- Richard Fowler The 2,150kg (339th) anchor was hauled up after the crew took 14 hours to return to Brixham harbor, an anchor the size of a car from the 19th Century
- He said the crew knew they had caught “something heavy” and were unable to lift it until they returned to harbor.
- The Trotman anchor was first designed in 1852 Mr. Higginson thought the “very rare” Trotman anchor, which measures nearly 4m (13ft) in length, could fetch £10,000.
An anchor the size of a car from the 19th Century that was hauled up by a fishing boat could be worth £10,000 BBC News publishes.
A Historical Discovery
Richard Fowler’s crew caught the 2,150kg (339th) anchor while trawling in Rebecca, his fishing boat based in Brixham, Devon.
He said the crew knew they had caught “something heavy” and were unable to lift it until they returned to harbor.
Local maritime history enthusiast Bob Higginson believes the anchor dates back to the 1860s.
He said: “We had no idea of the size of it, it was far, far bigger than anything we expected.”
“This can be seen by the missing tooth which looks to have had chain added to give the anchor back its balance which all adds to its rich history.”
Investigation of the Owner
He explained the Trotman anchor gets its name from John Trotman, who patented this particular type of anchor in 1852.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the Receiver of Wreck will investigate what vessel the anchor might have come from and try to identify its owner.
The anchor is not for sale currently as an owner has one year to come forward and claim it “after which point it will become the property of the Crown and it will be the receiver’s responsibility to dispose of it appropriately on behalf of the Crown”.
“If the finder has committed a legitimate act of salvage then they may be entitled to a salvage award for the recovery and return of the anchor,” added the MCA.
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Source: BBC News
