Famous autographs to be auctioned

The collection contains signatures from eminent 20th century figures

An album containing a who's who of autographs from the 20th Century is to go under the hammer in West Sussex.

Captain William Baker, who commanded cross-channel ferries in the 1930s, collected signatures from the likes of Winston Churchill and Rudyard Kipling.

At the time many ships lacked private VIP facilities leading Capt Baker to make his cabin available, and obtain the autographs in the process.

The album is sold by his daughter at a Worthing auction house on 6 February.

The collection, which also contains autographs from Prince Albert and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons, Neville Chamberlain and members of Arsenal FC, is expected to fetch between £400 and £600 at Gorringes auctioneers.

Capt Baker's ship, the SS Biarritz, was destroyed by torpedo during World War II but he survived and retired from the service in 1945.