Lord Pirrie

Lord William Pirrie was the Managing Director of Harland & Wolff and according to legend was one of the people who had the idea for the Olympic Class.  He not only had a great professional shipbuilding career, he also had a political one.  He served as Lord Mayor of Belfast and was active in the politics of the time.  Harland & Wolff at the time employed a great many people in Belfast.  His brother in law was Alexander Carlisle and his great-nephew was Thomas Andrews, both of whom designed the Titanic.  In addition, he was a good friend of Captain EJ Smith.  When he died in 1924 near Cuba while he was on a business trip to South America, the Titanic's twin sister ship Olympic brought his body back home.  

This letter has not one, but two connections.  The stationary from 24 Belgrave Square is from Lord Pirrie's home in London where the idea for the Olympic Class Liners was supposedly discussed.  The letter from Pirrie invites Mr. Richard May who was a Titanic cross channel passenger to a dinner party.  It was in Richard May's scrapbook along with other Olympic and Titanic memorabilia.