Violin played as Titanic sank found in Bridlington loft
The Titanic which sank in the Atlantic in 1912
A VIOLIN played by the brave bandmaster of the Titanic as it sank has been discovered in a Bridlington loft.
Historians throught the violin, which was used by Wallace Hartley as the band played a final hymn, ‘Nearer, My God, To Thee’ as the liner sank in 1912, had been lost in the Atlantic.
But in 2006 the son of an amateur musician who had been casually given the instrument by her violin teacher discovered the instrument, with Hartley’s name engraved on it, in the attic of her home in Bridlington.
After spending the past seven years testing its authenticity, at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds, scientists have proved it to be the one played by Hartley on the night of the tragedy.
It is believed Hartley put the violin in his initialled leather bag and strapped it to his body.
Hartley, 34, died with 1,500 passengers and crew, while the violin was returned to his fiancé Maria Robinson.
It was given to Bridlington Salvation Army band, when she died in 1939.
The historic artefact, said to be worth a six figure sum, will go on public display at the Belfast City Hall, where Titanic was built, at the end of this month.
For the full story see next week’s Free Press.
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Saturday 25 May 2013
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