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RMS Titanic · permanent subject timeline

Titanic Engineering and Engine-Room Crew

Engineers, firemen, trimmers and technical crew during the voyage and disaster. This page combines historical context with 15 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database Titanic archive.

15 matching archive records 1911–1912 record span Open full 241-record archive

Historical context

Titanic Engineering and Engine-Room Crew: overview and significance

What happened?

Titanic's engineering department operated the boilers, engines, pumps and electrical systems. During the emergency, technical crew continued working as flooding spread through the ship.

Why was it important?

The engineering response affected lighting, pumping and shipboard systems during the evacuation. Evidence from surviving technical crew also helped the inquiries understand machinery, flooding and damage.

World History Database records

Titanic Engineering and Engine-Room Crew timeline

The records below are selected from the 241-record RMS Titanic archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.

1911
1911

Titanic Fitting Out Engineering

Edward Wilding · Naval Architect · Great Britain · Belfast

Continues technical work while Titanic is fitted out at Harland and Wolff.

1912
1912 14th April

Boiler Room Six Collision

Frederick William Barrett · Leading Fireman · Great Britain · North Atlantic

Is on duty in boiler room 6 when seawater enters rapidly after Titanic strikes the iceberg.

1912 15th April

Boiler Room Five Withdrawal

Frederick William Barrett · Leading Fireman · Great Britain · North Atlantic

Retreats through the engineering spaces as flooding spreads and the boiler-room situation becomes untenable.

1912 15th April

Death of Joseph Bell

Joseph Bell · Chief Engineer · Great Britain · North Atlantic

Dies with the ship after remaining below with members of Titanic's engineering department.

1912 15th April

Emergency Lifeboat One Survival

Charles Osker Hendrickson · Leading Fireman · Great Britain · North Atlantic

Escapes in emergency lifeboat 1 with other crew members and first-class passengers.

1912 15th April

Lifeboat Thirteen Escape

George William Beauchamp · Fireman · Great Britain · North Atlantic

Escapes Titanic in lifeboat 13 after leaving the engineering spaces.

1912 15th April

Lifeboat Thirteen Survival

Frederick William Barrett · Leading Fireman · Great Britain · North Atlantic

Escapes in lifeboat 13 and helps manage the heavily loaded boat after it reaches the water.

1912 15th April

Titanic Engine Room Command

Joseph Bell · Chief Engineer · Great Britain · North Atlantic

Leads Titanic's engineering department as the crew works to maintain power and pumping after the collision.

1912 2nd May

British Inquiry Fireman Evidence

George William Beauchamp · Fireman · Great Britain · London

Gives evidence about his engineering duties and lifeboat 13 during the British investigation.

1912 7th May

British Inquiry Engineering Evidence

Frederick William Barrett · Leading Fireman · Great Britain · London

Begins giving evidence about boiler-room flooding, watertight doors and his escape from Titanic.

1912 9th May

British Inquiry Fireman Evidence

Charles Osker Hendrickson · Leading Fireman · Great Britain · London

Gives evidence about engineering conditions and the conduct of emergency lifeboat 1.

1912 9th May

British Inquiry Trimmer Evidence

George Cavell · Trimmer · Great Britain · London

Gives evidence about engineering work, the evacuation and his escape from Titanic.

1912 20th May

British Inquiry Fireman Evidence

Samuel Collins · Fireman · Great Britain · London

Gives evidence about the evacuation and his escape in emergency lifeboat 1.

1912 24th May

British Inquiry Lamp Trimmer Evidence

Samuel Hemming · Lamp Trimmer · Great Britain · London

Gives evidence about deck activity, shipboard lights and the evacuation.

1912 June

Titanic Machinery Survey Evidence

Alexander Boyle · Engineer Surveyor in Chief · Great Britain · London

Gives technical evidence concerning Board of Trade engineering surveys and Titanic's machinery arrangements.

Editorial provenance

Sources and editorial review

Compiled and edited by World History Database.

Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database Titanic records.

Last reviewed: September 2026.

Royal Museums Greenwich · U.S. Senate Titanic Hearings

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