Sale of letter to Titanic victim’s family

A letter from the owners of the Titanic to the family of a dead officer asking for a large sum of money to return his dead body to England has been uncovered 103 years on from the tragedy.

The letter, dated May 7, 1912, was sent from White Star Lines to Christopher Moody, the brother of 24-year-old officer James Moody, who died after the Titanic hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage the previous month.

The company asks for a £20 deposit — the equivalent of €2,900 today — to return his body to England and state that Mr Moody will also have to meet the remaining costs from there.