Marine Painting by Rober Lloyd showing the White Star Liner RMS Olympic at Liverpool

The eldest of three huge sister-liners built for White Star Line, Olympic was the first ship in the world to displace 40,000 ton. So large were the class that Harland & Wolff of Belfast had to construct new fitting-out areas and bring in a massive crane from Germany.

Having been launched in October 1910, fitting out took a further seven months and after her sea trials moved to Southampton where she would be based.  As was the case with most White Star Line ships, Olympic was built for luxury and style rather than speed and had the largest swimming pool afloat for some years. Such features made her very popular with passengers and she proved to be a reliable and  cost effective ship.

In the wake of the Titanic disaster she was the subject of some debate and a mutiny occurred over the number of lifeboats carried, delaying further sailings until safety precautions were increased.