JIM CARLISLE - ULSTER TITANIC SOCIETY

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Introduction

This interview was carried out as part of the Topography of Titanic exhibition. Ruth Graham talked to 11 people in early 2003 who worked in the shipyards or who have a great interest in the Titanic, 9 of these are available here. Ruth Graham kindly supplied this interview summary.

Jim Carlisle

Listen to Jim Carlisle (00:08:01) | Read Transcript

"Of course he never went out without his duncher on... that duncher was so important... he had to show that he was a tradesman..."


Jim Carlisle has had a lifelong interest in ships sparked by the stories told by his grandfather and father. His grandfather, Alexander Carlisle, worked for Harland & Wolff as a riveter and his first ship, as a fifteen year old apprentice was the Titanic. His family came from Comber, also the home of Thomas Andrews, Harland & Wolff's Chief Designer who went down with the Titanic. Thomas Andrews recommended Jim's grandfather for his apprenticeship in Harland & Wolff. There was no such thing as a CV or a reference in those days - people, if they were lucky, got jobs through recommendations and word of mouth. Jim's father also got a job with Harland & Wolff working on ships such as the Canberra and also Oil Platforms such as the Sea Quest. Jim has worked in the offshore oil industry for 27 years.