the Atlantic.

The first class stamps will tell the story of the ship from its construction to the day of the tragedy.

Five postal clerks were actually among those who died when the ship sank, and the mail area was one of the first places to flood when the ship struck an iceberg at 11.40pm on April 14th.

Royal Mail spokesman, Philip Parker said: "The history of the Titanic and Royal Mail are closely interlinked, as the ship was commissioned to carry mail and so the letters RMS (Royal Mail Ship) were used in the ship's name.

"As we mark the 100th anniversary of its maiden voyage, we hope that this Titanic Commemorative Sheet and the 10 images which accompany the stamps, will act as a poignant reminder of the incredible Titanic story which has been indelibly etched into our history."

Also, a new exhibition is set to open in Wales, featuring the written memories of a man who heard the distress calls from the ship on that fateful night 100 years ago.

The exhibition will feature replicas of salvage from the ship along with some articles by Arthur Moore, who died in 1949.

On April 15th Moore heard a Morse Code signal saying,

"Require immediate assistance. Come at once. We have struck an iceberg. Sinking."

He reported the signals to the local police station, but was met with disbelief.

Also, next week 'Titanic: A Commemoration in Music and Film' will be broadcast from the Belfast, where the ship was built.

The film tells the story of the voyage of the ship including the band members who famously played on as the boat sank.

Singers Katie Melua and Lisa Hannigan are due to attend.

Meanwhile, this week James Cameron re-released his enormously successful Titanic film in 3D.

The director - who has not long returned for exploring the deepest point in the ocean - the Mariana Trench, released the original film in 1997.

Cameron will appear himself on the small screen on Sunday, as he launches the National Geographic Channel's Titanic:100 series with Titanic: The Final Word with James Cameron. Within the film, the Oscar-winning filmmaker leads the ultimate cold-case investigation into the tragedy, bringing together the world’s leading Titanic experts to solve some unanswered questions behind the disaster. A clip of the film, which screen on Sunday 8 April at 8pm, can be seen at the top of this article.

Another programme in the Titanic: 100 series features Bob Ballard, the man who first discovered the wreckage, on a quest to protect the underwater graveyard, as it faces the new danger of overzealous treasure hunters and tourists in custom submarines. Save the Titanic with Bob Ballard shows on the National Geographic Channel on Monday 9 April at 8pm.

In other Titanic news, today it was also reported that passengers and crew aboard the ship apparently ignored well-known maritime superstitions.

Myths including the negative presence of women, priests and barbers on board the ship, were ignored, according to family history website findmypast.co.uk.

It is claimed superstitious sailors would have been horrified to discover there were 353 female passengers, three barbers, four priests and a monk on board.

The website will be showing the White Star Line officers' books and maritime birth, marriage and death records, alongside other documents from the ship, from next Tuesday.