A rare set of locker keys from the Titanic has sold for more than $100,000 at auction in the U.K this past weekend.
The keys had originally belonged to Sidney Daniels, a Third Class Steward who lived through the disaster and went on to become the oldest surviving crew member.
The rare keys are believed to be unique, as they are the only known examples belonging to concurrent lockers, 41 F Deck and 42 F Deck.
The keys had passed down through his family, and sold as part of a special Titanic memorabilia sale at Henry Aldridge & Son for £76,000 ($100,092).
According to his personal account, Daniels was in his bunk when the Titanic struck the iceberg and was informed by the night watchman to report to the deck.
Along with his fellow stewards, he helped women and children into the lifeboats until there were only two collapsible boats remaining.
Once collapsible boat B had launched, Daniels realized he was stood up to his knees in rapidly rising water.
He climbed up onto the railing and jumped into the ocean, then swam through the freezing waters for a few minutes before being picked up by boat B.
He reported that the men sang the Lord’s prayer as they huddled together, and was told not to fall asleep despite his exhaustion, as he may not wake up again.
A few hours later the passengers aboard boat B were rescued by the RMS Carpathia, and Daniels sailed to New York before returning home on the SS Lapland.
Despite his brush with death, Daniels wasn’t put off from a life at sea, and went back to work for the White Star Line aboard the SS Olympic, making around 200 return trips to New York.
He later served in the Royal Army Service Corps during WWI, and as part of the Merchant Navy during WWII.
He remained in Portsmouth for the rest of his life, married twice and had seven children, before passing away in 1983 at the age of 89.
