Former Andrews' home 'decked out' with Titanic
THE former Belfast home of the chief designer of the Titanic has been furnished with its very own miniature version of the famous liner.
Currently the headquarters of the Irish Football Association in the south of the city - the one-time residence of Thomas Andrews located on Windsor Avenue now has even more resonance with the ill-fated ship.
An official at the local football authority purchased the three-foot exact replica last month and the ornament has taken pride of place in the shadow of an ornate stained glass window, one of the key features of the historic building.
Adding to the linkage with the iconic vessel, legend has it that the glass feature proved the inspiration for Andrews for the window in the ballroom on Titanic.
The Irish FA welcome regular visitors - not just from the football fraternity - who come to see for themselves the famous residence as part of the official city Titanic tour.
However, Irish FA director of business, Morris Corrin, who purchased the miniature ship, says he always felt the house lacked a real "connection" to the boat.
Speaking to the News Letter, he said: "We have regular tours of the house from interested parties and I always felt really bad that this historic building had nothing (in relation to the Titanic).
"I have always been keeping my eyes open so I found a book, which I obtained, and then I found a model of the ship.
"I think it will add to the authenticity and I think it is only right and proper that we (the IFA) should have something here."
The model is finely crafted to such an extent that it includes 16 lifeboats, and is immaculately painted.
Mr Corrin, who spotted the ship in Sligo, was supported in his purchase by an external supplier.
"I am down south on a number of occasions and I just went into a shop and saw it. The next time I went back, the shop had sold it so I spent a wee bit of time talking to the owner and said to him if he could source another I would be interested. Then I got the call about three to four weeks ago."
The showpiece boat is already attracting the attention of the general public.
"Most people who have seen it have remarked how good it looks. However, it's not there to bring tourists in - it's just something I always felt the house lacked was a connection to Titanic," Mr Corrin said.
Although not a die-hard maritime enthusiast, the IFA official believes the boat "adds to the occasion" at a time when Northern Ireland is "very poor sometimes at advertising or demonstrating what it has".
"Things like that shouldn't happen. We should be up front as everyone else markets the Titanic like mad and haven’t the association with it that we have,” he added.
Morris is now on the lookout for a glass case to “keep the dust off and stop little fingers” touching the delicate piece.
Susie Millar of Titanic Tours Belfast expressed her delight at the new addition at Windsor Avenue.
“The IFA have very kindly over the past 18 months allowed me access to the premises at Windsor Avenue to show people around and show them the window, and to tell them about the Thomas Andrews connection,” she said.
“People are delighted to see that and the fact they are embracing this further with the addition of this model is all to the good. It only adds to the experience my tour groups are getting.”
Ms Millar - a great-granddaughter of Thomas Millar who sailed onboard as an engineer on the fateful maiden voyage to New York in April 1912 - revealed that only this week people had travelled especially from New Zealand to see Belfast’s maritime history for themselves.
Thomas Andrews was born in Comber in 1873. After working as an apprentice at Harland and Wolff, Andrews went on to take a leading role in the drawing office.
Aged 39, the Co Down man was onboard the Titanic’s maiden voyage and was one of 1,517 people who perished in the disaster.
Andrews was deemed a heroic figure in the carnage, reportedly throwing deck chairs into the ocean for passengers to use as floats.
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Monday 28 May 2012
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