Item 37 - Thomas Andrews Shipbuilder

xvi, 80 pp, illustrations; printed

A copy of ‘Thomas Andrews Shipbuilder’ by Shan F. Bullock. With an introduction by Sir Horace Plunkett’ (Dublin: 2nd edition, Maunsel and Company, 1912).

The covers are partially detached from the text block and there is significant staining and some wear to the copy. Careful handling is required.

Thomas Andrews was the chief architect and managing director of the ‘Titanic’s’ construction. Famously, he sailed with the ship on its maiden voyage and did not survive the disaster. The author, Shan Fadh (John William) Bullock (1865-1935), was a prolific Fermanagh-born writer of novels, volumes of stories, books of verse and biographies. His biography of Thomas Andrews is considered his most impressive work, but it is marred by a somewhat dated eulogistic praise of the Ulster-born builder of the ill-fated ship. The appendix to the book includes cables and condolence letters sent following the disaster. This is the second edition of the book published just six months after the disaster in October 1912. The limited run of first editions (published slightly earlier in the same month) are extremely rare. A digital copy of the text is available to view online at https://www.gutenberg.org/files/32166/32166-h/32166-h.htm