THE original print of the rare photograph taken in Southampton nearly 100 years ago, has seen better days but with modern technology much of the damage has been restored to reveal a scene of industrial unrest in 1911.

Olympic, the White Star's sistership of the ill-fated Titanic, had arrived in Southampton to prepare for her maiden voyage but found herself at the centre of strike action by two determined groups of workers.

The first dispute had started before the ship's arrival and centred on the payment of an extra halfpenny being demanded by the coalporters employed by Rea and Company.

At a meeting the men voted to ask for 2d (1p) a ton instead of one-anda- half pennies for coaling the White Star liner but the company stood firm.

The situation was fuelled when Rea brought in gangs of workers from the north of England to load the coal on board Olympic and police were called to dockland to ensure trouble did not boiled over on to the streets.

The Hampshire Independent, a forerunner of the Daily Echo, reported: "As the train crossed Canute Road police lined the street, a few of the malcontents present shouted and one man shook his fist angrily but there was no general demonstration, and very little excitement.

"The coaling of Olympic proceeded quietly and files of police were drawn across the road and officers mounted on horseback were also present but nothing untoward happened.

'' As more gangs of workers were brought in, this time from Sheffield, the frustrated Southampton coalporters not only refused to fuel Olympic and other ships alongside the docks but also the vessels at anchor in Southampton Water.

After nearly two weeks on strike the coalporters returned to work with almost all of their demands having been met by the company.

However, Olympic, was not free of industrial action as the liner's crew were calling for an increase of ten shillings (50p) on their wages taking an able seaman's monthly pay to £5 10s (£5.

50).

Rumblings of discontent had been growing for the previous 12 months with seamen angry about the fact that crew doing exactly the same work on other vessels were being paid more than those on Olympic.

Havelock Wilson, the secretary of the Seamen's Union, travelled to Southampton to address a massed meeting of the Olympic's crew.

He told them: "You have led the fight, and we look to you that you will not waver or falter.

'' The employers had refused them justice, and they would be less than men if they took it lying down.

As the date of the ship's maiden voyage grew nearer White Star management agreed to the crew's demands and the ship left Southampton on schedule.

No sooner had Olympic disappeared over the horizon than White Star declined to make similar concessions to the crew of the line's other ships, saying that the pay agreement had only been given so Olympic would sail on time.

This was the spark that lit the flames of a widespread strike of seamen and dock workers all demanding wage rises, improved conditions and formal recognition of trades unions.

For a number of weeks unions and employees were locked in a bitter struggle until eventually the men were forced to return to work.