Titanic survivor’s life jacket expected to fetch up to £350,000 at auction in Wiltshire
It was worn by first class passenger on board a lifeboat
Last updated 14th Apr 2026
A life jacket worn by a survivor from the Titanic disaster is expected to sell for up to £350,000 when it is sold at auction.
The item was worn by first class passenger Laura Mabel Francatelli on board lifeboat no 1.
She was the secretary to fashion designer Lady Lucy Duff Gordon, and were accompanied by Lady Lucy’s husband Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon.
The life jacket bears the signature of Miss Francatelli along with other survivors from the lifeboat, including firemen Charles Hendrickson and George Taylor, and able seaman James Horswill.
The aid is rare because it is one of few remaining original life jackets where the person who wore it is identifiable.
The Titanic sank on April 15 1912, killing 1,500 people.
The safety vest, which was made by Fosbery & Co, comprises 12 cork-filled pockets of canvas with shoulder rests and side straps.
Following the disaster Miss Francatelli wrote at least two accounts of her experiences aboard the liner, but she was also a central character in what soon became one of the most talked about episodes of the entire tragedy.
Miss Francatelli and the Duff Gordons were among 12 people lowered into the North Atlantic on board the 40-capacity lifeboat.
Controversy arose when the occupants opted not to return to the spot where the ship had foundered in order to try to rescue at least some of the huge number of people floundering in the icy sea.
The life jacket will go under the hammer at Henry Aldridge & Son in Devizes, Wiltshire, on April 18 along with other memorabilia linked to the sinking.
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said: “This is the only life jacket from a Titanic survivor ever to go to auction.
“It represents a pinnacle of Titanic memorabilia, possessing exceptional provenance, rarity, and was on board the ship.
“Those familiar with the story of the Titanic, the world’s most famous shipwreck will instantly recognise the name of Laura Mabel Francatelli.
“Not only was she a first class passenger who survived the disaster, but she was also a central character in what soon became one of the most talked about episodes of the entire tragedy.”