The man who allegedly ordered the Titanic captain to go "full speed ahead" despite ice warnings lies not at the bottom of the Atlantic, but in Putney Vale Cemetery.

Last weekend marked the centenary of the sinking of the famous passenger liner with a major ceremony yesterday in Belfast, where it was built and on the HMS Balmoral Titanic Memorial Cruise.

And, despite his infamous role in the tragedy, flowers were laid at the tomb of Joseph Bruce Ismay, president of the White Star Line in the cemetery in Roehampton Vale.

Mr Ismay's career was blighted by the sinking when it came to light he reduced the lifeboats from 48 to 16, the minimum allowed by the Board of Trade.

The businessman was the highest-ranking White star official among the 706 survivors, with a total of 1,500 dying in the disaster.

In an investigation into what went wrong, some passengers said they heard him pressuring Captain Edward J Smith to go faster to reach New York ahead of schedule to generate free press about the liner.

However, some historians argue this is unlikely, and that records show he did not support pressing on regardless of the risk.

Mr Ismay was rescued in a collapsible lifeboat, testifying during an inquiry he turned away as it went down, unable to watch the sinking of his creation, a role replicated in the Titanic film by actor Jonathan Hyde.

In the aftermath he was attacked by the press for deserting the ship while women and children were still on board, earning him the nickname the "coward of the Titanic."

He moved to County Galway, Ireland, after the disaster and kept away from the public eye.

The recluse died in Mayfair in 1937 of a stroke aged 74, and was survived by wife Julia Shieffelin.

Visitors can find his grave in the furthest corner of the cemetery, with no mention of the Titanic on his gravestone.

It is thought he was buried in Putney Vale Cemetery because all of the central London cemeteries were full.

Tony Matthews, editor of the Wimbledon Society newsletter said: "After the Titanic sank he was trying to defend his reputation, he survived with his man servant when the crew went down.

"His career took a nose dive and he became a recluse, there was not much seen of him after that. Film after film portrayed him as a villain."