Why Me? Why Him? Why Now?
I currently live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where I’ve lived for the past five years. I have a bachelors degree in English from the University of Alabama, and I am working on a masters degree in American Studies.
I grew up in Gallup, New Mexico. I’m sure that at first glance, someone who grew up in landlocked, rural New Mexico seems an unlikely choice to become a maritime historian.
However, while I spent most of my childhood in the high desert, vacations almost inevitably involved a body of water - whether that was the Gulf of Mexico, the waters off the Florida Keys, or the great Atlantic itself.
Now, to Thomas Andrews.
In late 2007, while reading a book about icebergs for a homeschool science assignment, my older sister and I found a sidebar about RMS Titanic.
Our youthful curiosity turned into long-haul research.
Among the fascinating characters associated with the Titanic diaster, I find Thomas Andrews to be one of the most compelling. Andrews is renowned not just for his shipbuilding abilities - being at the helm of Harland & Wolff’s design teams for many of their most famous ships - but also for his personal character. Both during his life, and again in tributes after his untimely death during the Titanic’s maiden voyage, friends and colleagues have remarked about Andrews’s kindness.
Despite the fact that Thomas Andrews is renowned enough to usually always earn a glowing portrayal in any given Titanic movie, his history is somewhat harder to find. While projects have been undertaken to honor many people associated with RMS Titanic, I found a lack of digital collections formed with Andrews specifically in mind.
In keeping with that reality, this site is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Andrews, and to all the lives he touched. I truly hope that, through navigating this site, you can also understand just why this man and his rich history continue to resonate with people across space and time.
If you’re interested in learning more about my academic and personal interests, my website can be found at this link