A watch belonging to one of the men who helped rescue 700 people from the wreck of the Titanic has been sold at auction.
John Richardson was the lead engineer on the RMS Carpathia and was a key part of the rescue mission to try and save survivors of the sinking in 1912.
Richardson was awarded the watch along with several other engineers by the Carpathia Engineers’ Presentation Fund months after the rescue mission.
The 18-carat gold pocket watch is inscribed with: “Presented to J. Richardson as a mark of appreciation for conspicuous services rendered R.M.S. Titanic, 15th April 1912.”
Richardson is thought to be one of three engineers that were on board the Carpathia during the rescue and the watch was previously displayed in the Southampton Maritime Museum to mark the 80th anniversary of the disaster.
While the piece originally had an estimated value of £100,000, the watch eventually sold at auction for £60,700 (including auction fees).
Justin Matthews, director at Hansons Auctioneers, said that without the historical providence, the watch would have been worth just £8,000-£10,000.
He added: “While the captain of the Carpathia took most of the plaudits for the rescue of those 705 men, women and children adrift in the Titanic’s lifeboats, it was workers in the engine room, like John Richardson, who were high on the list of heroes. Their work wasn’t visible to passengers, or survivors, but without it, the rescue simply wouldn’t have happened.”
Auctioneer, Charles Hanson, said of selling the piece: “We are extremely honoured to have handled the watch. You can imagine time stood still for those frightened and panic-stricken people,”
“If objects could talk, this pocket watch could tell us so much about what happened during the rescue.”
The buyer of the watch did not make themselves publicly known.
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