The Grand Staircase was one of the main First Class features onboard the RMS Titanic. It was an opulent, lavish staircase that spanned six decks (from the Boat Deck to E Deck), continuing through to F Deck as an ordinary stairway.
After the ship sank, it was discovered that Titanic's Grand Staircase had never been photographed, so people started to re-use some images of Olympic's Grand Staircase instead. Slowly, several well-known images are claimed to be from Titanic, while they are all from Olympic.
The walls were wood-panelled, with several iron-and-gilt-bronze balustrades and wooden fixtures such as pineapples and cherubs. A large wrought-iron glass dome topped the staircase, brining in daylight. It was located between the first and second funnels.
The A Deck landing had a magnificent clock, flanked by the oak-carved allegorical figures of Honour and Glory Crowning Time.
Behind the staircase there were three lifts going from A Deck to E Deck, operated by four lift attendants: Frederick Allen, William Carney, Reginald Ivan Pacey & Alfred John Moffett King. The lift attendants knew the ship well, and could provide directions to passengers. They all died in the sinking.
The Grand Staircase could be accessed from the exterior via the port and starboard vestibules (which led in from the Boat Deck), and also from the First Class Promenade which had doors leading into the A Deck landing. It also provided access to the First Class Reception area, located at the foot of the stairs, as well as the Purser's Office on the C Deck landing. The A-Deck landing also featured a corridor leading into the First Class Lounge. The First Class Cabin areas were all connected to the different landing areas of the Grand Staircase.
On the aft section of the ship, there was the Aft Grand Staircase, a smaller and somewhat less ornate staircase, but otherwise strongly resembling the forward Grand Staircase. When the Titanic split in two right behind the aft staircase, a large chunk of the aft staircase dome remains intact in the debris field at the wreck site.
There is a life-sized replica of the [forward] Grand Staircase in the Titanic Museum, Belfast.
The upcoming video game Titanic: Honor and Glory also features the Grand Staircase.
Wreck
The Grand Staircase was completely destroyed, first when the domed skylight collapsed during the sinking. Then, the Grand Staircase was completely ejected from the ship through the hole left by the skylight during the plunge of the bow to the ocean floor. The stairs to the decks were not found because the stairs completely imploded when the bow hit the bottom of the ocean. However, a chandelier that hung in The Grand Staircase A deck landing was seen hanging from the ceiling and photographed extensively in 1986 (the year after the wreck was first discovered in 1985) for the filming of the documentary Secrets of The Titanic and also during later expedition dives to the wreck.
☀https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP8keYc3i8w
Galleries
Sadly, the Titanic's Grand Staircase was never photographed before she sank, however Olympic's Grand Staircase was identical to that of her sister ship.
_3.jpg "The Grand Staircase (black & white) 3.jpg (99 KB)")
.jpeg "TH&G - Grand Staircase Dome (2018).jpeg (444 KB)")
.jpeg "TH&G - Grand Staircase (2018).jpeg (462 KB)")