A letter from a teenage boy written aboard Titanic and sent to family from Queenstown (now Cobh)  is now up for auction. Thomas Cupper Mudd from Huntingfield in Suffolk was aboard Titanic when he wrote the letter. He wrote glowingly of what he saw on Titanic and was very happy with both the food and how everything looked.

“The ship is like a magnificent palace. The lounge & dining hall are very beautiful. We are having excellent food.”

“I have made friends with a young English gentleman and he is very nice indeed.

Thomas, a 16-year-old bookkeeper, was from a family of 13 children. Two older brothers had already emigrated to the United States and was looking forward to starting a life there.  Traveling second class, he certainly got to travel in style to his new home. Sadly, he did not survive the sinking. And there is no record of his body being found and identified. For the family that received his letter, possibly as news of the sinking had reached them, must have been terribly sad for them. His final words in the letter probably also hit them as well:

“With love to all. I remain, your loving son Tom.”

According to the Daily Mail, his family did receive money from the Titanic Relief Fund. The letter is being auctioned by UK auctioneer Forum Auctions on 27 Mar. It is expected to fetch £30,000 ($38,748).

Sources:

Christopher Leebody, “Rare Titanic Letter Penned by One of the Youngest Victims of Ship’s Sinking Expected to Fetch up to £30k,” BelfastTelegraph.Co.Uk, March 22, 2025,

Harry Howard, “Teenage Titanic Victim’s Fateful Words Written From ‘magnificent’ Liner to His Parents Three Days…,” Mail Online, March 21, 2025.