The SS Majestic was a steamship built in 1890 for and operated by the White Star Line. Her story is tightly intertwined with that of Titanic. Titanic was ordered to replace Majestic, then one of the oldest ships in the White Star Line, and served as the replacement for Titanic when she sank after striking an iceberg in 1912.
History
A product of shipbuilders Harland and Wolff, the Majestic was launched on 29 June 1889. The ship spent the next nine months being fitted out for delivery to White Star in March, 1890. White Star had sought to fund the construction of the Majestic and her sister ship Teutonic through the British government, a proposal which was accepted, with the stipulation that the Royal Navy would have access to the two liners in a time of war.
On 2 April 1890, she left for her six-day, ten-hour maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York. There was a strong desire in the White Star management to regain the coveted Blue Riband, the award for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic. The maiden voyage did not produce a time good enough to win the Blue Riband away from the City of Paris, but on a west-bound voyage between 30 July and 5 August 1891, she achieved that goal, with an average speed of 20.1 knots. Unfortunately, the Majestic held the honour for a mere two weeks, as her sister ship, the Teutonic completed a crossing on 19 August with a speed of 20.35 knots (the City of Paris then won it back a year later).
In 1895, the Majestic was assigned a new captain, an up-and-coming officer named Edward Smith, who years later would gain lasting fame as the captain of the Titanic. Smith served as Majestic's captain for nine years. When the Boer War started in 1899, Smith and the Majestic were called upon to transport troops to Cape Colony. Two trips were made to South Africa, one in December, 1899 and one in February, 1900, both without incident.
In 1902–1903, the ship underwent a refit, which included new boilers (and consequently taller twin funnels), after which she returned to the Liverpool-New York run. Smith left as captain in 1904 to take on the new Baltic, then the largest ship in the world. In 1905, the Majestic suffered a fire in her bunker, but the damage was not significant. In 1907, White Star's main terminal was moved from Liverpool to Southampton and, on 26 June, the Majestic sailed from these new facilities for the first time.
When the Olympic entered service in 1911, Majestic's sister Teutonic was removed from the New York run and put on Canadian service with the Dominion Line. Likewise when Titanic came on the scene in 1912 Majestic was retired from White Star's New York service and designated as a reserve ship, biding her time at Birkenhead's Bidston Dock. When the Titanic met her fate in April, 1912, Majestic was pressed back into service, filling the hole in the transatlantic schedule.
On 17 October 1913, she came to the rescue of the French schooner Garonne, which had wrecked. 14 January 1914 saw the Majestic leave for her last Atlantic crossing. Soon after, she was sold for £26,700 for scrap to the Thomas Ward yard at Morecambe. Before scrapping of the ship commenced the scrapping company opened the ship for public tours, and some of the still-beautiful interior panelling was saved and used in the offices of the Ward company.
William A. Brodie (1841-1917) was a Scots-American businessman and Freemason. He was Grand Master of Masons in the state of New York in 1884[1] and in that capacity was the man who laid the foundation stone of the Statue of Liberty on August 5 of that year.[2][3]
Early life
Brodie was born in village of Kilbarchan, Scotland on August 9, 1841.[4] When he was two years old his parents emigrated to America to begin a new life. They settled in the State of New York. William became a successful businessman.[5] He died on May 9, 1917 .[4]
Activities
Brodie was the county treasurer of Livingston County for fifteen years.[6] Brodie was additionally the President of the Geneseo Gas Company and of the Geneseo Electric Company.[6] He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church of Geneseo from 1868 until his death in 1917.[6]
Freemasonry and the Statue of Liberty
Brodie was a dedicated Mason, as his work craft exhibits:[6]
Raised November 9, 1863, Genesee Lodge No. 214, (Genesee, New York)
Junior Warden, 1867, Genesee Lodge No 214
Senior Warden, 1868, Genesee Lodge N0 214
Master, 1869-1871, 1875-1877, 1880, Genesee Lodge No 214[1]
Knights Templar, 1873, Monroe Commandery No. 12
Scottish Rite 33 degree, Rochester Consistory
Sovereign Grand Inspector General; September 25, 1885
Royal Arch, 1867
Affiliated to Lodge St Barchan No 156 Grand Lodge of Scotland 20,July 1888
During his term as Grand Master of New York in 1884 he laid the foundation stone of the Statue of Liberty. When asked why the Freemasons would be asked to place the foundation stone he replied "No other organization has done more to promote liberty and to liberate men from the chains of ignorance and tyranny than Freemasonry."[7]
State University of New York
William Brodie was also influential in having the Geneseo College established in Geneseo, Livingston County, New York, which is now known as S.U.N.Y. - State University of New York. The Brodie Fine Arts building, which was named after William Brodie was constructed on the S.U.N.Y. campus in 1967.[4] William was born in kilbarchan Scotland someone born there is called a Habbie