SOUTHAMPTON will mark the 90th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic with five days of commemorative events.

Monday April 15 is the anniversary of the day 90 years ago when RMS Titanic sank. Five hundred city residents lost their lives and left many households without a main breadwinner.

Services of commemoration - including an open-air wreath-laying ceremony at noon on Sunday April 14 and an exhibition opened by the UK's sole survivor of the sinking, are just some of the events taking place to mark the anniversary.

The city has witnessed few incidents, outside the wartime blitz, to compare with the scale of the tragedy that unfolded when the liner struck an iceberg in mid-Atlantic and sank into the freezing waters, claiming the lives of 1,500 people.

To mark the 90th anniversary the following programme of events has been compiled.

Thursday, April 11

Titanic Voices - the 90th Anniversary Exhibition at the Maritime Museum in Bugle Street, will be opened by Milvina Dean, who is the UK's sole survivor of the tragedy. The permanent exhibition has been upgraded with new exhibits, including images from the interior of Titanic's sister ship RMS Olympic.

Artefacts - including the dress sword owned by Captain Smith - will also be on display. In addition, an audio-visual presentation, put together by the city council's community history department, allows people to see and hear the testimony of survivors and Southampton people who remember the tragedy.

From Friday April 12

Characters brought to life - the Maritime Museum will also host Jane Glennie's one-woman show inspired by the life of Titanic stewardess, Violet Jessop, who survived the sinking. Performances are free and take place at 6pm and 7pm on Friday April 12; 11am and 2pm on Saturday April 13 and 2pm and 3pm on Sunday April 14

Local performance group the Sarah Siddons Fan Club, explores the impact of the tragedy on local families. Performances are at 2pm and 7pm on Friday April 12; 2pm on Saturday April 13 and 2pm on Sunday April 14. Meet at Holyrood Church on the High Street - tickets £4 and £3.50 (concessions).

SHOWcase - Special Web pages

Pages dedicated to the Titanic will be unveiled as an extension of the award-winning SHOWcase project. The pages contain images of the Titanic and the port in 1912 as well as survivors' recollections.

Sunday, April 14

Noon: The Mayor of Southampton Councillor Christine Kelly, will lead a short ceremony of commemoration and wreath-laying at the Titanic Engineers Memorial on Above Bar Street - all are welcome to attend.

6.30pm: A memorial service to the victims of the Titanic disaster at St Mary's Church, St Mary Street. The Bishop of Winchester will lead the service which is part of the From Mayflower to Titanic - The Maritime History of Southampton in Flowers, an exhibition and festival organised by the City Centre Parish. It also features daily guided walks, entitled Titanic Memorial of Southampton Central conducted by Central Parks Ranger John Garlinge. The two-hour walks start at 2pm from St Mary's Church from April 12 -15.

Monday, April 15

Canute Chambers in Canute Road was the headquarters of the White Star Line and the scene of anguished vigils by relatives awaiting news of loved ones. On the anniversary of the sinking, a heritage plaque, marking out the building as a site of historic significance, will be unveiled.

A souvenir publication, taking readers on a self-guided walking tour of Titanic monuments and other sites of interest around the city, has been published by City Information. The Southampton Titanic Walk costs £2.25 and is available from City Information in Civic Centre Road. Telephone 023 8083 3333 for further information.

- Originally published April 2002.