[Carruthers]

Capturing a moment in history from every side of the class divide they are, in the words of one historian, “Downton Abbey at sea”. Previously unpublished photographs of the launch of the Titanic have gone on display for the first time in 100 years.

The album includes an image of the liner going down the slipway in the Belfast shipyard where it was built, with excited spectators chasing behind.

The photographs belonged to John W Kempster, who was a director and master of ceremonies at Harland and Wolff at the time of the Titanic and its sister ship the Olympic.

William Blair, a historian, said: “The ship seems to be a perfect mirror reflection of society, you learn the class distinctions, the social codes of that era. It is almost Downton Abbey at sea.”

The album, containing 116 prints, has gone on display at the TITANICa exhibition at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum near Belfast.

The Titanic hit an iceberg in April 1912 on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. More than 1,500 passengers and crew drowned.

The album includes 13 images of the launch of the Titanic as well as several pictures of Mr Kempster’s family on board the Olympic on its maiden voyage. One shows two boys having a pillow fight, another women taking part in an egg and spoon race on board.