Belfast Titanic Society Participates in 100th Anniversary
of Opening of Thompson Graving or Dry Dock

A plaque to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the completion of the Thompson Graving or Dry Dock was unveiled at the head of the dock in Belfast by the Institution of Civil Engineers on 5^th September 2011. The event was to mark an outstanding piece of Edwardian engineering.

This dock is essentially Titanic’s footprint and was last used in 2001 for two Dutch Dredgers.

Back in the 1900s, Belfast Harbour Commissioners were aware of the challenge of building the biggest dry dock in the world as they had the previous experience of creating the Alexandra Dock near by. They were also aware that they would not see a commercial return on their capital outlay but were investing in the future of ship building in Belfast. It is clear that William Pirrie, Chairman of H&W at the time, was the prime advocate of building a deeper and wider dock. He argued that this would allow the ship builders in Belfast to compete for admiralty work involving the building of major capital ships. He did nothing to dispel the strong suggestion that he would move his ship building operation to England should a dock not be available and, indeed for other commercial reasons, establish H&W interests in Southampton. The Harbour Commissioners as a body had appreciable debate, with some opposed to spending so much money on a dock when there were so many other improvements to the port of  Belfast that were urgently required. Pirrie went ahead with his vision of building the biggest ships in the world and the dock was finally ready, after over seven years of construction, in 1911. The Dock was opened on April 1^st 1911 when Olympic was dry docked there for the first time. The dock is 850 ft long (259m), with a width at the entrance of 96ft (29m) (128ft or 39m at widest point). The length could be extended by 37.5ft, (11m) (total length 887.5ft or 270m)by floating the gate out into the outside position ... just as well as the Olympic Class Liners, the biggest ships ever docked here were 882 ft 8 inches!(269m) The Dock cost nearly £400,000 and at stages 500 men worked on the project

Olympic was followed by her two sister ships Titanic and Britannic

The Dock was named after Robert Thompson who was Chairman of the Harbour commissioners at the time. Born in 1839, he was the son of a prosperous linen manufacturer from Ballylesson, Co. Down. He took a full part in all aspects of life relating to commerce and industry, as well as being a Member of Parliament for North Belfast. Robert Thompson was Chairman of BHC from 1907. It was in this capacity that his name was given to the then biggest Dry Dock in the world of which Belfast was justifiably proud. He died in 1918.

Olympic had to return to Belfast to replace a propeller in March 1912 when the two sister ships were photographed afloat together for the first and only time.