"William Pirrie"@en . "Following an education at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, in 1862, he entered the firm of Harland and Wolff. So meteoric was his rise that by 1874 he had been made a partner. He would remain with the firm all his life. Pirrie nurtured a close and lucrartive working relationship with first Thomas Henry Ismay and later his son, Joseph Bruce Ismay who led the White Star Line. Harland and Wolff was the sole constructor for White Star, building its ships to the highest specifications on what was termed a \"cost-plus\" basis. Pirrie was instrumental in the formation of the International Mercantile Marine under John Pierpont Morgan which consolidated maritime transport in the North Atlantic with obvious benefits to his firm. He was Lord Mayor of Belfast from 1896 to 1897 and was made Baron Pirrie of Belfast in 1906 (Viscount Pirrie in 1921 when George V visited Belfast). Early 1912, Pirrie got seriously ill and had to have a prostate surgery in March. He cancelled his scheduled presence on Titanic's sea trials and maiden voyage, sending Thomas Andrews instead. After the sinking, Pirrie was still in recovery and was not asked to tesify for either of the inquiries. He eventually made a full recovery. Lord Pirrie caught pneumonia and died at sea on 6 June 1924 while on a business tour of South America."@en . . "Following an education at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, in 1862, he entered the firm of Harland and Wolff. So meteoric was his rise that by 1874 he had been made a partner. He would remain with the firm all his life. Pirrie nurtured a close and lucrartive working relationship with first Thomas Henry Ismay and later his son, Joseph Bruce Ismay who led the White Star Line. Harland and Wolff was the sole constructor for White Star, building its ships to the highest specifications on what was termed a \"cost-plus\" basis."@en .