Letter by high-profile Titanic survivor sells for record £300,000
First-class passenger Col Archibald Gracie wrote The Truth About the Titanic, which described his experience of the 15 April 1912 tragedy that claimed 1,500 lives on the vessel's journey to New York.
The letter card is dated 10 April 1912, the day he boarded, and is postmarked Queenstown 3.45pm on 11 April and London on 12 April.
It said: 'It is a fine ship but I shall await my journeys end before I pass judgment on her.'
The item sold for five times the expected price of £60,000 at Henry Aldridge and Son of Devizes, Wiltshire on Saturday.
It is the highest price ever achieved for a letter written on board the Titanic, the auctioneers said.
Letters from 'survivors of Gracie's profile' rarely, if ever, come to market and the item has never before been offered for sale, the auctioneers added.
The seller's great uncle, who was an acquaintance of Gracie, received the letter at the Waldorf Hotel in London.
It was written over four sides and added: 'The Oceanic is like an old friend and while she does not possess the elaborate style and varied amusement of this big ship, still her sea worthy qualities and yacht like appearance make me miss her.
'It was very kind of you to give me this kindly send off, with best wishes for your success and happiness, Archibald Gracie.'
The colonel 'spent much of the voyage chaperoning various unaccompanied women' including a woman and three sisters who survived, the listing said.
On 14 April, he played squash and swam in the Titanic's swimming pool before attending church and socialising.
At about 11.40pm he was jolted awake and discovered the ship's engines were not moving.
He helped women and children on to lifeboats and fetched them blankets before the ship dipped below the water's surface in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Gracie managed to scramble on to an overturned collapsible boat along with a few dozen other men.
There were swimmers around them but those aboard paddled away through fear the vessel could be overwhelmed.
The colonel later wrote: 'In no instance, I am happy to say, did I hear any word of rebuke from a swimmer because of a refusal to grant assistance'.
One refusal 'was met with the manly voice of a powerful man' that said 'all right boys, good luck and God bless you', he reported.
He also said more than half the men who had originally reached the collapsible died from exhaustion or cold and slipped off the upturned keel during the night.
Henry Aldridge and Son said The Truth About the Titanic is 'one of the most detailed accounts of the events of the evening'.
The auctioneers added: 'It is impossible to overstate the rarity of this lot, it is written by one of the highest profile survivors, with excellent content and on the rarest of mediums a lettercard.
'A truly exceptional museum-grade piece.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
15 hours ago
- Wales Online
Titanic theme blares from loudspeaker as luxury yacht hits rocks off Abersoch
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Scores of boats raced to help a luxury 50ft yacht when it foundered on rocks off the Gwynedd coast yesterday afternoon (Monday, August 11). A passing jet ski played the Titanic theme tune through a loudspeaker as a crew member clung frantically to the listing vessel. The ketch, on passage from Aberystwyth to Pwllheli, came to grief on submerged rocks a quarter of a mile from St Tudwal's Island East near Abersoch on the Llŷn Peninsula. The island's owner, Carl Hollins, was first on the scene and he tried unsuccessfully to pull the yacht from its its Carreg y Trai perch, also known as Half Tide Rocks. The vessel was a Swedish-built Hallberg-Rassy, regarded as the 'Rolls Royce' of sailing yachts. Second hand prices often start at £500,000 for smaller models. Half Tide Rocks are usually visible above the surface and are a favourite basking spot for seals. Yesterday they were submerged by a high Spring tide but the rocks are charted and the twin-mast yacht should have been alerted to the hazard through its GPS system. On spotting the stranded vessel, Mr Hollins, son of the late TV comedy writer Carla Lane, jumped into his rigid inflatable (RIB) and sped to the scene. He said: 'The rocks were a foot or two beneath the water and the yacht, with its sails down, had run hard aground. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community 'The skipper knew what he was doing but there was a young woman on board who was clinging onto the deck for dear life. I tried to reassure her she would be OK – I shouted the Coastguard had been alerted and a lifeboat was on its way.' (Image: Carl Hollins) In the meantime, Carl hatched a rescue plan. Asking the skipper to untie the yacht's halyard – the rope running up its mast – he picked one end from the water and lashed it to his RIB. 'I gunned the engine as hard as I could to pull the yacht,' he said. 'But it wouldn't budge from the rocks. 'Unfortunately the tide was receding and there was a strong, four-knot current, making it hard to shift.' By this time he'd been joined by Abersoch's RNLI lifeboat – and a few others. 'It seemed like 100 boats and craft had come to help,' said Carl. 'It's always sad to see a boat founder that's worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Being a Hallberg-Rassy, it's one of the Ferraris or Rolls Royces of sailing boats. 'There was a lighter moment when a jet skier started playing the Titanic theme tune through his sound system. It was quite amusing – everyone seemed to see the funny side. 'Later, when the tides had gone out some 6ft or 7ft, there was lots of interest in the yacht and people started flying drones overhead.' (Image: David Medcalf/Wiki) After sharing footage of the stranding online, Carl's video prompted a few 'can't park there' comments. There was also plenty of applause for Carl and sympathy for the skipper. One man said: 'I feel very sorry for him/her. Yes, it was a big mistake, but anyone who has sailed for any length of time will have the odd 'confession' or two.' Abersoch's RNLI volunteer crew arrived at the scene at 12.42pm. The two casualties and their pet dog were taken onto the lifeboat where they were found to be "unharmed but somewhat shaken". Arrangements were made with the Harbourmaster to take them back out to their vessel later in the evening to try and refloat it on the next high tide. 'With a bit of luck they'll be able to refloat the yacht, providing it hasn't been holed," said Carl. Get all the latest Gwynedd news by signing up to our newsletter - sent every Tuesday "Had the sea been rough, it's likely it would have suffered damage – but the conditions were calm and settled today, so hopefully it will be OK.' Abersoch RNLI volunteer Martin Turtle said the yacht had been checked over and it appeared to be watertight. He added: "Before you go afloat always check the weather and tide times, plan your passage and check the relevant nautical charts for the area in detail." Find out what's happening near you
North Wales Live
16 hours ago
- North Wales Live
Titanic theme blares from loudspeaker as luxury yacht hits rocks off Abersoch
Scores of boats raced to help a luxury 50ft yacht when it foundered on rocks off the Gwynedd coast yesterday afternoon (Monday, August 11). A passing jet ski played the Titanic theme tune through a loudspeaker as a crew member clung frantically to the listing vessel. The ketch, on passage from Aberystwyth to Pwllheli, came to grief on submerged rocks a quarter of a mile from St Tudwal's Island East near Abersoch on the Llŷn Peninsula. The island's owner, Carl Hollins, was first on the scene and he tried unsuccessfully to pull the yacht from its its Carreg y Trai perch, also known as Half Tide Rocks. The vessel was a Swedish-built Hallberg-Rassy, regarded as the 'Rolls Royce' of sailing yachts. Second hand prices often start at £500,000 for smaller models. Half Tide Rocks are usually visible above the surface and are a favourite basking spot for seals. Yesterday they were submerged by a high Spring tide but the rocks are charted and the twin-mast yacht should have been alerted to the hazard through its GPS system. On spotting the stranded vessel, Mr Hollins, son of the late TV comedy writer Carla Lane, jumped into his rigid inflatable (RIB) and sped to the scene. He said: 'The rocks were a foot or two beneath the water and the yacht, with its sails down, had run hard aground. 'The skipper knew what he was doing but there was a young woman on board who was clinging onto the deck for dear life. I tried to reassure her she would be OK – I shouted the Coastguard had been alerted and a lifeboat was on its way.' In the meantime, Carl hatched a rescue plan. Asking the skipper to untie the yacht's halyard – the rope running up its mast – he picked one end from the water and lashed it to his RIB. 'I gunned the engine as hard as I could to pull the yacht,' he said. 'But it wouldn't budge from the rocks. 'Unfortunately the tide was receding and there was a strong, four-knot current, making it hard to shift.' By this time he'd been joined by Abersoch's RNLI lifeboat – and a few others. 'It seemed like 100 boats and craft had come to help,' said Carl. 'It's always sad to see a boat founder that's worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Being a Hallberg-Rassy, it's one of the Ferraris or Rolls Royces of sailing boats. 'There was a lighter moment when a jet skier started playing the Titanic theme tune through his sound system. It was quite amusing – everyone seemed to see the funny side. 'Later, when the tides had gone out some 6ft or 7ft, there was lots of interest in the yacht and people started flying drones overhead.' After sharing footage of the stranding online, Carl's video prompted a few 'can't park there' comments. There was also plenty of applause for Carl and sympathy for the skipper. One man said: 'I feel very sorry for him/her. Yes, it was a big mistake, but anyone who has sailed for any length of time will have the odd 'confession' or two.' Abersoch's RNLI volunteer crew arrived at the scene at 12.42pm. The two casualties and their pet dog were taken onto the lifeboat where they were found to be "unharmed but somewhat shaken". Arrangements were made with the Harbourmaster to take them back out to their vessel later in the evening to try and refloat it on the next high tide. 'With a bit of luck they'll be able to refloat the yacht, providing it hasn't been holed," said Carl. Get all the latest Gwynedd news by signing up to our newsletter - sent every Tuesday "Had the sea been rough, it's likely it would have suffered damage – but the conditions were calm and settled today, so hopefully it will be OK.' Abersoch RNLI volunteer Martin Turtle said the yacht had been checked over and it appeared to be watertight. He added: "Before you go afloat always check the weather and tide times, plan your passage and check the relevant nautical charts for the area in detail."
Metro
3 days ago
- Metro
Leonardo DiCaprio's 'covered face' sparks wave of bizarre conspiracy theories
Leonardo DiCaprio's face has got people talking—but perhaps not for the reasons you'd expect. The Hollywood star first achieved international fame with roles in Romeo & Juliet (1996) and as Titanic heartthrob Jack in 1997, going on to become one of the world's highest-paid actors and the recipient of many prestigious awards. So, given how instantly recognisable the Oscar winner is, it's no surprise he likes to conceal his identity sometimes to avoid attracting crowds. However, fans are starting to notice a trend, leading to a wild conspiracy theory that the person we've been seeing at some huge A-list events… might not have been Leo at all. In June, Leo, 50, joined Kim Kardashian, Orlando Bloom, and Sydney Sweeney in Venice for the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez. Naturally, the whole thing was a lavish, very public affair, but it seems Leo had hopes of keeping a low profile, as he was photographed covering his face. The Revenant star pulled a black baseball cap so far down that his face was not visible at all while he roamed the Italian streets, covering his mouth with his hand. Dressed in casual attire of a white shirt and navy jacket, if you didn't know it was Leo, well, you probably wouldn't have known it was Leo, prompting questions among social media users about whether he sent a body double out in his place. Fuelling the theories, Instagram user @vickymego commented under snaps from the getaway: 'If Leonardo DiCaprio was gonna spend the whole event hiding under a cap, then what was the point of even showing up?' And after Vogue Magazine shared a video of Leo heading to the ceremony in his tux, also bowing his head to prevent his face from showing as he climbed into a waiting boat taxi, the rumours only intensified. 'What plastic surgery has he had done?', commented @isaidwhatisaid655. @scarlettmaroon4 joked: 'oops someone has gotten older and needs to hide it with a cap🤭'. 'he is losing his hair that's why', @tehpengzz speculated on the reasons for the hat. Several others declared that the man in the footage was 'not him', suggesting that 'maybe it's someone else'. Plenty also flocked to his defence, declaring that Leo is simply 'tired of the paparazzi', having been in the limelight since a young age. Although the cynical were out in force too, suggesting that the proud environmental activist felt 'embarrassed' to be at the billionaire's wedding and wanted to 'hide his hypocrisy'. This isn't the first time he's covered his face, though—far from it, in fact. The Wolf of Wall Street lead has been pictured utilising various methods of disguise in the past, whether it be a cap or something else. Dating back to 2004, Leo has shielded his face from photographers using a puffer jacket, a traditional Venetian mask in 2013, and an umbrella at the US Open in 2015. He's also frequently used sunglasses, hoodies, and his mobile phone to prevent the world from getting a glimpse of him. As for what he's said about his unsuccessful attempts at hiding in plain sight, Leo has admitted that losing his anonymity has been a downfall of his astronomical stardom. Speaking to Esquire in 2016 for a profile piece, the Golden Globe winner shared: 'I really didn't understand what fame was, and I didn't understand what being in a giant hit was, and I didn't understand what a giant hit Titanic was compared to other giant hits. 'There was no rule book. There was nobody to navigate me through the experience of being watched all the time, and nobody to tell me how to be normal when everybody is acting and looking at me differently.' The Don't Look Up star added: 'Look, if you're not careful about it, it can develop into a social anxiety. It's like, what's going to happen? What photographer is going to jump out where? What kind of thing am I being set up for? You try to talk yourself out of it, but you're never used to it.' But don't get it twisted, as while he might not always want to be front-page news, Leo has repeatedly insisted he's thankful for what he has. He previously told 20/20's Barbara Walters: 'I'm not at all going to sit here and say that I'm not completely grateful. 'I feel completely blessed for everything that has happened in my career.' Leo, as famous for his dating life as he is for his movies, is currently in a relationship with girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti, to whom he was first linked in 2023. While insights he offers into his romances, typically with younger women, are rare, he once said he wouldn't rule out settling down. 'That time will come when that time comes,' declared the famous bachelor. 'The truth is, you can't predict marriage. You can't plan it. It's just going to happen when it happens.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Kim Kardashian flies to Mexico for 'game-changing' health treatment not approved in US MORE: Michael Bay leaves Will Smith Netflix film over 'creative differences' MORE: Inside Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock's relationship as talent manager dies aged 48
