R.M.S. TITANIC: Roberta Maioni Archive. Unique eight page ty...

Hammer

£4,100

R.M.S. TITANIC: Roberta Maioni Archive. Unique eight page typed account of Roberta's experiences on Titanic with handwritten notations and covering letter relating to it being entered into a competition in The Daily Express in 1926, selected excerpts from this remarkable account read as follows:
'When I say that I am a survivor of the Titanic you will know at once that my story is to be one of a great tragedy, for even after fourteen years the name of that ill-fated vessel brings a shudder of horror to those who remember its wreck.'
'The weather was brilliant and the docks at Southampton were crowded with bustling people; for this was no ordinary boat departure. It was the maiden voyage of a wonder ship - a floating palace that far excelled all others in size and magnificence. And men said that she could not sink.'
'Then - as if some unseen hand had silenced them - a hush suddenly fell upon the people. I went to the side to see what was the matter and found that the passing of the mighty Titanic had drawn another liner - the "New York" - from her moorings into the fairway.
Tugs soon took the "New York" back to her place and the majority of us went on our way without giving further thought to this incident, but some of the passengers took it as an omen of ill fortune and were further discomforted by the fact that large numbers of seagulls followed the ship to sea. This, they said, was a sign of impending disaster.
I had no time for such forebodings, for I had entered a fairy city and spent the first few days of the voyage in exploration and in making friends.'
'On the fateful Sunday evening I went into the music saloon to listen to the band and found myself in company with a gentleman who had previously taken a fatherly interest in me. He was travelling alone and seemed to suffer from loneliness for he had been one of the passengers most affected by forebodings.
When ten o'clock came and I was called away to bed he begged me to remain a little longer, saying he was sure something awful was about to happen. Perhaps he was influenced by the fact that the band was playing such pieces as "Ave Maria" and "Nearer My God to Thee".'
'After I had been in bed about an hour and a half I was awakened by a terrific crash, followed by the rending of metal, the rushing of water and the shouting of men.'
'There were pieces of ice all over the deck and groups of men and women, looking gaunt and fearful in their night attire or in odd garments hastily donned. Some of them were talking calmly, firmly believing that her water tight compartments would save the Titanic from sinking. Others were frantic with excitement or dumb with terror, huddled closely together in silence as though they knew they were about to be parted by death.'
'An elderly officer, with tears streaming down his cheeks, helped us into one of the lifeboats. He was Captain Smith - the master of that ill-fated vessel.
As the lifeboat began to descend, I heard him say, "Goodbye, remember you are British".