Firemen's Quarters

[Sahand Miraminy]

Hi,

Im doing a cutaway on the computer and Im doing the firemen's quarters in the bow. I noticed that most of their beds were alligned to the diagonal bow shape and the rooms had many portholes. I put very modest drapes on the portholes because I would think that they would need to keep sunlight out when they were off their shift so they could sleep (and because it looks better now)

Do you think that there would be a sort of curtain or would there be one of those metal doors on the porthole...or nothing at all.....

Also...I put the sheets as red...does anyone know if thats the right color?

Thanks!

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Like the 3rd Class passengers, the rank & file crew weren't provided with bed sheets, just blankets and a pillow. I recall from my own youth in the 1950s that cheap blankets generally came in one of two colours - off-white or slate grey. The darker colour would have been the choice here, I think.

I don't know that curtains would have served any useful purpose. At any one time there would have been some men sleeping in their berths, others coming and going, talking, playing cards etc at the tables and benches, so darkness and silence (along with privacy) were luxuries a sleeping fireman probably had to do without. Nevertheless, I daresay it was no problem dropping off to sleep after a shift in the boiler rooms!
.

 

[Brian R Peterson]

Hi Sahand,

I would imagine there were no curtains or steel deadlights for the portholes in these or any other crew quarters on the ship.

I agree with Bob, the blankets were most likely gray. maybe bearing the White Star Line emblem or featured White Star Line printed on them.

Best Regards,

Brian

 

[Sahand Miraminy]

Thanks for your input!

 

[Bill West]

Actually, I thought the primary use of a deadlight was to deal with actual or potential breakage of the porthole glass, not blocking out light. On Holland America’s 1980’s Noordam we’ve had them closed in lower deck passenger cabins because of forecast poor weather. The wing nuts used a special handle from the steward so that you couldn’t reopen them after he left.

For the Titanic’s case I would think the Firemen’s bow location would have a high risk of glass breakage in rough seas. Maybe what were coming to is a suggestion that they would be opened upwards and hanging from their hooks most of the time. Unless it was cold, the glass could be open as well to keep down the aroma. As far as curtains go, I can’t image the Company spending the money.

Bill

 

[Samuel Halpern]

Throwing some light onto the question of Titanic portholes, see http://titanic-model.com/db/db-01/db_05.html.