Auld Hands by Tom Thompson

[druxey]

This is a book about the history and workers at Harland and Wolff, written by a former 'Auld Hand'. Largely anecdotal, it is a fascinating social history of the yard. There are many amusing adventures and misadventures, tragedies and sketches of 'characters'. The book evokes the times and place of the premier Belfast shipyard of its day.

 

I can highly recommend this as a 'must read'. At the back of the book are short biographies of some of the most well-known ships built there, including the most recent findings of why the Titanic sank. The damaged underwater area was actually very small, contrary to popular belief.

 

This book was recommended to me by a naval architect who had trained at H & W and was apprenticed there when workers who had built Titanic had not yet retired!

 

ISBN 978-0-85640-911-0           www.blackstaffpress.com