Titanic Assocations
Most people know the story of the sinking of the Titanic…and that the band played on nobly as the ship went down. What you may not know is that the band leader of the Titanic was a former member of the Phil and to this day, we have members with close family associations to the Titanic.
Wallace Hartley
Fionnuala, holding Wallace's Violin
Wallace Hartley appears to have joined the orchestra in 1895 as one of the First Violins and is recorded as having attended rehearsals during the 1896/7 season.
In the 1897/8 season he didn’t attend rehearsals – hence the note above.
Addressed to Mr Hartley at his home in Somerset Road, and dated December 1898, it reads: “Dear Sir, The committee of the Philharmonic Soc wish to know if they can rely upon your attendance at the rehearsals and concerts in future.”
He did rehearse again with the orchestra in the following season, but after that we lose track of him. Sadly, the archives don’t confirm which concerts he may have played in.
Violin Found
Mystery over heroic band leader’s artefact
Exclusive by Mike Merritt
The missing violin played by the Titanic’s band leader as the liner slowly sank could have been found … 99 years on. Wallace Hartley and his seven fellow musicians became an enduring part of the Titanic story – heroically playing on until waist-deep in water as they disappeared beneath the waves.
According to some reports, Hartley’s violin was found strapped to his chest in its case when his body was recovered from the icy Atlantic. But the precious gift from his fiancée Maria Robinson wasn’t there when the 33-year old’s body was repatriated to Britain for his funeral. And it has been missing ever since, baffling historians and tantalising Titanic treasure-hunters as to its whereabouts.
Now in a remarkable twist, the violin appears to have been found – and is undergoing tests at a specialist auction house to ensure its authenticity. But experts are so sure it is Hartley’s violin they are planning to take it on a world tour before putting it up for sale next year – the centenary of the sinking. It is likely to fetch more than £1 million.
Author Steve Turner, who has discovered pictures of the violin, said: “Other than retrieving the bow of the ship, this must be the most symbolic artefact of the Titanic sinking ever to be sold. Everyone concerned has been sworn to secrecy. Other than admitting to me the violin exists and that the photos I saw were genuine, the auctioneers won’t be giving out any more information until an announcement is made about its sale.”
All eight members of Hartley’s band played on as the ship sank 400 miles off Newfoundland, Canada on April 14, 1912. Reports vary as to the last song they played, but most agree it was the poignant hymn, Nearer My God to Thee. Survivors recall the band striking up playful ragtime tunes, including Alexander’s Ragtime Band, as the liner began to go down. The story became a defining image of British calmness in the face of adversity and was immortalised in the 1997 movie Titanic.
Reports at the time said Hartley, from Colne, Lancs, was found fully dressed still clutching his violin. But the Office of the Provincial Secretary in Nova Scotia did not list it among the effects of Body 224. It was not handed to Hartley’s father, Albion, who collected his son’s body at Liverpool docks after repatriation – two years after Hartley and Maria had got engaged.
Mr. Turner found photos of a violin, leather case and sheet music during research for his book The Band That Played On. He says: “Someone with a knowledge of the Titanic was trying to authenticate the story. The most convincing things about the violin, which was in a brown leather case with the initials W. H. H. stamped on it, is the inscription on the tail-piece, ‘For Wallace on the occasion of our engagement, from Maria’. Maria was left bereft by Hartley’s death. She moved to Bridlington, East Yorks, and never married.
Mr Turner says the photos back up claims by the unnamed owner – believed to be a male relative of Maria’s – that Maria retrieved it. Among evidence is a draft letter to the Nova Scotia authorities in Maria’s 1912 diary. It says: “I would be most grateful if you could convey my heartfelt thanks to all who have made possible the return of my late fiancé’s violin.”
Steve, who has written biographies of Cliff Richard and Marvin Gaye, says: “This seemed not only to explain why she wanted it back so badly and why it didn’t automatically go to Hartley’s parents, but perhaps why Hartley kept it with him.”
A spokesman for auctioneers Henry Aldridge and Son said: “We are in the process of running a number of tests.”
The Band That Played On is published by Thomas Nelson.
Our continued association with The Titanic and Wallace Hartley
The fragile instrument remarkably felt just like any other standard Violin I had held. My fingers wrapped around the wooden curved body and my arms held it close, going into an automatic “Violin hold”. Yet, this was not at all like any other Violin. This Violin had a history unlike any other before and will forever remain unique.
A “Titanic” Experience for Cellist - Fionnuala Donnelly Schmidt
I had been a Cellist of the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra for a few years and had gradually learned about the history of its famous members and conductors. This included, in its very early days, Wallace Hartley, who was to become the band leader and Violinist on board the RMS Titanic. The movies depict Wallace and his band heroically playing on for the passengers before disappearing themselves beneath the waves.
Over one hundred years later, his Violin had apparently been found. Having been tested and scrutinised for authenticity, it was to be auctioned by Henry Aldridge & Son - the world's leading auctioneer of Titanic Memorabilia. Before then, it went on a world tour, with various places playing host to it, including at one time - The Titanic Museum, Belfast. I had come home for a weekend in October 2013 and took the opportunity to visit the Museum for the first time. There, I saw the Violin and learned its history and connection to Wallace. I had my picture taken next to it, in front of the glass case that protected it.
Later that month the tour of the Violin was to include, for one day only - Dewsbury Town Hall - the Yorkshire town being one of the last places Wallace lived. The council wanted to create a musical event and so, recognising their connection, contacted the President of the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra to see if any musicians would be interested in entertaining the visiting crowds. Of course, I jumped at the chance. My Great Uncle Samuel Donnelly worked as a drafter for Harland and Wolfe, including the plans for the Titanic.
On the day of the exhibition various groups were going to perform. These included musicians from Opera North, Quartets from the Huddersfield University and musicians from the Huddersfield Choral society. I was last on as a solo Cellist.
On the evening before the event, it suddenly dawned on me that the one and only piece visitors would actually want to hear would be “Nearer my God to thee” – the piece that is long believed to be the last hymn played by Wallace Hartley and his musicians before the Titanic sank. I prayed to the God of Google and luckily found the sheet music online. It was a simple enough piece and I learned it quickly.
On the day itself, things didn’t quite get off to a smooth start for me. I had misplaced my concert skirt, the weather was atrocious and the traffic was slow. I arrived at the Town Hall with 5 minutes to spare only to realise that I needed to pay for parking and I was 5p short. I fumbled about trying to pay over the phone but had no joy. Standing in the rain, trying to sort out paying for parking, I was becoming more and more frustrated and anxious, all the while becoming wetter and wetter and thinking of the irony of it all. A wet musician at a Titanic exhibition! How fitting!
Once on stage, the anxiety and rain water evaporated and everything went much smoothly. I filled the hall with the sound of the Bach Cello Suites. Dewsbury Town Hall is a beautiful venue and the acoustics were gorgeous!
I ended my set as the exhibition came to a close but was invited to play one last piece upstairs where the Violin was being held, safely in a glass case, next to a leather bag inscribed W.H.H. I set up my Cello in the corner and played the well known hymn. I looked around at my appreciative audience only to see tears rolling down smiling cheeks. These included descendants of Wallace's family and the current owners of the Violin.
Once the small gathering cleared and it was just myself, a Town Hall official and Henry, the Auctioneer left in the room. I asked them if they wouldn’t mind taking my photograph, next to the glass case. “You can hold the Violin if you like” said Henry. I was speechless. I had been told that day that the Violin had recently been insured for £1,000,000. I had never before held anything so valuable. My own Cello which is very valuable to me is only worth a mere fraction.
The Auctioneer took the Violin from the glass case and handed it confidently and calmly to me, all the while, I was internally screaming at myself “DON'T DROP IT!!!!”.
The following Saturday, the Violin was sold for £900,000.