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Auction: 6034 - Maritime Wreck Covers of the World - The John Woolfe Collection
Lot: 4

Maritime Wreck Covers of the World Europe 1846 (22 Sept.) S.S. "Great Britain", ran aground Dundrum Bay, County Down Ireland, 17 September entire letter from London "pr Great Britain" to Montreal, variously rated and showing Ship Letter London (21.9) and Boston (21.10) d.s. on face, Montreal c.d.s. (24.10) on reverse. Also 1847 (31 Aug.) entire letter from Birmingham to Isle of Wight with P.S. "By last night´s express "the Great Britain Steamer was safely towed into Liverpool". One of only four items of mail recorded from this famous Great Western Steamship Company vessel designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Photo Estimate £ 2,000-2,500Note: Originally named the "Mammoth" the "Great Britain, with 180 passengers on board - a new record for any steamship crossing the Atlantic, ran aground half way between Belfast and Drogheda. The passengers and crew were all taken off safely on the morning of 23 September and taken to Belfast or Liverpool. All the mail survived and was taken to Liverpool by the ship´s surgeon. From the U.S. datestamps on the four covers that have survived it has been established that they were carried on the Cunard Line´s S.S. "Caledonia" which sailed from Liverpool on 4 October and arrived in Boston on 20 October. "Great Britain" survived where it was for an astonishing eleven months, proving it´s great strength, before being refloated on 27 August 1847. It subsequently served on the Australia run, making 32 round trips

Sold for
£4,200