SECOND CLASS STATEROOMS



It has often been said that traveling in second-class on Titanic was like traveling first-class on earlier ships. There is more truth to this than is commonly realized. The fabric patterns and furniture styles that were modern in the 1890s and 1900s were now out of date and quietly demoted for use in second-class public rooms and cabins.

These second-class cabins were placed on the saloon, upper, middle, and lower decks and were outfitted with two or four berths built into the walls and screened by curtains. It was not uncommon for strangers to book rooms together in order to secure the least costly ticket prices. Curtains, as shown in the photograph at left of a second-class cabin on the Olympic, afforded a measure of privacy in an otherwise very small space.

While first-class had the luxury of hot and cold running water, second-class still made do with the old fashioned washbasin, modified for steamship use. Because floor space was at a premium in the second-class cabins, the washbasin was affixed to the wall as part of a mahogany cabinet. When in use, the passenger folded down a pivoted ceramic basin exposing a spigot. Pressing the lever drew a stream of water from a metal tank kept behind the mirror, which discharged into the basin for washing. The soap was kept in a dish placed nearby for convenience. When done, the passenger simply folded the basin back into the cabinet and a pour spout directed the wastewater into a canister hidden at floor level. Bedroom stewards were responsible for keeping the supply cistern full of wash water through a supply funnel, and for hauling away the waste. Hot water was brought by the steward in a pitcher and used sparingly.

Another distinction between first- and second-class was that the latter was never provided with private bathrooms. Public facilities were located adjacent to each block of cabins. Chamber pots (93/0096) were kept in each cabin, but these were primarily for seasickness rather than for their traditional on-shore use.

Credit RMSTitanic.net