The letter by Esther Hart, a famous Titanic survivor remains one of the most well-known documents about the Titanic. Esther’s letter was written just hours before the fateful incident and provides a rare glimpse of the Titanic before the incident happened, the peaceful description contrasting sharply with the disaster that unfolded. It remains one of the few documents that survived the disaster and a valuable historical artifact.
Esther’s Letter Describing Their Journey
The infamous RMS Titanic began its service with so much promise. At the time it was the pinnacle of luxury and size, being the largest ocean liner built. The ship was considered an engineering marvel, even being dubbed ‘unsinkable’ by the people. It began its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City on April 10, 1912. The ship had over 2,200 passengers, ranging from wealthy travelers on vacation to immigrants looking for a new life. Among these passengers was Esther Hart who was traveling to New York with her family.
Like many passengers, Esther was in awe of the massive ship and marveled at the beauty of the ship and its impressive size. These ideas were captured in Esther’s letter which she intended to send to her mother later on. Here she talked about her experiences aboard the Titanic and her admiration of the ship. But for all the boasting about being indestructible, the Titanic was anything but.
Unfortunately, the ship would never reach its destination as the Titanic struck an iceberg along the North Atlantic Ocean. The damage was too severe and began to sink. Within hours, the Titanic slipped beneath the waves, taking over 1,500 people.
Esther was one of the few survivors of the disaster along with her daughter, Eva. After she was rescued, Esther’s letter would be recovered and serve as a valuable historical document that gives valuable insights into what happened aboard the disaster.
Some excerpts from Esther’s letter can be found here.
“My dear ones all, As you see it is Sunday afternoon, and we are resting in the library after luncheon. I wish you could see the ship; it is a beautiful sight. We have had a good trip up to now and the weather is beautiful, but this is only what we expected. It is nearly impossible to believe this ship could ever sink. I miss you all very much and think of you constantly. I hope everything is going well at home. Love from us all, Esther.”
-Esther Hart, Titanic Survivor.
At the time, the sinking of Titanic was the talk of the world and one of the greatest disasters of the time. But it would be overshadowed just a few years later by another letter, one which led directly to the outbreak of WWI.
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