Titanic's forgotten women revealed for first time - £1m gift to 'missing' star mystery

EXCLUSIVE: Titanic's forgotten women revealed for first time - £1m gift to 'missing' star mysteryMost stories around the stricken Titanic are about men, but a new book hopes to shed light on the sometimes hidden narratives of the women at the centre of the tragedyNewsSue Lee and Hannah Britt, Senior Reporter Mirror Features13:30, 11 Apr 2026View 7 ImagesA new book is shedding light on the women aboard the Titanic, with some never before published stories She may have slipped beneath the icy waters of the Atlantic almost 114 years ago, but the legend of the Titanic is one which refuses to sink. While the events of that fateful night in 1912 remain compelling, most stories about the stricken liner revolve around the roles and actions of men. Now a new book hopes to shed light on the sometimes hidden narratives of the women at the centre of the tragedy.‌“I wanted people to know that women played a great role in Titanic - those who were on board and those whose lives it touched,” explains author of Titanic Women's Stories, Melinda Ratchford. “Their history needed to be recorded and passed on.”‌READ MORE: Titanic diver trapped under wreck for six hours unable to see a thingFor centuries ‘men have been the storytellers, according to Melinda, who says: “It's not that women were ignored, they were just overshadowed. In 1912 it was a man's world. I wanted to explore the issues of gender and the roles of men and women in society through the lens of that liner. All the case studies in my book have a tale to tell - it’s just that they haven’t had a voice.”‌View 7 ImagesThe Titanic slipped beneath the icy waters of the Atlantic almost 114 years ago, but her legend is one which refuses to sink(Image: SSPL via Getty Images)One captivating story is that of Maria Robinson. She was not on board Titanic, but the love of her life, bandmaster Wallace Hartley, was. She gave him the violin to mark their engagement which he courageously continued to play, as p...