Few people would want to relive tragedy, but that’s exactly what some Torontonians did to mark the centenary of the Titanic’s sinking.
A hundred years after the doomed ocean liner hit an iceberg and sank into frigid waters off the coast of Newfoundland, venues across the city recreated that fateful night on April 15, 1912.
With its chandeliers and high ceilings, the opulent Windsor Arms Hotel commemorated the anniversary by offering afternoon tea similar to what the Titanic’s first class guests would have had, including full-service dining and a selection of scones and éclairs for 100 people.
For Heather Graham, whose grandfather’s uncle, Hudson Allison, perished on the Titanic, the tribute is personal.
First-class passenger Allison, his wife Bess and daughter Lorraine died, while son Hudson Trevor survived.
From stateroom to steerage, The Ceili Cottage in Leslieville created a special third-class menu, available only on Friday and Saturday, featuring barley broth and beef and kidney pie.
“You can tell it’s more of a poor man’s menu,” said head chef Chris Mentier. Mentier and owner Patrick McMurray, whose granduncle helped build the Titanic in Belfast, developed it based on recipes from a Titanic-themed cookbook.
The Irish pub’s more upscale sister restaurant, Starfish Oyster Bed and Grill, offered a first-class menu.
It’s a way to capitalize on the anniversary, while commemorating the disaster, says Eoghan Banks, manager of The Ceili Cottage.
Over at Captain John’s Harbour Boat Restaurant at Queens Quay E. and Yonge St., where Kerry Brown and Lesley Garratt threw a Titanic-themed party, the mood felt celebratory. Around 90 of the couple’s friends, family and acquaintances attended the event, which included dinner and dancing, to mark the ship’s demise.
From first-class ball gowns to third-class flat caps and suspenders, guests wore period costumes, while sipping glasses of wine.