Wolff's early role at Harland and Wolff involved his engineering and managing the yard.[2] Due to Wolff's German Jewish descent,[8] he had links with the Jewish community in Hamburg and in Britain, and was able to attract business to the shipyard.[2] Wolff worked extensively at the yard, and was partly responsible for building of the engine works at Harland and Wolff in 1880.[2][9] His company was responsible for the construction of the RMS Titanic. After the conversion of Harland and Wolff to limited company status in 1888, Wolff was appointed as a director.[2] Wolff was able to secure a good relationship with the Hamburg America Line, which was managed by Albert Ballin, who was also of Jewish background.[2] Wolff officially retired from Harland and Wolff in 1906,[3] although he had not been an active in the business for years beforehand.[2]William James Pirrie who became a partner in 1874 was now the most active. Wolff claimed of the business relationship at Harland and Wolff:
Sir Edward [Harland] builds the ships, Mr Pirrie makes the speeches, and, as for me, I smoke the cigars.
Wolff had business interests outside Harland and Wolff, including the Belfast Ropeworks, which he founded in the early 1870s with W.H. Smiles, who was the son of Samuel Smiles, a Scottish author.[2][8] With Wolff as chairman, the firm became one of the largest ropeworks in the world,[3] challenging the Gourock Ropework Company, who were based on the River Clyde in Scotland.[2] Wolff also bought shares in the Union Steamship Company, and became a director; with his influence, he ensured Harland and Wolff received regular orders from the Union Steamship Company.[2] After Wolff's negotiation, the Union Steamship Company merged in 1900 with the Castle Line, which was owned by Donald Currie;[2] the new company formed was the Union-Castle Line.
Wolff was a member of many different clubs, including the Carlton Club and the Garrick Club.[10] After his retirement from Parliament, Wolff lived almost exclusively in London,[10] where he died on 17 April 1913 at his home, 42 Park Street.[2]
Death
Wolff did not marry and died a bachelor,[2][10] apart from Irish effects, his English effects were publicly sworn at £9,800 (equivalent to £978,000in 2025) and his executors were a solicitor and a relative, Frederick Albert Wolff May. Amongst his bequests was £200 to Letitia Alice Walkington, the first woman to graduate with a degree of Bachelor of Laws in Great Britain or Ireland.[11]
