Many of you will be preparing material related to the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic (April 14/15 2012). Here is a moving story that you might think of using.

BBC's 'The One Show' recently featured a new Belfast Titanic Exhibition Centre that is shortly to be opened. Tour Guide Susie Miller was interviewed and she told of her great grandfather Tommy Miller, who worked on the construction of the ship.

When the job was completed, he applied for and was accepted for employment as a deck engineer on the ship's maiden voyage. On the day of departure from Belfast to Southampton, he gave two pennies to his son (Susie's grandfather) with the words, "Don't spend these till I get back."

Susie concluded by saying, "We still have those two pennies at home!"

Leslie

Could it not be mixed in with White Star - By Jim Critchlow?,still to get the routine,but it may work?

Absolutely! It could be mixed in with any Titanic related presentation, it is a very short story - but in the case of Jim Critchlow's White Star, two pennies could be introduced by saying, "Here is a story about two pennies that looked very much like these....." You then go on to tell the tale and at the conclusion, lead into the White Star routine by using the same two pennies to represent those who lost their lives....those of you with White Star will know what I mean.

Alternatively, the story could come at the conclusion of White Star, when spectators are moved to discuss the tragedy. The tale is strong enough and sufficiently moving to distract those inclined from trying to work out how the White Star effect is accomplished.

When I heard Susie telling her story - which took only about fifteen seconds - I felt tears welling up! Try it, you will be surprised at the reaction!

Leslie

This is great! How do you link a post to another thread? This is perfect for the stories for coins thread. By the way, you can still get English pennies from 1912 relatively cheap on ebay.

If they are to relate to the Titanic they need to be pre 1912 - and they also are available. I have a 1901 shilling.

Leslie

I stocked up on a few 1908 pennies which were quite cheap on eBay in preparation for this week's Titanic gigs; I have three plus a seance. This story will definitely be worked in. I also encourage those of you pursuing Titanic stories to do a little reading on William T. Stead, a British investigative journalist who became a medium/spiritualist in his later years (1890s). He always said that he would die by hanging or drowning, and in the years prior to his death on Titanic, wrote several stories investigating ocean liner disasters. He eventually died clinging to a liferaft with John Jacob Astor. Another spooky tale!

See: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......rum=32&0

Actually White Star uses 2 "markers" so this could fit in very well. They need to be different, like a penny and a ring, but I like the addition. I performed White Star several times from late March thru mid April. It is a great routine, and I am intending to reprise it for this October...

Jim

The story of the Titanic seems to be one of the most enduring, even though it's not the only ship to come to a sticky end. I can't quite work out why - beyond the shock of it being it's maiden voyage. Maybe it's the ongoing media attention?