Judge who investigated Titanic disaster wrote in private journal how ship was travelling at 'excessive speed' despite ice warnings, lifeboat drills were cancelled and watertight doors were left open, documentary reveals
Lord Mersey's family has decided to unveil his private diary (pictured on the documentary_ after more than a century
- John Charles Bigham, 1st Viscount Mersey was head of the inquiry in 1912
- His diary reveals notes of the mistakes he believed led to the sinking of the ship
- His family has decided to unveil his private diary after more than a century
British jurist and politician, John Charles Bigham, 1st Viscount Mersey, was charged with investigating the sinking in 1912 that claimed 1,500 lives.
His diary, which detail his reasons for why the passenger liner sank, is being made public after more than a century on a Sky History programme on tomorrow night.
Lord Mersey's notes suggest it was a combination of factors which led to the tragedy, including how the ship was travelling to fast, how the crew ignored repeated ice warnings and watertight doors were left open as it sank.
He also noted how there were not enough lifeboats – they could only hold half of the 2240 passengers – and lifeboat drills had been cancelled.