This may be old news (?) but I had never heard of it before and I thought that it was very interesting.
Last night I had trouble falling asleep so I started watching an old episode of Antiques Roadshow from Boston in 2013. A woman had brought in a presentation pocket watch for an appraisal. The watch had been given to her Grandfather by Queen Victoria in 1866. The watch and chain were appraised at US $4,000 to $6,000.
Her Grandfather was the First Mate on the Fredonia that was sailing from the Azores to Boston in 1866 when they encountered the ship Gratitude out of Liverpool which was sinking with over 300 passengers onboard. The Freedonia jettisoned its cargo of thousands of crates of oranges and rescued the passengers and crew of the Gratitude. The insurance company refused to pay for the lost cargo so the people of Boston raised money to compensate the owners of the cargo.
Video of the Presentation Pocket Watch Appraisal on PBS Antiques Roadshow:
Written transcript of the Antiques Roadshow appraisal of the pocket watch:
Antiques Roadshow | PBS
Information about the wreck of the Gratitude on Wreckhunter.net:
Last night I had trouble falling asleep so I started watching an old episode of Antiques Roadshow from Boston in 2013. A woman had brought in a presentation pocket watch for an appraisal. The watch had been given to her Grandfather by Queen Victoria in 1866. The watch and chain were appraised at US $4,000 to $6,000.
Her Grandfather was the First Mate on the Fredonia that was sailing from the Azores to Boston in 1866 when they encountered the ship Gratitude out of Liverpool which was sinking with over 300 passengers onboard. The Freedonia jettisoned its cargo of thousands of crates of oranges and rescued the passengers and crew of the Gratitude. The insurance company refused to pay for the lost cargo so the people of Boston raised money to compensate the owners of the cargo.
Video of the Presentation Pocket Watch Appraisal on PBS Antiques Roadshow:
Appraisal: Presentation Pocket Watch & Fob, ca. 1860 | Watch online at WTTW.com
Appraisal: Presentation Pocket Watch & Fob, ca. 1860, from Junk in the Trunk 3.
schedule.wttw.com
Written transcript of the Antiques Roadshow appraisal of the pocket watch:
Antiques Roadshow | PBS
Information about the wreck of the Gratitude on Wreckhunter.net: