An extract from the letter to Rosalind Franklin branding her a ‘silly bitch’ [Christies Images Limited 2023]

TALK feels cheap in this selfie-obsessed era of social media posts and podcasts, but it seems there’s still a buck or two to be made out of the written word.

Christie’s has auctioned a series of one-page letters from scientists Francis Crick, James Watson and Maurice Wilkins about the controversial double helix DNA breakthrough. They have shed new light on what has in recent years become the bigger story: Rosalind Franklin’s Nobel Prize snub in a male-dominated world.

One of the letters, written in May 1957, has Mr Wilkins accusing Ms Franklin of “sabotage” and calling her a “silly bitch” while at the same time acknowledging her “very useful contributions” to the research.

It sold for an eye-popping $327,600 after being given an estimate of just £5,000! Another of the single-page letters went for $277,500.

But it was the tone that was of most interest to Rosalind’s descendants this week.

Her great niece Shirley Franklin, who led the Defend Whittington Hospital Coalition for over a decade, described them as “vitriolic”.

Put up for sale by the Leonard Hamilton Estate, they also reveal the contradictory mentality of the male scientists during the “rat race” DNA discovery research.

One from Wilkins about Franklin’s Nobel Prize credentials, reads “the silly bitch botched the whole business, I don’t think she should be mentioned too often”, while adding: “It would look odd not to have her name in somewhere.”

Rosalind Franklin was overlooked when the plaudits came out for the discovery of DNA

In another letter, Rosalind isn’t the only one discounted by Wilkins, who continues by complaining about Crick, who maintains he “has done it all by pure reason” and also Linus Pauling, who has “made an utter ass of himself” through the process.

The contribution of Rosalind Franklin, who died of cancer aged 37, to the breakthrough DNA research is now common knowledge. She was portrayed by Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman in the West End play, Photograph 51.

A spaceship was set to travel to Mars with a rover named after her on board, but the mission has been indefinitely delayed due to Russia and USA refusing to work together on space missions following the invasion of Ukraine. Her face can also be found on the £50 banknote.

Closer to home, a private housing block in Kiddepore Avenue, Hampstead, was named after – despite her relatives being baffled by claims she was in any way linked to the location.

Shirley Franklin, left, was Rosalind Franklin’s great niece

Last year, Ms Franklin told me: “What is slightly annoying, everyone knows about Rosalind Franklin and DNA, but it was her work on viruses that is much more respected by scientists.

“It is much more significant than when she took that photograph. I would say that her work at this time of Covid is so relevant to the challenges today.”