White Star Line, RMS Titanic - Jack Phillips

White Star Line, RMS Titanic - original portrait photograph of Jack Phillips, chief wireless operator, John George (Jack) Phillips, who died in the sinking. He is wearing Marconi uniform, with the distinctive M visible on his cap. The photographer was Jennie Stedman, Melrose Studio, Farncombe (Godalming, Surrey). Phillips was born in Farncombe in 1887 and began his career in telegraphy, working at the local post office in 1902. Having later worked on other White Star Line ships, he was assigned to Titanic for her maiden voyage as an employee of the Marconi Company. After Titanic hit the iceberg he and the junior wireless operator Harold Bride worked tirelessly sending out distress signals. Without their efforts, rescue ships would not have been alerted to Titanic's need for assistance. Yet, despite Phillips pivotal role in Titanic's story, very little relating to him has come into collectors hands, and little is known about the photographer Jennie Stedman. A large painted portrait based on this photograph hung as a memorial to Phillips in the post office where he first worked, and is now on display at the Godalming Museum. We are aware of another pose of Phillips taken by Stedman, full length and at a greater distance, likely from the same sitting, held at The National Archives, Kew. This photograph measures 6.25 x 4.5 inches with an overall size of approx. 8 x 5 inches and has razor sharp clarity. There are some light pencil notes about Phillips on the back

Alerted Assigned Assistance Clarity Dapper Despite Distinctive Efforts Employee Gelatin Godalming Heroic Hung Iceberg Imprint Inches Jennie Junior Likely Loss Maiden Marconi Matte Measures Melrose Need Notations Operator Overall Pivotal R.m.s Razor Relating Sending Sharp Signals Stedman Telegraphy Tirelessly Titanics Verso Visible Wireless

Features In These Collections

> Contributors > HAL