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Silver pocket watch found off Welsh coast returned after 130 years

A silver pocket watch that spent 130 years at the bottom of the sea will be reunited with the nearest living relative of its owner after the diver who found it turned amateur detective.

The watch was found by Rich Hughes near the spot off the Pembrokeshire coast where the Barbara went down in 1881. The square-rigged barque had sailed from Burma with a cargo of rice but was wrecked when she was steered on to rocks by her inexperienced captain.

Engraved on the back of the timepiece was the inscription: Richard Prichard 1866 Abersoch North Wales.

Mr Hughes, 38, was so intrigued by the watch and its detailed inscription that he researched the history of the Barbara. He discovered that Prichard had been her original captain but had died and been buried at sea shortly after setting sail for the ship’s home port of Liverpool.

Read entire article at Times (UK)