A last-minute bid is being made to bring an important part of nautical history back to Deal.

A long-lost chronometer, which was in the town’s Timeball Tower for more than 70 years, will be go under the hammer next week.

Deal Museum Trust, the operator of the Timeball Tower Museum, was informed recently of the lot, which will feature at an auction sale in London on Tuesday.

The instrument is recorded as being purchased in 1836 and was used from Plymouth between 1842 and 1855.

From then until 1928 it was located at the Timeball Tower and was used to supplement the 1pm ball drop by providing to mariners an independent check on their chronometers.

In the past, captains or navigators would come ashore and visit the tower and note the chronometer time against their pocket watch then return to their
ship with the accurate time.

Treasurer Mike Carey said: “The chronometer carried Greenwich Mean Time to the far corners of the world so that longitude could be accurately determined. Getting it wrong could result in shipwreck.”

The item is expected to fetch at least £3,000 but trustees think it could go for almost double that.

They are now asking readers to spare whatever they can in order to bring it home.

Mr Carey said: “We would love to return our chronometer to its rightful place.

“We knew that it was purchased by a German buyer in 1928 but lost track of it until the recent contact from the auction house.

“The estimate given of £2,000 to £3,000 is only a guide as viewers of Flog It! and Bargain Hunt will know.

“We have support from trustees and friends for £3,000 with a possible bidding fund of a further £3,000 which is effectively a loan to be repaid from other donations.

“If any reader feels able to support us with a donation please send a cheque (payable to Deal Museum Trust) or cash to our treasurer, Mike Carey at the Timeball Tower, Victoria Parade, Deal CT14 7BP.

“Please give your name and address as if we are over-subscribed or unsuccessful we will be able to return some money.”