EARLY LIFE
Thomas Andrews was born on 7th Feb 1873 at Ardara House Comber , Co Down Ireland , to Thomas Andrews Snr - a member of the Privy Council of Ireland and Eliza Pirrie . The younger brother of the future Northen Ireland Prime Minister John Miller Andrews . Thomas Andrews lived with his family in Ardara Comber . In 1884 Andrews began attending the Royal Belfast Academical Institution until 1889 , when at the age of sixteen , he began a premium apprenticeship at Harland and Wolff Shipyard Belfast , where his uncle , the Viscount Pirrie was part owner .
HARLAND AND WOLFF
At Harland and Wolff , he began with three months in the joiners shop , followed by a month in the cabinate makers and then a further two months working on the ships . The last eighteen months of his five year apprenticeship was spent in the drawing office. In 1901 , Andrews after working his way up through the many departments of the company , became manager of the construction works . That same year he became a member of the Institution of Naval Architects . In 1907 Andrews was appointed the Managing Director and head of the Draughting Department at Harland and Wolff . During his long years of apprenticeship , studay and work , Thomas Andrews well liked in the company and amongst the shipyards employees .
On 24th June 1908 , he married Helen Reilly Barbour , daughter of John Docherty Barbour who was a justice of the peace and held the office of Deputy Lieutenant of County Antrim . Thomas and Helens daughter was born on the 27th of November 1910 and was named Elizabeth Law Barbour Andrews . She was always known as ” ELBA “ ( her initials ) .
DUNALLAN
Andrews decided he needed a residence , befitting of his position in the Yard , and his newly found status of marriage to Helen . He found this in a grand house in a very properous area of Belfast , number 12 Windsor Avenue . Andrews could not afford to buy this house but could comfortably rent it , as did many of the ” up and coming “ industrialists of the era . The house was rented from W.R. Patterson . Dunallan as the residence was known was where Andrews daughter Elba was born .
The house was built in 1881 and athough originally numbered 12 , the number has changed three times over the past 100 years , and is now number 20 . Dunallan currently belongs to the Irish Football Association , and as well as running the country`s football affairs , it still to this day plays host to visitors / tourists on the Titanic trail .
R.M.S. TITANIC
In 1907 , Andrews began to oversee the plans for a new superliner , the RMS Olympic for the White Star Line . The Olympic and it`s sistership RMS Titanic , which had began construction in 1909 , were designed by William Pirrie and H&W general manager Alexander Carlisle along with Andrews . As he had done for other ships he had overseen , Andrews familiarized himself with every detail of the Olympic and Titanic , in order to ensure that they were in optimal working order .
Andrews headed a group of Harland and Wolff workers who went on the maiden voyages of all ships built by the company , to observe ship operations and spot any necessary improvements , they were known as the guarantee group . The Titanic was no exception so Andrews and his chosen guarantee group travelled from Belfast to Southampton on Titanic , for the beginning of Titaic`s maiden voyage on April 10th 1912 . During the voyage Andrews took notes on various improvments he felt that were needed . However on 14th April , he remarked to a friend that Titanic was “ as nearly perfect as human brains can make her “ .
Titanic`s guarantee group
On 14th April , at 11.40pm Titanic met her destiny and struck an iceberg on the ships starboard side . Andrews had been in his stateroom sleeping at the time , and barely noticed the collision . Captain Edward J. Smith has Andrews summond to help examine the damage . After Andrews had toured the damaged areas of the ship he reported back to the captain , he had determined that the first six watertight compartments were rapidly flooding . Andrews knew that if more than four of these compartments were flooded the ship would inevitably sink . He relayed this information to Captain Smith , adding that in his opinion , the vessel had only about an hour before it completely sank . He also informed Smith of the cronic shortage of lifeboats on-board Titanic .
As the evacuation of Titanic began , Andrews searched staterooms , telling the passengers to put on lifebelts and go up on deck . Fully aware of the short time the ship had left and the lack of lifeboat space , he continued to urge reluctant people into the lifeboats in the hope of filling them as full as possible . An unconfirmed sighting of Andrews in Titanic`s final moments was of him frantically throwing deck chairs into the water to aide the drowning passengers . According to John Stewart ( a stewart on the ship ) Andrews was last seen staring at a painting , ” Plymouth Harbour “ , above the fireplace in the first class smoking room . The painting depicted the entrance to Plymouth sound , which Titanic had been expected to visit on her return voyage .
Andrews body was never recovered .
Finally on 19th April 1912 , his father recieved a telegram from his mothers cousin , who had spoken with survivors in New York , whilst searching for news of Andrews . The telegram was read aloud by Andrews Snr to all the staff of their home , Ardara House , Comber :
" INTERVIEW TITANIC`S OFFICERS .
ALL UNANIMOUS ANDREWS HEROIC UNTO DEATH
THINKING ONLY SAFETY OTHERS.
EXTEND HEARTFELT SYMPATHY TO ALL " .
