Note: this is an unusual story for several reasons, not least because the background is arguably more interesting than the story itself. The introduction and author's biography contain (mild) spoilers about the narrative. If you'd prefer to listen to the story first, here are the timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction and biographical notes 00:06:06 The Story begins 00:24:50 Credits and thanks
The Victorians and Edwardians had all these new technologies and engineering marvels but operated them in a system and society that were still grounded in the rules, manners and attitudes of earlier eras. The contradiction of it all is so telling - and on occasion - disastrous. The Titanic was almost an anachronism in this regard. Excellent as always.
It was rather prophetic. Perhaps we are all sheltered from understanding the moment of our own demise and hence he boarded the Titanic. Maybe, we are all living out our own fiction but we just don't have the foresight to record it. Thank you for the story Simon. Lovely reading as always!
Hi Simon , well perfect as always , but now not only a story, but a history lesson as well . Well done you are just superb the best story teller on RUclips or anywere else ,
I was going to post something along similar lines. The historical background, the structure, the quality of content and delivery plus, of course, the story itself, make this one of the most engaging and informative pieces on the subject I have ever encountered. I strongly suggest that your agent consider adding ‘educational’ to the Stanhope promotional portfolio. Students (and teachers) would benefit considerably.
What a brilliant story Simon, the intro and background was so very interesting, a definite wow moment in light of the Titanic, absolutely fascinating , especially that the writer himself actually perished on the Titanic after this was written. Wow! Really first class , loved it , thank you .
The modulation of your voice is aptly suited to the narration of Victorian & Edwardian narrations, allowing one to imagine people actually speaking thus at the time periods, most enjoyable tale, the author seems to have been prophetic in his article with regards to lifeboat inadequacy twenty-five year's before the sinking of the Titanic, shipping companies should have heeded his warning then maybe more lives would have been saved.
Thank you Irena. Yes indeed, although of course the lack of lifeboats was only part of the tragedy of the Titanic, and enough boats wouldn't necessarily have saved everyone... they only just managed to launch the boats they had in the time available, so launching twice as many would have been a challenge! Although it would surely have given some of those who ended up in the water a better chance
@@BitesizedAudio Very true , doesn't bode well then for the super size cruise ships of today, as I doubt they are any more prepared with sufficient lifeboats than the Titanic was, I know ship building has advanced considerably over the last century plus but, mother nature does have a knack of defeating our best efforts with catastrophic results.
Being 52 and many years out of school I don't know if there were any and ever any teachings of this writer if there weren't I feel there should have been and hope that there will be he deserves recognition for all of his irony and prophetic expression and as a tribute to his attempt at four warning of what would become history
He deserves recognition for all his efforts,sadly I haven't heard of him but I want to now-what a decent man,I find myself in awe,he was sailing at the behest of the President (to be his guest)we all know he could have got of Titanic if he chose to
I remember reading about this when I was a kid. Seeing the film "a Night to Remember" was, honestly, one of the most disturbing things in my childhood. I found it more horrifying than any horror movie! This is a remarkable piece by a remarkable man. Very much enjoyed
@Ross Ion Coyle Yes, that film made a great impact on me too. I think I'm right in saying (no doubt someone can correct me if not!) that ANTR is the only film about the Titanic which depicts W. T. Stead. He's shown reading alone in the smoking room towards the end, which doesn't really chime with his character as described by those who knew him, the various accounts of him assisting people into boats are more plausible. The last reported (but unverifiable) sighting of him apparently had him in the water clinging to a piece of wreckage with John Jacob Astor.
Good morning Simon! After a night of very restless sleep I was so excited to see a new post so I can perhaps drift off for a few hours. Really like the new intro. Keep up good work.
Surely this writer’s biography and background is one of the most unique in relation to his written short story! Superb choice Simon, thank you as always 🎩
Bitesized Audio Classics - Haven’t forgotten about becoming a Patreon, Simon. I inherited this iPhone from my deceased brother and will need some help going forward since so much, such as passwords and the like, are still his secret. I expect my service provider will be able to help, and I will be visiting them very soon - like tomorrow. And now I’m going to listen once more to this fascinating presentation from from start to finish. Warmest regards to you and yours. (My comments seem to be getting through without a hitch now. I am keeping my fingers crossed that your situation with RUclips will work itself out very soon, too.)
Wow. Your commentary in the beginning gave me chills. I hadn't heard of this story, but my son said he had heard something about it. Very spooky that Mr. Stead was a victim of the Titanic. There is a memorial to William Thomas Stead on the Find a Grave website. It has some interesting photos. Fascinating info given by you. I like your new approach very much. 👏
Thank you Rosie, glad to know that. Yes, there are a few memorials to Stead, in Central Park New York as well as various locations in London, and in Darlington, where he started as a journalist
Thank you Simon. I've enjoyed your stories for about a year now. I saw that you had some issues lately and I'm glad they seem to be resolved. I appreciate your hard work and wonderful voice. It's nice to see you, too. You remind me a bit of Frasier Crane ( that is a compliment!😃)
Thanks Morticia. The issues aren't resolved yet unfortunately, but I continue to live in hope... Funnily enough I have had the "Frasier" comparison made before, but not for many, many years, so I appreciate the compliment!
Dear Mr. Stanhope, thanks so much for another fascinating story involving such chilling coincidences. Without you, no one would be sharing such rare treasures from the past and I dearly love and value every video you make.
I'm a historian and some of my teaching has covered W.T. Stead's involvement with Josephine Butler and the Eliza Armstrong case. Thanks very much for the fascinating introduction to this aspect of his work, with which I was largely unfamiliar. Brilliantly read as always. The text and its context are more interesting than exciting, but that is not a bad thing.
Wow what a hero he was! You'd think he would've found another ship to make his journey, knowing the life boats were inadequate. Ty for this Simon. VWD as always!
You're welcome, thanks Teda. The thing is, he couldn't really have chosen another ship as they all suffered from the same problem - in fact the Titanic carried more lifeboats than she was legally obliged to under the regulations at the time.
Regulations at the time based the number of lifeboats on a ships tonnage instead of the number of people the ship could carry but ships were getting bigger with a larger capacity for people while the regulations were slow to keep up. No passenger ship at the time carried enough lifeboats for everyone on board. Some ships had a much smaller ratio of lifeboats to people on board than Titanic had. Scary but true.
@@gardenplots283 Ty for the info. Very interesting! I just love our community & the vast knowledge of fellow listeners & willingness to share. Blessings fr me here in Nashville to all yall! ✔💯👍😊
The efforts to uplift society of which W. T. Stead's efforts bring us this story, are of the current of hope and progress. Their circulation is encouragement from our forebears.
I am so excited that you decided to cover this amazing and fantastic (as in how the word fantastic was used in the early twentieth century) story! I have heard about how the story was fiction that became reality many times before on RUclips videos where it would appear as one out of 5 examples of something on a list of various spiritual things. As you may remember that I am on the spiritual path and that makes me smile because I genuinely believe that we all are- whether we’re aware of it or not! I believe that we are spiritual beings temporarily having a relatively short physical experience and not meat suits walking around who sometimes have spiritual experiences! We are all Electromagnetic energy and I believe that we are all physical extensions of energy- source energy! And While we are physically Focused here on Earth, at the same time the larger part of us remains non-physically focused and that our emotions, Which I believe to be our sixth sense, are communication between the two parts of us. Kind of like a satnav! And the non-physical part of us is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipotent and via meditation we can access that part of us more easily- you can’t see love but you can feel it and when you deviate from the perspective of your source/inner being/soul or God- the name isn’t important but when we feel negative emotions like when we’re not in a good mood and judge someone then to that degree that you feel negative emotion. That is the difference in the perspective that you hold in comparison to that of your soul. So the better you feel the more of who you really are you’ve become, and the more things you want will enter your life and visa versa. Your desires are your inner map or blueprint for what you could do with more success here on Earth. I gained this knowledge after a near death experience where I was clinically dead in four minutes and on life-support for three days! That is what put me on the spiritual path with a vengeance and I started to read obsessively about the subject like having perfect pitch for a piano I could feel what was true and what wasn’t! I have childhood memories of spiritual experiences and my grandmother was a medium and she told people the most extraordinary thing’s that saved them from being evicted in one case... I won’t bore you but a family in a tiny Village in the west coast of Ireland, were about to be evicted when my grandmother got a message from a very eager spirit telling her to tell them exactly where to find These Money bonds I think they were called And she told them that the life savings were in a red box under some particular floor boards! They didn’t know what to say because she, grandma, had no way of knowing that they were in financial difficulty so they looked and they were saved! Sorry way too long but I wanted you to know that there’s more to heaven and earth and all that!! I would love to know if you’re a sceptic but I would never ask you out right! I know paranormal stories are exaggerated in many cases but the truth is really stranger than fiction! Thank you so much for covering this story Simon. BTW you look well today and your work obviously suits you! I felt compelled to write all that so maybe if not you then someone else might be led to it. Who knows but I have learned to follow those impulses of intuition by now! Finally I believe that there is nothing we cannot achieve if we believe that we can and give it lots of attention and less attention to the unwanted parts of our lives! Thank you again and many blessings!🙏 ♥️🌟🌹🧚♀️✨👑✨🧚♀️🌹🌟♥️
"impulses of intuition " I had no idea how badly I needed this named as such! It happens to me frequently, and I often just let it flow now instead of stopping at any point because my other thoughts jump.in and stop myself (If that makes any sense 😀) I really like what you wrote and appreciate that you wrote it all and did not stop yourself!!
I really enjoy your new format .I had the opportunity to speak to a woman who was 14, living in northern NJ when Titanic went down. She was in her 90's and all she would say was " it was so very sad".
You have such a beautifully rounded voice Simon and that mixed with the eloquence with which you speak makes listening to your videos something very special indeed. well done your tenacity in dealing with the youtube issues but the manner in which you have adapted to that adversity is testimony to your tenacity and good character , You have risen above and beyond the limitation youtube placed you in and reinvented yourself "You are a winner" i and I deeply respect people who dont give up.
I just realised that you uploaded this video to coincide with the anniversary of the sinking! Very nice touch! Amazingly (or depressingly) Stead was not the only literary prophet of the Titanic disaster. Another author, "Captain Mayn Clew Garnett" -- a pseudonym for the American Thornton Jenkins Hains, who was perpetually mired in controversy -- wrote The White Ghost of Disaster in 1911.
Great as other videos I m extremely delightful today because today is the sinhala new year festival i m watching your exclusive video while celebrating the sinhala new year festival from Sri Lanka. thank you for the video!
For some reason you had a beard in my mind when I listened. I'm feeling a little discombobulated right now by your youth, but I'm sure I will continues to enjoy your stories very much. Thank you by the way!
I have had a beard sometimes, just not at the moment... It's quite a few years since I've been described as a youth (perhaps I look younger than I am!) but I appreciate the compliment!
You're a class act, Simon! Thank you for this fantastic reading and going into the background of the author! It is always a delight to hear you and I wish you all the very best from across the pond! Happy Easter too! Oh, I love the music too - has just that touch of mystery to it and feeling of Victorian times! Nicely chosen!
I have just finished listening to Walter Lord's A Night to Remember, and now this! Thank you Simon, I continue to hope your RUclips channel is re-monetized. Looking forward to joining when that happens.
Thanks Carol. Yes, I continue to hope that will happen too! 'A Night to Remember' is a great book, and there are a few references to Stead in it as I recall (he's also depicted briefly in the film version, the only one of all the many Titanic films to show him I think).
Thanks for this, Simon! I came across this story many years ago (it feels like ...). The intro was very good. Maybe more, please? I had forgotten that W. T. Stead was once Northern Echo editor, back in days when regional papers had real influence.
Just wanted to thank you for your backstory and context explanations. Really, really enjoy this in addition to the actual reading itself. This one particularly fascinating.
Prophetic indeed. The writing brings the situation to life in a factual, descriptive way but the horror and drama are all there. Thank you for sharing this.
Highly enjoyable as always. The visuals really do something. Perhaps you could place them throughout the whole video? Just a suggestion, as I have always regarded your presentations as perfect the way they were...
Thanks Snippy. I have thought about that, but the feedback I've had from listeners suggests that many people prefer not to look at the screen and just listen, and in particular I know a lot of people use the stories to help them get to sleep... and a static image is preferable to the flickering screen of a video or slideshow. I've seen that feedback on other channels too, I know some audiobooks on RUclips just have a black screen for that reason. So my preference is to keep the static picture for the main story but show some moving images in the introduction where relevant to the story. I hope that makes sense
Well done Simon, really enjoyed it.. Thank you for both the excellent introduction and reading. I was familiar with the book by Morgan Robertson, Futility or the Wreck of the Titan, but with neither this writer or story. So many coincidences surrounding the Titanic, it's a bit spooky. I wonder if this story passed through his mind during the hours before he was lost, poor man.
Thanks Angela. Yes, I read the Robertson book some years ago, but for me the extra detail of Stead actually travelling on the ship a quarter of a century later gave this story an extra level of spookiness. I imagine he must have pondered on it that night, although I think he was a relatively seasoned traveller (for the era) by that point, he'd certainly visited the USA before, in the 1890s
What a stunningly tragic story, you don’t need 20/20 vision to know this was certain to happen. How particularly tragic the loss of this man who had not only foreseen but done all that was humanly possible for one man to prevent it. The story mirrors the absolute terror of the situation! We’d all like to believe we’d behave far better, but would we?????
When think of how this story and especially Futility by Morgan Robertson in 1898 could almost see the disasters to come. They saw technology outpacing safety standards. Love the background going the story. Bravo!!!
Respectfully, as much as I enjoy your performances, I didn't listen to this story. I was afraid it would be too tragic a thing to hear in these already tragic times. I'm glad others had the joy of hearing you and I, as always, look forward to your next performance.
I have only just spotted this story. Thank you Simon, as ever, for your excellent narration. Thank you also for the extended explanation. It is an extraordinary tragedy that: 1) Stead should perish on the Titanic's maiden voyage & 2) That it took so long, and such a major tragedy as the Titanic, to ensure adequate provision of lifeboats based on number of passengers rather than tonnage.
Thanks for listening, and taking the time to comment. Yes, it's astonishing it took so long to address the lifeboat provision issue; although it has to be admitted, that was only part of the Titanic tragedy... even had they had enough lifeboats for everyone, many people would still surely have been lost. They only just about had time to (properly) launch 19 out of the 20 lifeboats they had before the ship went under, so I imagine launching 40+ may not have been feasible. Still, it would surely have made some difference
It was very interesting to learn the author Stead was born in Northumberland in Embleton which i know well. I have lived along the North East Coast of north Northumberland all my life including a place called Cresswell not far from the ancient island of Lindisfarne Furthermore in my late 20s i worked at the Newcastle upon Tyne office of the Northern Echo Doing copywriting & visuals for the advertising dept. ( not relevant but my boss in Darlington who was a dreadful woman with the apt name of Ann Blood!! Shudder) Small world! Another famous Northumbrian was the heroine Grace Darling who with her father the lifeboatman set out on the turbulent North Sea during a gale to save the souls of a ship in peril & after they had rescued many persons, poor Grace went overboard & perished in the violent waters! In my school days in the 1960s one of the senior girls was a direct descendant of Grace Darling via her brothers line she was called Catherine Darling & apparently was the double of her great great aunt Grace Darling Thank you so much, Simon for every upload you bring us & im heartily sorry about all the trouble you have had with U Tube They seem to do these "cullings" Of channels for what reasons i cannot fathom Im pleased you have overcome this wretched problem & i know all your fans are supporting you fully, we wouldn't have you quitting, no way no how as we'd send in the literary gremlins to sort them out! 👧✒🗣📚👏
What a thoroughly decent man Stead was(from my "neck of the woods")i can well believe his last hours on the Titanic were spent as you suggest, surely he could have pulled rank to get off the ship,i mean the guy was sailing to be a guest of the President,the fact he didn't makes him even more admirable. Good man-a humanitarian
A warning in time!. A great shame the White star line didn't take this incident as a lesson learnt,to avoid further tragedies! A great tale beautifully told Simon
Thanks John. Not sure it could sustain a whole new genre, but I thought it was an interesting diversion from the usual tales of mystery and suspense, and especially appropriate for the 110th anniversary of the Titanic. More regular fayre coming up soon...
Thank you Patty. Unfortunately my RUclips troubles aren't resolved yet, they're still insisting I'm somehow copying someone else's work. Which is obviously untrue, but I can't actually get hold of a human being to talk to about it. I'm submitting another appeal but if they reject that again I'm going to have to take all my content down and start again elsewhere
@@BitesizedAudio I just don't get it? There are lots of channels reading/narrating books. Tony Walker for example, why pick on this channel??? I hope you don't go, I really do 😕
Thank you. I don't get it either. I submitted an appeal video in which I went through in minute detail all the work I put into these stories, researching, reading, performing, recording, editing, processing and writing the intros and biographical notes. They've come back and told me my appeal is rejected, I don't demonstrate that I'm doing enough to "add value" to the original basic text. I can only conclude that the people they employ to review and decide these things are complete philistines with no concept of what actors do. In which case, I imagine Tony Walker and all the others will be getting their attention in due course. And presumably they'll be kicking off anyone who does anything artistic using public domain material: performances of Shakespeare, pianists playing Mozart, people singing old sea shanties. All against the rules, according to the RUclips content reviewers. I fear I'm at the end of the road with this channel, RUclips have made it abundantly clear they don't want me on here. Bitesized Audio will continue, but it will have to be on another platform: I'm investigating various options now and will certainly keep you posted.
I think this is the most incredible story I’ve heard. There are messages within background of the story that seem almost spiritual and other dimensional. Meaning, the coincidences seem way too unusual to be mere coincidences. I don’t mean to be strange about this but this is one of the most unusual and fantastic story I’ve heard. It also leaves me a bit sad as Stead was a very special person and his life may have produced other wonderful things.
I enjoyed this story very much. Stead's daughter, Estelle, shared his interest in spiritualism and recounted some of his experiences in a 1930s book by Marchioness Townsend. A very interesting man who lived a varied and fascinating life.
How prescient of the author and how sad that he should have died in a shipwreck. I very much enjoy these true stories and appreciate the research you do Simon to educate as well as entertain us.
This is absolutely amazing and terrifying. It's like the writer was, very much indeed, looking at the future. Unfortunately his future (or lack of s future).
I'd heard of Morgan Robertson's "Wreck of the Titan", but not this. It's interesting that there were other stories predicting this kind of disaster. It suggests that there was a much broader awareness of the problem than is generally thought.
My thanks to Bitesized Ahdio Classics for introducing me to this short fiction work by W.T. Stead. Stead,I understand, was ridiculed for his advocacy of spiritualism because he had no scientific education. But one of the foremost British scientists,of the late 19th and early 20th century, Oliver Lodge, who deserves to be credited as one of the co-inventors of radio telegraphy because of his refinement of a device called the coherer, was also an avid believer in spiritualism - an historic irony which, of course, does not "prove" that spiritualist beliefs are true. (Here is a quotation from Bertrand Russell's "A Liberal Decalogue": "1. Do not feel absolutely certain of anything."
Thank you. Unfortunately, it hasn't satisfied the powers that be at RUclips. They seem determined to drive me off this platform. I'm looking into alternatives
Note: this is an unusual story for several reasons, not least because the background is arguably more interesting than the story itself. The introduction and author's biography contain (mild) spoilers about the narrative. If you'd prefer to listen to the story first, here are the timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction and biographical notes
00:06:06 The Story begins
00:24:50 Credits and thanks
The Victorians and Edwardians had all these new technologies and engineering marvels but operated them in a system and society that were still grounded in the rules, manners and attitudes of earlier eras.
The contradiction of it all is so telling - and on occasion - disastrous.
The Titanic was almost an anachronism in this regard.
Excellent as always.
It was rather prophetic. Perhaps we are all sheltered from understanding the moment of our own demise and hence he boarded the Titanic. Maybe, we are all living out our own fiction but we just don't have the foresight to record it. Thank you for the story Simon. Lovely reading as always!
Hi Simon , well perfect as always , but now not only a story, but a history lesson as well . Well done you are just superb the best story teller on RUclips or anywere else ,
Very kind of you to say, thank you!
Hear hear ❤️
I was going to post something along similar lines. The historical background, the structure, the quality of content and delivery plus, of course, the story itself, make this one of the most engaging and informative pieces on the subject I have ever encountered. I strongly suggest that your agent consider adding ‘educational’ to the Stanhope promotional portfolio. Students (and teachers) would benefit considerably.
Absolutely.
I agree. You rock Simon!
This was thrilling to listen to. What an awful night the real thing must have been. Very haunting.
What a brilliant story Simon, the intro and background was so very interesting, a definite wow moment in light of the Titanic, absolutely fascinating , especially that the writer himself actually perished on the Titanic after this was written. Wow! Really first class , loved it , thank you .
Glad to know you enjoyed it, thank you
The modulation of your voice is aptly suited to the narration of Victorian & Edwardian narrations, allowing one to imagine people actually speaking thus at the time periods, most enjoyable tale, the author seems to have been prophetic in his article with regards to lifeboat inadequacy twenty-five year's before the sinking of the Titanic, shipping companies should have heeded his warning then maybe more lives would have been saved.
Thank you Irena. Yes indeed, although of course the lack of lifeboats was only part of the tragedy of the Titanic, and enough boats wouldn't necessarily have saved everyone... they only just managed to launch the boats they had in the time available, so launching twice as many would have been a challenge! Although it would surely have given some of those who ended up in the water a better chance
@@BitesizedAudio Very true , doesn't bode well then for the super size cruise ships of today, as I doubt they are any more prepared with sufficient lifeboats than the Titanic was, I know ship building has advanced considerably over the last century plus but, mother nature does have a knack of defeating our best efforts with catastrophic results.
Yay! A new Simon read! Now I have an excuse for not getting my housework done! 😆💖
Being 52 and many years out of school I don't know if there were any and ever any teachings of this writer if there weren't I feel there should have been and hope that there will be he deserves recognition for all of his irony and prophetic expression and as a tribute to his attempt at four warning of what would become history
He deserves recognition for all his efforts,sadly I haven't heard of him but I want to now-what a decent man,I find myself in awe,he was sailing at the behest of the President (to be his guest)we all know he could have got of Titanic if he chose to
Wow, thanks for unearthing this!
I remember reading about this when I was a kid. Seeing the film "a Night to Remember" was, honestly, one of the most disturbing things in my childhood. I found it more horrifying than any horror movie! This is a remarkable piece by a remarkable man. Very much enjoyed
@@stewartlancaster6155 the film was about the Titanic
@Ross Ion Coyle Yes, that film made a great impact on me too. I think I'm right in saying (no doubt someone can correct me if not!) that ANTR is the only film about the Titanic which depicts W. T. Stead. He's shown reading alone in the smoking room towards the end, which doesn't really chime with his character as described by those who knew him, the various accounts of him assisting people into boats are more plausible. The last reported (but unverifiable) sighting of him apparently had him in the water clinging to a piece of wreckage with John Jacob Astor.
Hey, I don’t know how I missed this, but I just found you on Audible!😄
Excellent, thanks for listening!
Excellent and captivating narrating Simon on a topic that is still relative today.
Good morning Simon! After a night of very restless sleep I was so excited to see a new post so I can perhaps drift off for a few hours. Really like the new intro. Keep up good work.
Surely this writer’s biography and background is one of the most unique in relation to his written short story! Superb choice Simon, thank you as always 🎩
So enjoyable - the story, your narration and the background information . Don’t know how it could be any better! Thumbs and paws up all ‘round!
Thanks Rachel, best wishes to you and all the gang!
Bitesized Audio Classics - Haven’t forgotten about becoming a Patreon, Simon. I inherited this iPhone from my deceased brother and will need some help going forward since so much, such as passwords and the like, are still his secret. I expect my service provider will be able to help, and I will be visiting them very soon - like tomorrow. And now I’m going to listen once more to this fascinating presentation from from start to finish. Warmest regards to you and yours. (My comments seem to be getting through without a hitch now. I am keeping my fingers crossed that your situation with RUclips will work itself out very soon, too.)
Wow. Your commentary in the beginning gave me chills. I hadn't heard of this story, but my son said he had heard something about it. Very spooky that Mr. Stead was a victim of the Titanic. There is a memorial to William Thomas Stead on the Find a Grave website. It has some interesting photos. Fascinating info given by you. I like your new approach very much. 👏
Thank you Rosie, glad to know that. Yes, there are a few memorials to Stead, in Central Park New York as well as various locations in London, and in Darlington, where he started as a journalist
Finally, I saw one of your stories early enough to enjoy it right now.
You’ve made my morning.
Thanks!
Thank you Simon. I've enjoyed your stories for about a year now. I saw that you had some issues lately and I'm glad they seem to be resolved. I appreciate your hard work and wonderful voice. It's nice to see you, too. You remind me a bit of Frasier Crane ( that is a compliment!😃)
Thanks Morticia. The issues aren't resolved yet unfortunately, but I continue to live in hope... Funnily enough I have had the "Frasier" comparison made before, but not for many, many years, so I appreciate the compliment!
Dear Mr. Stanhope, thanks so much for another fascinating story involving such chilling coincidences. Without you, no one would be sharing such rare treasures from the past and I dearly love and value every video you make.
I'm a historian and some of my teaching has covered W.T. Stead's involvement with Josephine Butler and the Eliza Armstrong case. Thanks very much for the fascinating introduction to this aspect of his work, with which I was largely unfamiliar. Brilliantly read as always. The text and its context are more interesting than exciting, but that is not a bad thing.
Wow what a hero he was! You'd think he would've found another ship to make his journey, knowing the life boats were inadequate. Ty for this Simon. VWD as always!
You're welcome, thanks Teda. The thing is, he couldn't really have chosen another ship as they all suffered from the same problem - in fact the Titanic carried more lifeboats than she was legally obliged to under the regulations at the time.
@@BitesizedAudio Oh my gosh! How awful! Ty handsome Simon 😉
Regulations at the time based the number of lifeboats on a ships tonnage instead of the number of people the ship could carry but ships were getting bigger with a larger capacity for people while the regulations were slow to keep up. No passenger ship at the time carried enough lifeboats for everyone on board. Some ships had a much smaller ratio of lifeboats to people on board than Titanic had. Scary but true.
@@gardenplots283 Ty for the info. Very interesting! I just love our community & the vast knowledge of fellow listeners & willingness to share. Blessings fr me here in Nashville to all yall! ✔💯👍😊
The efforts to uplift society of which W. T. Stead's efforts bring us this story, are of the current of hope and progress. Their circulation is encouragement from our forebears.
Love listening to you. You are a born storyteller. Do real and so sad. Looking forward to your next adventure. Always
Thank you, Simon, for finding, dramatically reading and posting this - on the 110th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
Brilliant, another classic Simon.
I’m always happy to see another fine production from you, Mr. Stanhope! You really are a standout in the world of audiobooks.
Thank you so much!
I am so excited that you decided to cover this amazing and fantastic (as in how the word fantastic was used in the early twentieth century) story! I have heard about how the story was fiction that became reality many times before on RUclips videos where it would appear as one out of 5 examples of something on a list of various spiritual things.
As you may remember that I am on the spiritual path and that makes me smile because I genuinely believe that we all are- whether we’re aware of it or not! I believe that we are spiritual beings temporarily having a relatively short physical experience and not meat suits walking around who sometimes have spiritual experiences! We are all Electromagnetic energy and I believe that we are all physical extensions of energy- source energy! And While we are physically Focused here on Earth, at the same time the larger part of us remains non-physically focused and that our emotions, Which I believe to be our sixth sense, are communication between the two parts of us. Kind of like a satnav! And the non-physical part of us is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipotent and via meditation we can access that part of us more easily- you can’t see love but you can feel it and when you deviate from the perspective of your source/inner being/soul or God- the name isn’t important but when we feel negative emotions like when we’re not in a good mood and judge someone then to that degree that you feel negative emotion. That is the difference in the perspective that you hold in comparison to that of your soul. So the better you feel the more of who you really are you’ve become, and the more things you want will enter your life and visa versa. Your desires are your inner map or blueprint for what you could do with more success here on Earth.
I gained this knowledge after a near death experience where I was clinically dead in four minutes and on life-support for three days! That is what put me on the spiritual path with a vengeance and I started to read obsessively about the subject like having perfect pitch for a piano I could feel what was true and what wasn’t!
I have childhood memories of spiritual experiences and my grandmother was a medium and she told people the most extraordinary thing’s that saved them from being evicted in one case... I won’t bore you but a family in a tiny Village in the west coast of Ireland, were about to be evicted when my grandmother got a message from a very eager spirit telling her to tell them exactly where to find These Money bonds I think they were called And she told them that the life savings were in a red box under some particular floor boards! They didn’t know what to say because she, grandma, had no way of knowing that they were in financial difficulty so they looked and they were saved! Sorry way too long but I wanted you to know that there’s more to heaven and earth and all that!! I would love to know if you’re a sceptic but I would never ask you out right! I know paranormal stories are exaggerated in many cases but the truth is really stranger than fiction! Thank you so much for covering this story Simon. BTW you look well today and your work obviously suits you! I felt compelled to write all that so maybe if not you then someone else might be led to it. Who knows but I have learned to follow those impulses of intuition by now! Finally I believe that there is nothing we cannot achieve if we believe that we can and give it lots of attention and less attention to the unwanted parts of our lives! Thank you again and many blessings!🙏
♥️🌟🌹🧚♀️✨👑✨🧚♀️🌹🌟♥️
"impulses of intuition "
I had no idea how badly I needed this named as such! It happens to me frequently, and I often just let it flow now instead of stopping at any point because my other thoughts jump.in and stop myself
(If that makes any sense 😀)
I really like what you wrote and appreciate that you wrote it all and did not stop yourself!!
I really enjoy your new format .I had the opportunity to speak to a woman who was 14, living in northern NJ when Titanic went down. She was in her 90's and all she would say was " it was so very sad".
Horrifying, and early prescient. Quite sobering. Thank you.
You have such a beautifully rounded voice Simon and that mixed with the eloquence with which you speak makes listening to your videos something very special indeed. well done your tenacity in dealing with the youtube issues but the manner in which you have adapted to that adversity is testimony to your tenacity and good character , You have risen above and beyond the limitation youtube placed you in and reinvented yourself "You are a winner" i and I deeply respect people who dont give up.
It always seems like an age between Bitesized Audio Classics uploads to me. I've listened to every episode at least three times.
Just got off work and have been looking forward to this all day. Needed the escape. Thank you Simon. 😊
I just realised that you uploaded this video to coincide with the anniversary of the sinking! Very nice touch!
Amazingly (or depressingly) Stead was not the only literary prophet of the Titanic disaster. Another author, "Captain Mayn Clew Garnett" -- a pseudonym for the American Thornton Jenkins Hains, who was perpetually mired in controversy -- wrote The White Ghost of Disaster in 1911.
Standing ovation! So glad you're still able to bring us these incredibly interesting and entertaining stories.
Great as other videos I m extremely delightful today because today is the sinhala new year festival i m watching your exclusive video while celebrating the sinhala new year festival from Sri Lanka. thank you for the video!
Fantastic episode. Every part of it. A riveting reading for an amazingly riveting story. The history of the author was amazing.
A delightful curiosity and your luscious vocals an incomparable treat. I thank you. ❤
Simply wonderful and unexpected Simon.
Great that you're back,hope that all bother with yt now over .Thankyou Simon
Thanks Karen. Not yet, but hoping for a favourable review next time...
Captivating story, exceptionally well-read as always, Simon.
Appreciated, thanks Scout Rifle
For some reason you had a beard in my mind when I listened. I'm feeling a little discombobulated right now by your youth, but I'm sure I will continues to enjoy your stories very much. Thank you by the way!
I have had a beard sometimes, just not at the moment... It's quite a few years since I've been described as a youth (perhaps I look younger than I am!) but I appreciate the compliment!
You're a class act, Simon! Thank you for this fantastic reading and going into the background of the author! It is always a delight to hear you and I wish you all the very best from across the pond! Happy Easter too! Oh, I love the music too - has just that touch of mystery to it and feeling of Victorian times! Nicely chosen!
I have just finished listening to Walter Lord's A Night to Remember, and now this! Thank you Simon, I continue to hope your RUclips channel is re-monetized. Looking forward to joining when that happens.
Thanks Carol. Yes, I continue to hope that will happen too! 'A Night to Remember' is a great book, and there are a few references to Stead in it as I recall (he's also depicted briefly in the film version, the only one of all the many Titanic films to show him I think).
Thank you Simon. Brilliant as always. Enjoy listening to you so much. You never disapoint.
Thanks for this, Simon! I came across this story many years ago (it feels like ...). The intro was very good. Maybe more, please? I had forgotten that W. T. Stead was once Northern Echo editor, back in days when regional papers had real influence.
Just wanted to thank you for your backstory and context explanations. Really, really enjoy this in addition to the actual reading itself. This one particularly fascinating.
Remember this story from a long time ago..always found it uncanny.
That was very intense. Thank you for posting.
What a forward thinking good man. I wish more people and paid attention to him and then he could’ve lived to a ripe old age.
i’m thrilled that you’re back
What an uncanny story. Thank you for the background information. Rest in Peace, Mr. Stead.
I have always been fascinated by the life of W. T. Stead. Thank you so much for posting this.
That was quite moving. Thank you
Prophetic indeed. The writing brings the situation to life in a factual, descriptive way but the horror and drama are all there. Thank you for sharing this.
Excellent, and eerie prediction....
Outstanding offering, old sport! Fascinating color commentary as well. Thank you from Virginia Beach
How amazing!!! I’ve been talking to people about this tragedy recently. Long time fascination for me. Thank you !!! ❤️
Thanks Annette. Yes, same here, an endlessly fascinating story...
Interesting ... loved the photographs
Fabulously read as always!! The background details add depth and context, Bravo!!!
Thank you, Simon. Let's hope that the film "Don't Look Up" is not as prescient as this story was!
Quite so! Thanks Felicity
Thanks for sharing with us.
Yours is the best underrated, hidden gem of youtube!
Looking forward to this!
Chilling.
Highly enjoyable as always. The visuals really do something.
Perhaps you could place them throughout the whole video?
Just a suggestion, as I have always regarded your presentations as perfect the way they were...
Thanks Snippy. I have thought about that, but the feedback I've had from listeners suggests that many people prefer not to look at the screen and just listen, and in particular I know a lot of people use the stories to help them get to sleep... and a static image is preferable to the flickering screen of a video or slideshow. I've seen that feedback on other channels too, I know some audiobooks on RUclips just have a black screen for that reason. So my preference is to keep the static picture for the main story but show some moving images in the introduction where relevant to the story. I hope that makes sense
@@BitesizedAudio you are the artist sir
Well done Simon, really enjoyed it.. Thank you for both the excellent introduction and reading. I was familiar with the book by Morgan Robertson, Futility or the Wreck of the Titan, but with neither this writer or story. So many coincidences surrounding the Titanic, it's a bit spooky. I wonder if this story passed through his mind during the hours before he was lost, poor man.
Thanks Angela. Yes, I read the Robertson book some years ago, but for me the extra detail of Stead actually travelling on the ship a quarter of a century later gave this story an extra level of spookiness. I imagine he must have pondered on it that night, although I think he was a relatively seasoned traveller (for the era) by that point, he'd certainly visited the USA before, in the 1890s
What a stunningly tragic story, you don’t need 20/20 vision to know this was certain to happen.
How particularly tragic the loss of this man who had not only foreseen but done all that was humanly possible for one man to prevent it.
The story mirrors the absolute terror of the situation!
We’d all like to believe we’d behave far better, but would we?????
Adore... Thank you!
When think of how this story and especially Futility by Morgan Robertson in 1898 could almost see the disasters to come. They saw technology outpacing safety standards. Love the background going the story. Bravo!!!
Respectfully, as much as I enjoy your performances, I didn't listen to this story.
I was afraid it would be too tragic a thing to hear in these already tragic times.
I'm glad others had the joy of hearing you and I, as always, look forward to your next performance.
I have only just spotted this story. Thank you Simon, as ever, for your excellent narration. Thank you also for the extended explanation. It is an extraordinary tragedy that:
1) Stead should perish on the Titanic's maiden voyage &
2) That it took so long, and such a major tragedy as the Titanic, to ensure adequate provision of lifeboats based on number of passengers rather than tonnage.
Thanks for listening, and taking the time to comment. Yes, it's astonishing it took so long to address the lifeboat provision issue; although it has to be admitted, that was only part of the Titanic tragedy... even had they had enough lifeboats for everyone, many people would still surely have been lost. They only just about had time to (properly) launch 19 out of the 20 lifeboats they had before the ship went under, so I imagine launching 40+ may not have been feasible. Still, it would surely have made some difference
Hello Simon Thank you for your sympathetic reading of this tragic, horrific article by
Thanks once again 🙃
It was very interesting to learn the author Stead was born in Northumberland in Embleton which i know well.
I have lived along the North East
Coast of north Northumberland all my life including a place called
Cresswell not far from the ancient island of Lindisfarne
Furthermore in my late 20s i worked at the Newcastle upon Tyne office of the Northern Echo
Doing copywriting & visuals for the advertising dept.
( not relevant but my boss in Darlington who was a dreadful woman with the apt name of
Ann Blood!! Shudder)
Small world!
Another famous Northumbrian was the heroine Grace Darling who with her father the lifeboatman set out on the turbulent North Sea during a gale to save the souls of a ship in peril & after they had rescued many persons, poor Grace went overboard & perished in the violent waters!
In my school days in the 1960s one of the senior girls was a direct descendant of Grace Darling via her brothers line she was called Catherine Darling & apparently was the double of her great great aunt Grace Darling
Thank you so much, Simon for every upload you bring us & im heartily sorry about all the trouble you have had with U Tube
They seem to do these "cullings"
Of channels for what reasons i cannot fathom
Im pleased you have overcome this wretched problem & i know all your fans are supporting you fully, we wouldn't have you quitting, no way no how as we'd send in the literary gremlins to sort them out! 👧✒🗣📚👏
I really enjoyed listening to the story Simon, it was fascinating and you are so brilliant at what you do, see you soon, Georgie
Hi Simon! Thanks for this. I’m working on a new job and your soothing voice makes work so nice. Plus I learn something every time. ❤️
Glad to be of service!
Great selection & production
WoW!! Super Great Story - Love Love Love your back stories - to any and all your uploads - appreciative 👍💖
Glad to know you like them, thanks Angela
What a thoroughly decent man Stead was(from my "neck of the woods")i can well believe his last hours on the Titanic were spent as you suggest, surely he could have pulled rank to get off the ship,i mean the guy was sailing to be a guest of the President,the fact he didn't makes him even more admirable. Good man-a humanitarian
A warning in time!. A great shame the White star line didn't take this incident as a lesson learnt,to avoid further tragedies!
A great tale beautifully told Simon
"well that was different, and thoroughly enjoyable, have you found another genre"!
Thanks John. Not sure it could sustain a whole new genre, but I thought it was an interesting diversion from the usual tales of mystery and suspense, and especially appropriate for the 110th anniversary of the Titanic. More regular fayre coming up soon...
I am glad your youtube troubles have been resolved. You provide such wonderful tales in such a beautiful way.
Thank you Patty. Unfortunately my RUclips troubles aren't resolved yet, they're still insisting I'm somehow copying someone else's work. Which is obviously untrue, but I can't actually get hold of a human being to talk to about it. I'm submitting another appeal but if they reject that again I'm going to have to take all my content down and start again elsewhere
@@BitesizedAudio I just don't get it? There are lots of channels reading/narrating books. Tony Walker for example, why pick on this channel??? I hope you don't go, I really do 😕
Thank you. I don't get it either. I submitted an appeal video in which I went through in minute detail all the work I put into these stories, researching, reading, performing, recording, editing, processing and writing the intros and biographical notes. They've come back and told me my appeal is rejected, I don't demonstrate that I'm doing enough to "add value" to the original basic text. I can only conclude that the people they employ to review and decide these things are complete philistines with no concept of what actors do. In which case, I imagine Tony Walker and all the others will be getting their attention in due course. And presumably they'll be kicking off anyone who does anything artistic using public domain material: performances of Shakespeare, pianists playing Mozart, people singing old sea shanties. All against the rules, according to the RUclips content reviewers.
I fear I'm at the end of the road with this channel, RUclips have made it abundantly clear they don't want me on here. Bitesized Audio will continue, but it will have to be on another platform: I'm investigating various options now and will certainly keep you posted.
A very sobering story. Thanks Simon
I think this is the most incredible story I’ve heard. There are messages within background of the story that seem almost spiritual and other dimensional. Meaning, the coincidences seem way too unusual to be mere coincidences. I don’t mean to be strange about this but this is one of the most unusual and fantastic story I’ve heard. It also leaves me a bit sad as Stead was a very special person and his life may have produced other wonderful things.
better than radio 4 any day
I've always wondered what face went with this this great accent enjoy very much listening to it thank u
Very interesting! 👍👍
Thank you for all your hard work Simon 🌺
I enjoyed this story very much. Stead's daughter, Estelle, shared his interest in spiritualism and recounted some of his experiences in a 1930s book by Marchioness Townsend. A very interesting man who lived a varied and fascinating life.
This is very interesting.
What a historical gem.
You have such a great voice!!!!!
Amazing and Fantastic!
How prescient of the author and how sad that he should have died in a shipwreck. I very much enjoy these true stories and appreciate the research you do Simon to educate as well as entertain us.
Unbelievable. Thank you.
This is absolutely amazing and terrifying. It's like the writer was, very much indeed, looking at the future. Unfortunately his future (or lack of s future).
I'd heard of Morgan Robertson's "Wreck of the Titan", but not this. It's interesting that there were other stories predicting this kind of disaster. It suggests that there was a much broader awareness of the problem than is generally thought.
My thanks to Bitesized Ahdio Classics for introducing me to this short fiction work by W.T. Stead. Stead,I understand, was ridiculed for his advocacy of spiritualism because he had no scientific education. But one of the foremost British scientists,of the late 19th and early 20th century, Oliver Lodge, who deserves to be credited as one of the co-inventors of radio telegraphy because of his refinement of a device called the coherer, was also an avid believer in spiritualism - an historic irony which, of course, does not "prove" that spiritualist beliefs are true. (Here is a quotation from Bertrand Russell's "A Liberal Decalogue": "1. Do not feel absolutely certain of anything."
Maybe, as unjustified as RUclips actions have been, the outcome has enhanced your Chanel. Your response has been superb.
Thank you. Unfortunately, it hasn't satisfied the powers that be at RUclips. They seem determined to drive me off this platform. I'm looking into alternatives
@@BitesizedAudio sad but understood. my husband has abandoned his channel because of similar stupidity. Can you go to audible?