‘Prophetic' Letter From Titanic Survivor Sold For Over Rs 3 Crore At UK Auction

News18

28-04-2025

Last Updated:
The letter, penned by Colonel Archibald Gracie, was expected to sell for around £60,000 (Rs 68 lakh).
A letter written by a Titanic survivor before the ship's tragic end has set a new record at a UK auction. The letter, written by Colonel Archibald Gracie, sold for £300,000 (approximately Rs 3.41 crore) at the Henry Aldridge and Son auction house in Wiltshire. Initially expected to fetch around £60,000 (Rs 68 lakh), it ultimately sold for five times that amount, as reported by The Guardian.
Colonel Archibald Gracie was travelling first-class onthe Titanic's maiden voyage. He later became known for writing The Truth About the Titanic, in which he recounted the events of the disaster that claimed 1,500 lives. The letter has been described as 'prophetic" due to Gracie's remark: 'It is a fine ship, but I shall await my journey's end before I pass judgment on her."
Gracie boarded the Titanic in Southampton on April 10, 1912, and wrote the letter from cabin C51. The ship made a brief stop in Queenstown, Ireland, on April 11, where the letter was posted. It was later postmarked in London on April 12. Gracie had addressed the letter to an acquaintance, who received it at the Waldorf Hotel in London.
Henry Aldridge and Son described The Truth About the Titanic as 'one of the most detailed accounts of the events of the evening."
'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 letter card. A truly exceptional museum-grade piece," The auction house mentioned, as quoted by The Guardian.
The letter, written on four sides, also mentioned another ship, the Oceanic. Gracie wrote: '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."
During the journey, Gracie spent much of his time helping women travelling alone. He stayed close to a woman and three sisters who later survived the sinking. On 14 April, Gracie played squash, swam in the ship's pool, attended a church service and spent time socialising.
Late that night, around 11.40 PM, Gracie woke up to realise the engines had stopped. He helped women and children into lifeboats and brought them blankets. As the Titanic sank into the North Atlantic, he managed to climb onto an overturned collapsible lifeboat along with a few dozen others.
Gracie later wrote that swimmers in the freezing water begged for help, but those already on the lifeboat feared that letting more people on could sink them. He recalled, '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 man's response was, 'all right boys, good luck and God bless you."
He mentioned that more than half the men who had reached the overturned lifeboat did not survive the night. They died from cold and exhaustion.
At dawn, Gracie made his way back to New York City aboard the rescue ship Carpathia, where he began writing about his harrowing experience.
Although Gracie survived the disaster, his health never fully recovered due to the hypothermia and physical injuries he sustained. He fell into a coma on December 2, 1912, and passed away two days later from complications related to diabetes.