'Unsinkable' sailor's pocket watch to be auctioned

A pocket watch belonging to a sailor who survived four ship sinkings, including that of the Titanic, is set to be sold at auction.

The watch features an inscription to Arthur J. Priest, the sailor who was nicknamed "Unsinkable Stoker", and will go on sale at Sudeley Castle in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, later.

Starting bids for the watch begin at £3,000, with the sale officially starting at 14:00 GMT.

Bespoke Auctions' senior auctioneer Nicholas Granger called the pocket watch "quite a rare, amazing find" that had already generated a lot of interest from prospective buyers.

"Auctioneering is a bit like a treasure hunt, and when these things come along, it's amazing the amount of interest we get, because these are parts of history," he added.

Other items in the lot include a cigarette case recovered from a Titanic steward's body and a silver dinner set originally belonging to Lawrence of Arabia.

Between 1912 and 1917, Priest survived multiple sinkings including that of the Titanic's sister ship, HMHS Britannic, in 1916.

The inscription on the watch reads: "Presented to Arthur J. Priest in gratitude of your action in preserving our son's life H.M.H.S Britannic November 21st 1916."

After sustaining a head injury when SS Donegal sank in 1917, Priest retired from his life at sea.

"He got a bit of a name for himself as the unlucky sailor, and some people actually didn't want to sail with him in the end," said Granger.

Priest's watch is not the only object at the auction that has survived the Titanic - a silver cigarette case, recovered from the body of a steward on board, is in the lot with a starting bid of £1,800.

There is also a full-size replica model spitfire, which is expected to fetch between £10,000 and £15,000.

"We've got hundreds of people already registered online to watch the sale live," said Granger.

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