Were passengers allowed on docking bridge?

[Heather Lee]

I thought I had seen pictures of passengers up on the docking bridge and I wondered if it was an area that passengers were free to roam, or was it strictly for crew? I also wondered what sort of officers would be wandering around, keeping an eye on things/passenger behavior? I know a quartermaster would've been monitoring the poop deck. Finally, I wondered if the poop deck, aft and fore well decks, were the only areas where third class passengers could 'observe' the first class/second class passengers? Appreciate anyone's insight on these questions! Thank you.

 

[Heather Lee]

I thought I had seen pictures of passengers up on the docking bridge and I wondered if it was an area that passengers were free to roam, or was it strictly for crew? I also wondered what sort of officers would be wandering around, keeping an eye on things/passenger behavior? I know a quartermaster would've been monitoring the poop deck. Finally, I wondered if the poop deck, aft and fore well decks, were the only areas where third class passengers could 'observe' the first class/second class passengers? Appreciate anyone's insight on these questions! Thank you.

Oops, I might've posted this in the wrong forum, this is my first post so sorry!

 

[Robert T. Paige]

Oops, I might've posted this in the wrong forum, this is my first post so sorry!

Also.....I'm not sure if this is the wrong or right section of the forum or not for this.

From what I have read, passengers were restricted to their class.
First class could only go in areas for their class, etc. They were not permitted to mingle with each other.



The meeting of "Jack and Rose" in the 1997 "Titanic" movie, would of course have been an impossibility in real life."Jack" would have been most likely have been forceabley escorted back to Steeerage and likewise "Rose" to First Class if they had attempted a get-together. White Star was very strict on the class segregation. LOL

I'm not so sure about "Annette and Gifford" in the 1953 "Titanic" movie. "Gifford Rogers" and "The Tennis Team from Purdue" were of course of a much higher class than "Jack Dawson" and maybe First Claas accommodations and trip arrangements had been supplied by the Purdue Alumni. And "Gifford" didn't have any problems in dressing for the Captain's Table. He just needed "To get my blue serge suit pressed." Of course this all pure fiction in both cases ! LOL.

I have a question along these lines, too.
Would any passengers, first class, especially first class, be allowed to go up on the compass platform on the upper deck ? I am assuming the answer would be a definite "No !" since this would appear to be a highly sensitive area , open only to the Officers and Quartermasters and under lock and key. But it would seem to be a temptation as a very good place for sight-seeing.

 

[Robert T. Paige]

Also in reference to the Steerage Class Pasengers.
They were kept apart as sort a quarantine to keep any diseases that might be communicated to the higher class passengers. I understand this was due to the rules of the immigration officials, so I don't know how close they would be able to get (If any) "to observe the first and second class passengers."

 

[Kas01]

As far as Rose getting to the stern in the first place, if she managed to get through the second class space without being caught, she ought to have started up a track team with some other girls from her finishing school.

Now as far as accessing the docking bridge is concerned, I'm pretty sure WSL highly discouraged it.

 

[Heather Lee]

Thank you for your thoughts, Robert, and Kas. Hm, I don't know Robert re: compass deck platform but you make a good point! I thought the same about the docking bridge esp for third class.

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Alongside the stairs leading up to both the docking bridge and the compass platform were signs reading NOTICE, PASSENGERS ARE NOT ALLOWED BEYOND THIS POINT.. There was a similar sign near the forecastle breakwater to discourage 'King of the World' antics.

 

[Harland Duzen]

This photo by Tim Maltin shows no passengers and only a crew member (far left) on the docking bridge.

 

[Aaron_2016]

Here is footage of girl scouts on the compass platform. Perhaps they were granted special permission by the crew for the news cameras.


https://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc:43702


.

 

[Bob Godfrey]

You can clearly see and even read the 'passengers not allowed' sign in that clip.