The front-page story reads: “Of the 903 members of the crew of the Titanic, only 210 have been saved. This means tragedy upon tragedy for Southampton, where the majority of the men lived.”
Inside, there is a double-page spread featuring a selection of photographs of the ship’s victims. It would later be confirmed that a total of 1517 lives had been lost.
The issue is 112 years old, albeit in relatively good condition, having been stashed in a house in Lichfield, Staffordshire, for more than a century. It had lain out of the sunlight in a wardrobe.
It was discovered by Hansons Auctioneers following a house clearance. The company’s owner, Charles Hanson later issued a statement in which he verified: “The paper was found thanks to our elderly client’s grandmother, she kept newspapers marking major events such as the coronation of King George V in 1911 as well as the sinking of the Titanic”.
The paper clipping later sold for £34 ($72) on Tuesday, August 20, with Hanson describing it as a “valuable piece of social history”.
The newspaper extract is a haunting reminder of the terror caused by the Titanic’s seemingly impossible sinking, both to those onboard and bereaved families and friends left behind.
Just four days into its maiden voyage, the Titanic hit an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean on April 14, 1912, and the vessel – the world’s largest ship at the time - sank less than three hours later.
In the days that followed, families would learn of the devastating fate of the 2240 passengers onboard. There were only 706 survivors.
Considered “unsinkable”, shock ricocheted across the world.
According to the article from April 20, 1912, “a list of the saved was posted outside the White Star offices, and mothers and wives who had been hoping against hope eagerly read the names, only to find their worst fears were realised”.
While most stories on the Titanic focus on the victims, this recently discovered newspaper sheds light on grief-stricken friends and relatives in the aftermath of the unthinkable.
