Violin played by bandmaster as the Titanic sank in 1912 found in musician’s attic

Item considered one of the most important relics to be recovered from the Titanic disaster

Robinson had requested the return of the violin because of its emotional value. Some other of Hartley’s recovered possessions - including his silver cigarette case and a gold signet ring  - were returned to his his father, Albion Hartley, who later gave them to Robinson.

Robinson, who never went on to marry, kept the jewelry and violin in the leather case as a shrine to her late fiance. In 1939, she died from stomach cancer aged 59 at her home in Bridlington, East Yorks.

After Maria Robinson’s death, her sister Margaret, in dealing with the estate left behind, discovered Hartley's leather valise that had his initials of 'WHH' on the violin inside.

She turned the Titanic relics over to the Bridlington Salvation Army and told its leader, Major Renwick, about the instrument's association with Titanic. Research shows Major Renwick gave the valise to one of his members, a local music and violin teacher.

The current owner, who remains unnamed, was a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force stationed at Bridlington in the early 1940s.

She received it from the music teacher along with a cover letter reading, "Major Renwick thought I would be best placed to make use of the violin but I found it virtually unplayable, doubtless due to its eventful life."

Years later, she contacted Henry Aldridge and Son of Devizes, Wilts about the items.

They took the violin to the Government's Forensic Science Service in Chepstow which concluded the 'corrosion deposits' on it were 'considered compatible with immersion in seawater.'

Further helping prove its own history, the plate on the base of the violin was studied by an eminent silver expert on the council for the Gemological Association of Great Britain. The expert was able to confirm that the plate was an original fixture and the engraving was contemporary with those made in 1910.

Andrew Aldridge, of Henry Aldridge and Son, said: "When we first saw the violin we had to keep a lid on our excitement because it was almost as if it was too good to be true.”

"The silver fish plate on the violin along with the other items it was with, such as the leather case with Hartley's initials on, his jewellery and covering letter to the owner's late mother, suggested it was either authentic or an extremely elaborate hoax up there with the Hitler Diaries.”

"We knew we would have to look into it and it couldn't be rushed. Everything needed to be researched properly and the correct experts had to be commissioned.

"We have spent the last seven years gathering the evidence together and have now reached the stage where we can say that beyond reasonable doubt this was Wallace Hartley's violin on the Titanic.

"It is the most important artefact relating to the Titanic to ever emerge and probably the most valuable.

"In all the books and films made about the Titanic, Wallace Hartley is always featured as playing this violin until the end. We now know that minutes before the end he placed his beloved violin in this hard-wearing travelling case.

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Nster.com