Sylvia Lightoller, widow of Charles Lightoller, Titanic's 2nd Officer

Dear Mr.Lord
Your letter in the July Nautical magazine has been brought to my notice. My husband the late Comdr C.H.Lightoller was the senior officer saved after going down with the Titanic, he died two years ago after serving all through this last war. The two junior officers H.J.Pitman and J.Groves Boxhall are still alive their addresses are Pitman, Red House, Pitcombe Bruton, Somerset and Boxhall, Woodcroft, Martins Hill Lane, Burton, Christchurch, Hants. they were both in charge of lifeboats My husband's book Titanic and Other Ships gives a full account and I should be pleased to help you with any further information you may want.
Yours Very Truly
Sylvia Lightoller
P.S. Naturally my husband discussed the disaster freely with me so I know all the details and wonder if you are a relation of Captain Lord of the Carpathia [sic]

[Undated, but after August 10th 1955 before February 16th 1956]

Dear Mr.Lord,
I want to congratulate you on the success you have made of your book. You have made it a good straightforward story and I'm only sorry that I did not realize when you wrote to me the kind of things you wanted, as I have a number of momentos, but did not think you needed them. I have come to visit my niece in Miami and my name brings a certain amount of publicity. I only wish it would bring in a few dollars as well! for the English allowance is only $90 and that doesn't go far in this country. Did you know when my husband's book Titanic and Other Ships was published it was withdrawn as they were threatened with a libel action because he told the truth about Philips and the delayed message. We only got about £15 out of the copies sold!
With every good wish for "Bumper Sales"

Sincerely Yours
Sylvia Lightoller.

15th April 56

Dear Mr.Lord,
I had an air mail card from my son saying he was sending on a letter from you which had been returned from Miami.
I am staying with relations of my husbands at the above address [in Ohio]. I am hoping I may get a call from the C.B.S for their "I've got a Secret" T.V. programme as I had rather a good one about the Titanic, so if by chance I am chosen to go to New York I should so much like to meet you and have a chat. I am returning to Miami by Greyhound and would route via N.Y. staying over night.
My husband had a silver cigarette case presented to him by a Mrs. Rachel Kelly [?] of Philadelphia and 2 male passengers in appreciation of his work on Titanic. Did you by any chance come across the name? It was the only thanks he received from any one.

Sincerely Yours
Sylvia Lightoller

Notes:

1. Walter Lord astonishingly declined Sylvia's offer of information, as he felt that "Lightoller's record was so brilliant and his testimony so clear and vivid that I think I have everything I need."
2. Lord was trying to get Lightoller's book reissued and wrote that, "as I see [it], it would be limited to the facts in Captain Lightoller's original book that were about the Titanic, embellished by the great storehouse of information that you must have picked up from him throughout the years."