Historic letter from Titanic survivor Colonel Gracie to go under the hammer

Belfast Telegraph - 16:43
A letter card written by one of the most well-known survivors of the Titanic disaster is expected to sell for up to £60,000 at auction.

Colonel Archibald Gracie wrote the famous book The Truth About The Titanic, detailing his experiences onboard the ill-fated liner, which sank costing 1,500 lives.

The letter card is dated April 10 1912 and is postmarked Queenstown April 11 and London April 12 and is believed to be the only example from Gracie in existence from onboard the Titanic.

It is written over four sides to the seller’s great-uncle who was an acquaintance of Gracie.

The letter card was written over four sides by Colonel Archibald Gracie (Henry Aldridge & Son/PA)

It is going under the hammer at Henry Aldridge and Son, of Devizes, Wiltshire, on April 26.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said letters from survivors as high profile as Gracie rarely, if ever, come to market and this piece has never been offered for sale.

It reads in part: “It is a fine ship but I shall await my journey’s end before I pass judgment on her.

“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 m...
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