The picture which could finally unlock one family's Titanic mystery

The girl poses on the steps of a grand Victorian house, dressed in a white maid's uniform.

Next to her is the lady of the house, her wealth is reflected in the exotic Japanese dog she is holding and the parrot in a cage.

The photograph appears staged - almost to show off the woman's high standing. The maid's name was Lizzie Browne.

Born in New Ross, County Wexford, in 1892, she had left Ireland to work as a servant for the woman, who was the owner of a Manchester factory.

Now Lizzie's granddaughter, Kathleen Merryweather, hopes the 'Upstairs Downstairs' image of a lost era will unlock the full story of a Titanic mystery. But she needs to identify the rich businesswoman pictured with Lizzie, and the exact location of the house - thought to be in Salford or Manchester.

Before her death, over 25 years ago, Lizzie told her family a fascinating story about her time working for the woman - but she didn't give her name.

The well to do lady to whom Lizzie was a servant bought a ticket for the maiden voyage of the doomed ocean liner, Titanic.

It left Southampton for New York on April 12th 1912, but in a strange twist of fate she was not on board.

Kathleen said: "The lady asked my grandmother to accompany her on the Titanic, but she said she did not want to go.

"The lady went alone anyway and took a wooden trunk with leather straps with her.

"When she got on board she unpacked it. But then something spooked her. She repacked the trunk and got off the ship."

At the time it was common for the well to do to travel on ships with servants. On passenger lists they were often an anonymous appendage to the names of their masters, and had small quarters.

Kathleen said: "When she got back to Manchester she gave my grandmother the trunk