Join Titanic descendant, Joe Petteruti, as he unearths the facts and the artifacts of the ill-fated sinking of the RMS Titanic. Joe’s grandmother, Bertha Mulvihill, had emigrated from Ireland to the US in 1905, but had gone back to visit her family in Ireland before returning on the Titanic to the US for her 1912 wedding in Providence. Miraculously, she survived the wreck.

This class will look at Bertha’s story and at the context of the voyage, from construction of the ship to the rescue and the aftermath, examining issues such as the role of White Star Lines and the socio-economic environment. We’ll look at the official inquiry, the exploration of the remains, and the fascination that the story still holds.

Format: After hearing about Bertha’s voyage and rescue, participants will delve deeper into the Titanic story, choosing topics from a list supplied by the coordinators, or a topic of their own choosing. They will create a 15–20 minute presentation and then lead a discussion on the topic.

Resources/Expenses: Joe’s book about his grandmother’s experience, A Night She’d Remember, will be available as a paperback on BookBaby.com with coupon for $17.95 or on Kindle for $4.95.