Titanic survivor's account fetches £20,000

PDF Print

Press Association

A woman's account of escaping the sinking Titanic in 1912 sold for £20,000 at auction.

Laura Francatelli from London said she heard an "awful rumbling" as the liner went down and "then came screams and cries" from 1,500 drowning passengers.

Her account was recorded in a signed affidavit for the official British inquiry into the disaster.

The historic document went under the hammer at Henry Aldridge and Son in Devizes, Wiltshire and was bought by an Eastern European collector.

Miss Francatelli, who was 31 at the time, was travelling with baronet Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon and his wife Lady Lucy Christiana, as his secretary.

The account describes how they boarded one of the last lifeboats containing just five passengers and seven crew, admitting they did not consider going back for survivors.

Sir Cosmo later paid the crew members £5 each - now worth about £300 - which some have described as blood money for saving their lives.

Miss Francatelli died in 1967. The document remained in her family until after her death and has since been owned by two private collectors.

An extremely rare lithographic pre-maiden voyage poster, which went for a world record £60,000 for a Titanic poster, was also sold.

It features Olympic in the foreground followed by Titanic in the background, ironically sailing into a sunset, but each underway at sea.

Related Biographies:
Laura Mabel Francatelli

Leave a comment

Share, Link and Cite

Share

Link
Please link to this page using the following URL
http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivors-account-fetches-20000.html

Or copy the link text below

Cite
If you need to cite this article as a reference please copy the following and adapt as necessary for your referencing system:
( 2010 ) Titanic survivor's account fetches £20,000 Press Association (ref: #11715, accessed 28th May 2012 12:34:00 PM)
URL : http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivors-account-fetches-20000.html

Comment
Post on Facebook
 
What's NewNews HeadlinesTitanic Anniversay EventsRMS Titanic LinksSitemapA-Z IndexOn this dayEmail UpdatesContact Us
1st Class Passengers 2nd Class Passengers 3rd Class Passengers more...
Deck Crew and Officers Engine Crew Victualling Crew Restaurant Staff Postal Clerks The Guarantee Group Ships Orchestra more...
Survivors of the Titanic Disaster Titanic Survivors by Boat:
List of Titanic Victims Recovered Bodies List of Unidentified Bodies more...
Boat Deck A-Deck B-Deck C-Deck D-Deck E-Deck F-Deck G-Deck Orlop Deck Tank Top
Titanic Research ArticlesThe Titanic ReviewGare MaritimeVoyage
Visit our new forum Topics
Books and Gifts Titanic Auctions
Become an Editor How to Contribute Add a Story Manage Contributions
Register Lost Password