Read More About These Historical Items Going Under The Hammer.

On the 14^th April 1912 the unthinkable happened as the “unsinkable” sank. RMS Titanic on its maiden voyage collided with an iceberg approximately 375 miles south of Newfoundland. Of the 3,339 passengers, only 710 were to survive – one of these passengers was Marion Wright. Marion was to send several postcards throughout her voyage and three of these remarkable pieces of social history miraculously survived. Here is her story and the equally astounding story of how they were discovered.

James Cameron released the blockbuster film ‘Titanic’ in 1997, and ever since the Titanic has inhabited the worlds collective consciousness as a symbol for unrequited love. Whilst Jack and Rose’s story was one of fiction, a postcard collector stumbled across a very real love story in a West Country saleroom in 1984.

Upon flicking through an Edwardian picture postcard album, he found hidden amongst similar collections two albums inscribed “from Marie”. In these albums were three sepia-coloured postcards sent from the Titanic. Two depicting the inside of the ship, its Gymnasium and Swimming Baths, and a further featuring the ships exterior.

Taking a punt, he spent just over £200 on the albums and began a research process that would become a life’s work. He soon discovered that “Marie” was Marion Wright and that her story was extraordinary.

The eldest of four sisters, Marion was a prolific postcard writer often sending cards to each sister on her travels. Prior to her voyage on the Titanic Marion had agreed to take Arthur Woolcott’s hand in marriage. A fruit-farmer from Yeovil who had settled in the United States, he met Marion raising funds to purchase his own farm. They were to marry in America, with Marion to move to the States.

In February 1912, she had booked her passage, a second-class ticket on the brand-new liner, the R.M.S Titanic. 

Titanic

Aboard the Titanic Marion wrote a postcard to her sister Gladys, the picture depicted the ships gymnasium. Adorned with state-of-the-art static bicycles, mechanical horses and muscle building machines. She wrote:

“I am sending you this P.C. of the gymnasium where Daddie and Molly and I went and where I had a ride on a cycle and won a race. I hope your cold is better. How is Sabrina? Much love to you. Marie.”

This card was written on the deck of the Titanic and postmarked Queenstown 3.45pm 11^th April 1912. Despite being sent in Queenstown, this postcard marked her departure and soon afterward she would have waved farewell to her family and to England.

Marion was to write two further postcards on the 11^th April, documenting her first twenty four hours aboard the Titanic. The first had a representation of the Titanic and Marion has placed a small cross where she was staying.

She wrote:

‘‘Dear Dorothy, I am on the top deck writing this, have just had a nice breakfast. It is now 9.15am. It did seem funny sleeping in my berth last night. The sea is lovely. Give my love to all at Charlton. I have put a cross where I am sitting on the boat. Marie’

The second displayed the onboard Swimming Baths. Marion wrote:

“Dear Marjorie, how would you like a bath in the big bath on the ship. I have been talking to some French gentlemen and ladies at my table this morning. Love to all. Marie”

Both cards were also postmarked Queenstown 3.45pm Thursday 11^th April 1912. Queenstown was the final port that postcards were sent from the Titanic. These cards represented the final semblances of normality for Marian, who was due to arrive in New York a few days later. She almost certainly would have written and sent further postcards detailing her experiences. However, these would never leave the Titanic’s Post Office, sinking with the ship when disaster struck. 

Disaster

14^th April 1912, the fifth day of the Titanic’s on a calm but bitterly cold night, the ship struck an iceberg. The impact tore a large hole in the side of the ship and two and a half hours later the “unsinkable” Titanic, had sunk.

There was much confusion for the Wright family over whether she had survived, her name was not included in the initial list of accounted for passengers. A vigil was held in her village and the townspeople mourned. Until April 16^th, when Marion’s brother Bertram was able to confirm at the White Star Line Office that Marion was indeed one of the survivors. In the meantime, her husband-to-be Arthur Woolcotte was waiting for the same news to break in New York. 

Whilst her family were waiting anxiously, Marian was writing to them on board the rescue ship the S.S Carpathia. She wrote:

“Dearest Dad and all I love,

How can I express in a letter, the time I have had since I said good-bye. I don’t know but thank God I am saved and alive to write you a few lines..”

…

“I had been in bed just about 10 minutes when I heard a terrific crash which shook the whole vessel and the engines stopped dead..”

…

“The Titanic must have had her bottom taken nearly away by the iceberg from the 1st class to the steerage for she went down gradually bit by bit. It was awful to watch her, but worse still to see the crowds of people still on board when she broke in two, which she did a few moments before she sunk, going down with a huge explosion. Oh, the cries of the people left on board were heartrending.”

…

“How glad I shall be when I see Arthur words cannot express. My mind seems in a muddle but full of thankfulness to God for being preserved so mercifully. The number of saved on this boat is about 700. The rest numbering nearly 2000, must have gone down with the boat. My heart aches to think of it…”

…

These letters were posted from New York on the 18^th April 1912 and offer a candid and deeply truthful account of the encounter. She recounted in detail her experiences and those of people she had met – many of whom were not as lucky as she was.

When she arrived into New York on the 18^th April she was met by chaos, she was unable to find Arthur amongst the crowd. However, by the 24^th April she had written a further letter to her father stating:

“I shall be very glad to be in my new home, and I don’t think I shall want to cross the ocean again just yet.”

Marion and Arthur had found each other. He had met her on the dock and by the 20^th April they had married at the Episcopal Church of St. Christopher’s. Just eight days after the Titanic sank. Their romantic story about heartbreak; her near-miss encounter with Arthur at the New York dock before being re-united caught attention on both sides of the Atlantic. Their story was picked up by American press and the couple garnered celebrity status.

Marion was quoted as saying:

“I gave up hope then of ever meeting Mr. Woolcott again. The lonesome immensity of the ocean; the soul tearing moaning that was in our ears so strongly at first and was now dying, first here and then over there, made my heart sick”.

After their four memorably hectic and happy days together in New York, Marion and Arthur began their long, honeymoon, train journey to Oregon. They were greeted by a welcome party and celebrations.

Marion kept in regular communication with her family in England, frequently writing and sending picture postcards. Herself and Arthur lived in Cottage Grove for the remainder of their lives. The happy ending to what proved to be an unbelievable true love story.

The Postcards

The three postcards photographed in this article, sent from the Titanic by Marion Wright are set to go to auction in Warwick & Warwick’s upcoming Postcard sale, 21st September 2022. They will be offered together alongside a collection of further postcards sent by Marion to family members when she eventually settled in America. This would be a truly unique opportunity to own an incredible piece of social history. The postcards were sent from the final port on the Titanic’s journey and it is exceedingly rare, if not unique, to see three cards sent by the same person from the Titanic.

If you have further interest in these items, please contact Warwick & Warwick at [email protected].

A more detailed recounting of Marion’s story can be found on the Warwick & Warwick website, www.warwickandwarwick.com.