IT is one of Southampton's most imposing buildings and behind its ornate facade is a connection with the maritime tragedy that struck at the very heart of the community.

Now, on the 95th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, a disaster which scarred Southampton for generations, it is time to recall the role of the Seaman's Home in Oxford Street.

Brian Ticehurst from Southampton is one of the country's leading experts on the loss of Titanic. He has undertaken exhaustive research into the White Star ship that sank after striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage in April, 1912.

Brian has unearthed a fascinating story of the seamen who stayed at the home before joining the "ship of dreams'' which is related in his book, Southampton Seamans' Home, RMS Titanic Connections.

"The site in Oxford Street was originally owned by Queen's College, Oxford, and was purchased in 1907 by Mr George Yates Mercer of Bassett, Southampton for the construction of a three-storey building as a temporary home for sailors while they were in Southampton,'' said Brian.

"His society had leased premises at 33, Canute Road, which then became the Southampton Immigrants' Hostel, for this purpose since 1861 but more space was needed.'' According to records of the time the cost of the freehold and the construction was £10,655 that was funded by money left in a will by a Mr Frederick Obree specifically for this purpose.

The original building provided accommodation in 43 cubicles while officers were able to rent one of seven bedrooms. Meals cost extra but dinner did include beer.

So busy was the home that in 1912 another storey was added providing a further 50 cubicles. The building survived the Second World War when it was used to house crew members of craft taking part in the D-Day Landings of 1944.

The home continued to provide shelter for seamen but with the decline in the number of ships using the docks it was decided that the premises would have to close on December 29, 1969. It was sold to the Salvation Army and renamed the Mountbatten Centre.

"A total of 24 lodged at the Seaman's Home prior to Titanic sailing,'' said Brian.

"Of the 24 just four were married and the rest were single. The average age of these men was approximately 33. They left the Seamans' Home, put their kit bags on their shoulders, walked round the back of the building, across the road, through the park and into the docks to board RMS Titanic. Seven survived and 17 perished.'' One of the men who stayed at the sailors' home was Reginald Robinson Lee, who was to be central to the subsequent official inquiry into the sinking. A report in the Daily Echo on Friday, August 8, 1913 announced his death and recalled that he was one of the look-outs, together with fellow Sotonian Fred Fleet, who first spotted the iceberg.

Saved in lifeboat number 13 in which he was one of the rowers, Lee survived the fate of Titanic only to die a lonely death in the same Oxford Street hostel just a year later.

"A notable figure among the survivors of Titanic has been removed by the death at the Seaman's Home at Southampton of Reginald Robinson Lee, on whom an inquest was held by the Borough Coroner, Mr HK Pope,'' said the Echo at the time.

"At the inquest Norman Ross, assistant steward at the Seaman's Home, said that the deceased came into the home on July 31. It was noticed that he breathed rather heavily.

"Witness advised him to see a doctor as he seemed to be a trifle worse. Later in the morning witness went up to his room and found him lying on the floor partly dressed.

"Medical evidence indicated that death was due to heart failure, following pneumonia and pleurisy.'' The Salvation Army is now set to undertake a major refurbishment of the building.