Laura Francatelli (1882-1967), a Streatham resident at 72 Strathbrook Road, who survived the Titanic sinking. She married Swiss hotelier Max Haering and died in London on June 2, 1967. Her account as a first-class passenger on the ill-fated journey in 1912 details the rumbling as the ship sank and the cries of 1,500 drowning passengers.
Francatelli worked as the personal secretary to Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon and Lady Lucy Christiana; all three boarded one of the last lifeboats with only five passengers and seven crew, admitting they did not go back for survivors. Sir Cosmo later paid each crew member £5. The trio faced severe scrutiny and accusations of bribery - dubbed ‘The Money Boat’ - due to the lifeboat being only partially filled, though they were later cleared of wrongdoing at a Board of Trade hearing.
In April 2026 her life jacket will be auctioned with the auctioneers describing it as a “once in a lifetime opportunity for collectors” at a price of £350k.
