A watch handed to a crew member by a passenger during the sinking of the Titanic remains at the centre of one of the most controversial tales involving the disaster. Now it is up for sale at John Nicholson’s on May 20 with an estimate of £30,000-50,000.
The circumstances of the survival of the entire Caldwell family has been one of the most debated tales relating to the Titanic. More than a century on, it has been the subject of a book, blogs, essays and interviews.
At the heart of that debate is whether Albert Caldwell bribed crew members with his watch to secure a place on one of the lifeboats.
Certainly the watch, now up for auction again after selling at Christie’s in 1998, passed to a crew member. And the family, once rescued, disappeared so quickly that they were left off the published list of survivors, making their way home to Illinois to pick up their lives.
In doing so, they also managed to avoid being picked up by an ambulance waiting for them on the quay in New York. It had been dispatched to pick up Mrs Sylvia Caldwell, so that her state of health could be assessed. Did she really have the Tropical Neurasthenia that had enabled the family to quit their post in a Siam mission to return home early, or was she faking?
In 1909, Albert Caldwell (1885-1977) and his wife Sylvia had signed up for a seven-year mission to Siam with the Presbyterian Church’s Board of Foreign Missions. Sylvia was reportedly already ill by the time she gave birth to their son Alden on June 10, 1911, and the couple applied for early release from their contract as a result. Their request was turned down – a considerable blow as it meant the mission would not pay for their expensive return journey.
Eventually, Albert Caldwell’s pleading for the mission to let them leave persuaded led to a change of mind, but his boss wrote to the Board in New York, advising: “When they arrive in New York, have Mrs. Caldwell examined by some of our doctors before settling their account.” If she had been found healthy, the Caldwells would have faced paying for the return trip themselves – a forbidding amount. Hence the ambulance waiting when the Carpathia docked with the Titanic survivors aboard.
In the event, the Caldwells slipped away and disappeared, heading back west, with Albert securing the post of school principal within days.
How the watch changed hands from Albert to Elliott C’s father was never made clear; was it a bribe to let him on the lifeboat with his family, or could it have been handed over in gratitude for the stokers’ part in their rescue?
Albert himself changed the story of their rescue several times throughout his long life.
In a recorded interview still available online, he explained that at first lifeboats were being lowered and sent off only partially full because passengers did not realise the ship was sinking and were reluctant to let their wives and children set off by themselves in such conditions.
However, after descending to a lower deck and speaking with some of the ship’s stokers, he learned the true state of affairs.
At that moment, according to Caldwell, lifeboat number 13, which was only partially filled, was lowered past their deck and one of the stokers shouted to the crew above to hold it in position while the stokers and the Caldwell family climbed in.
Other stories of how Albert ended up in the lifeboat also emerged, some damning, others praising him as the protector of his family.
A photograph of the family on deck two days before the ship sank shows Albert clutching the baby, ten-month-old Alden, with his wife standing next to them. One argument was that her illness meant she did not have the strength to carry the baby. If so, it was likely that Albert was also carrying Alden when they headed to the lifeboat. Records show a sailor cast Alden to Steward Frederick Ray, who then left him in the care of Hilda Mary Slayter, who was grabbed to be placed in the boat as well.
Whatever the case, other men were also in the lifeboat.
When Christie’s sold this lot in 1998, it was erroneously assumed that Elliot C, the son of the crewman who took the watch, was Elliot C. Everett. The accompanying letter of provenance, being signed off as Elliot C. indicates that the C was the surname and could possibly be one of the engine room crew that Albert had befriended.
That letter reads as follows:
David, Add to Will
Father left his much treasured pocket watch and chain / cufflinks to me upon his death and I should like you to have them as a gesture of my gratitude for your many kindnesses over the years. Sadly it was necessary for me to sell the gold watch chain at a time of financial need.The watch has some history attached to it which you will be interested to read. I have included mother’s watch bought by my father as a 25th wedding anniversary present in the early twenties when he worked for the White Star Shipping Line, also her rings and diamond pendant which your wife may like to wear.
Thanks
Elliott C
Caldwell’s great niece wrote a book entitled A Rare Titanic Family in 2012, based on family research, which again self-validated his actions and distances himself as best possible from any disgrace. A copy accompanies the lot.
The watch itself – originally the property of a relative before being passed to Albert – is an 18ct gold cased keyless half hunter pocket watch by Sutherland & Horne, Edinburgh, No.265022, circa 1876.
It is engraved: Presented to JAMES CALDWELL by the employees of the Pumpherston Oil Co. Ltd on his leaving to take charge of the Mining Department at Deans, June 3rd 1896.
