Silver pocket watch owned by Battle of Trafalgar officer sold

The watch was owned by a Nottinghamshire collector before its sale

A pocket watch believed to have been used during the Battle of Trafalgar has been sold at auction.

The 235-year-old silver watch went under the hammer for £1,600 at an auction in Derbyshire on Friday.

The watch's provenance was discovered when it was taken to Hansons Auctioneers for a valuation.

Militaria expert Matt Crowson, from the Derbyshire-based auction house, called it an "astonishing and thrilling historical discovery".

A handwritten note found in the watch written by its late 19th Century owner, James H Waters, revealed the watch had belonged to his great-grandfather, Captain Charles Bennett.

The note said Capt Bennett served on the HMS Tonnant, which was involved in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

Mr Crowson said the boat played a "key role" in the historic battle.

The 235-year-old silver watch went under the hammer for £1,600

"During the battle, HMS Tonnant engaged in fierce combat with French 74-gun flagship Algesiras," he said.

"After a collision between the vessels, the French attempted to board the Tonnant but they were repelled by British firepower. Rear Admiral Magon, the French vessel's commander, was killed during this intense engagement."

Mr Crowson added Capt Bennett, who was a lieutenant at the time, then led a British boarding party, which captured 270 French officers and imprisoned them below deck.

But the Algesiras had suffered damage to its masts and was left drifting away from the British fleet.

Mr Crowson said Lt Bennett then decided to release the prisoners to help repair the ship.

The British forces were "quickly overpowered" as a result and the French regained control of the vessel, which then sailed on to Cadiz.

Official records confirm Bennett as the 3rd Officer on HMS Tonnant during Trafalgar, but the handwritten note referred to him as Captain, which suggests he was promoted after the battle.

The watch, which was owned by a Nottinghamshire collector, was expected to raise £500 at the auction, but was sold to a private buyer for more than three times its estimate.