This piece of maritime and social history was sold at auction on Tuesday 20 August for £34.
A newspaper detailing the devastating human toll of the Titanic’s sinking has been discovered in a wardrobe after 112 years. The edition of the Daily mirrordated April 20, 1912, five days after the tragedy, was discovered in a house in Lichfield, Staffordshire. The front page story shows the anguish of the relatives of passengers in Southampton, who anxiously await news of their loved ones from the list of survivors. Independent reported.
Hanson’s auctioneerswho sold the newspaper this week, described the find as a ‘valuable piece of social history’.
Charles Hanson, the owner of the auction house, commented: ‘The sinking of the Titanic has been extensively documented in films, TV shows and books, and we know a lot about the lives lost. This discovery serves as a poignant reminder to the many relatives. and friends – heartbroken mothers, fathers and wives.”
The Titanic, touted as “practically unsinkable” before its maiden voyage, remains one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history. More than 1,500 people died when the ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean, with only about 700 survivors. Although the ship was equipped with too few lifeboats, many were launched half-empty due to the widespread belief that the Titanic could not sink.
Southampton, home to most of the ship’s crew, was particularly hard hit by the disaster. The Daily Mirror described the scene outside the offices of the White Star Line, where lists of survivors were being posted: “A list of the rescued was posted outside the White Star offices, and mothers and women who had hoped against hope read greedily the names, only to find their worst fears realized. This terrible disaster has robbed mothers of sons, wives of husbands, and young girls of lovers.”
The newspaper called the publication of the list of survivors “a terrible day in the history of the city, although it put an end to all tension.” The cover story was supplemented with a two-page spread of photographs of victims, including Titanic captain Edward Smith.
This piece of maritime and social history was sold at auction on Tuesday 20 August for £34. The auctioneer noted that while stories about the sinking often focus on the victims, the newspaper’s emphasis on the families left behind is what makes it so compelling. “When you see the faces of those affected, it is very moving,” Mr Hanson added.
The newspaper was found alongside other historical documents, including documents from the 1911 coronation of King George V.
