- £1100.00
S S AEON 1908. The S S Aeon sailed from San Francisco to Sydney but at 09.30 on 18 July was wrecked on the south east corner of the then uninhabited Christmas Island after being carried 20 miles off course by strong currents. All 56 passengers and crew were able to make shore. On 17 August the Captain and three officers tried to sail to Fanning Island, 196 miles away but were unsuccessful. A further attempt, after repairing their boat, was attempted on 15 September and they arrived at Fanning Island on the 18th. They were eventually rescued on 22nd September. This cover, which is illustrated in Hoggarth & Gwynn’s Maritime Shipwreck Mail book has a manuscript ‘Damaged in wreck / of S. S. Aeon’ on the back. While on the Island, Mrs. Patrick gave birth to a baby so 56 people were stranded there and 57 came off two months later !!
