Earliest postcard to mention the Titanic ship disaster written 36 hours after sinking set to go on auction
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
The earliest postcard to mention the Titanic disaster is set to go on auction this week, and is expected to fetch up to £3,000. The card is believed to be the earliest in existence, written 36 hours after it sank.
The Titanic ship catastrophe is arguably the most famous vessel disaster to ever happen, spawning a hit movie starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet, and is still talked about to this day.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe writer of the card was from Southampton in Hampshire, who noted that the ship had "gone to the bottom" and posted the card to a friend in Bedford on April 16, 1912, just one day after the disaster.
The British RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. It resulted in 1,517 deaths, making it known as one of the deadliest single sinkings of a ship in history.
The postcard written at 5pm reads: "I did not hear of Titanic disaster until after posting letter yesterday... the only thing certain is that she has gone to the bottom. The White Star office at 12 could only give information that appeared in the ‘Mail’.”
The ship sank at 2.20am the previous morning, having hit the iceberg at 11.40pm the night before. The postcard addressed to HR Niao Esq in Goldington Grange, Bedford, is up for auction on the Charles Miller Ltd website for an estimated £2,000 to £3,000.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.