A letter written by a second-class passenger shortly after he boarded the Titanic in Southampton has sold for £60,000 at auction.
Henry Price Hodges wrote the message to a friend on 10 April 1912, as the passenger liner prepared to begin its maiden voyage across the Atlantic.
In the letter, Mr Hodges described the fine weather and the positive atmosphere among those on board the ship.
The correspondence offers a glimpse into life aboard the Titanic before the voyage ended in one of the world’s most famous maritime disasters.
The Titanic departed Southampton for New York on 10 April, calling at Cherbourg in France and Queenstown — now known as Cobh — in Ireland before heading across the Atlantic.
Mr Hodges’ letter was written just five days before the liner sank after striking an iceberg late on 14 April.
The vessel went down in the early hours of 15 April, with more than 1,500 passengers and crew losing their lives.
Letters and other personal items connected to the Titanic remain highly sought after by collectors because they provide first-hand accounts from those who travelled on the ship.
The item eventually sold for £60,000, demonstrating the continuing public interest in the Titanic and the stories of those who were aboard.
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