Harland and Wolff was founded in 1861 by Edward James Harland and Gustav Wilhelm Wolff. The company specialises in shipbuilding and is located on Queen's Island in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Harland and Wolff has built many famous ships including the Titanic.
At the time, Harland and Wolff had a workforce of 15,000 and 3,000 were employed in the construction of the Titanic. The building that was originally the Headquarters of Harland and Wolf still stands (left). It is being preserved and developed as part of Belfast's new Titanic Quarter.
Thomas Andrews became the general manager and head of the draughting company in 1907. On the 29th July 1908 the design of the Titanic was approved and it was under Thomas Andews' care that the Olympic and the Titanic were built.The Drawing Room (right) where the Olympic-class ocean liners were designed is sometimes open to the public.
Sir William Arrol & Company were commissioned to construct a massive twin gantry and slipway (left). Titanic's keel was laid on 31st March 1909 and during the next year the double bottom and frames of the ship were constructed. Over three milion rivets held the thousands of plates together. Titanic was launched and named with little ceremony at 12 noon on 31st May 1911. At the time Titanic was the largest moving man-made object. On the same day her sistership the Olympic was handed over to the White Star Line.
Titanic's Dock and Pump House has been preserved and is open to visitors. The impressive Thompson Dry Dock is the footprint of the Titanic. Titanic spent nine months at the deepwater fitting-out wharf where her boilers, engines, superstructure and funnels were added. She had a 'dummy' fourth funnel which was not connected to an engine or boiler. It took over one million hours of work to install the flooring, furniture, and light fittings etc.
In January 1912 just 16 lifeboats and four collapsible boats were installed (contrast this with the 63 lifeboats that wer needed to evacuate all passengers and crew). By the 31st March 1912 the fitting of Titanic was completed. At 06:00 on the 2nd April 1912 thousands of people lined the River Lagan to to see Titanic commence its sea trials.
