Captain H. E. Anderson preparing to dive on the wreck on the 64-gun Third Rate HMS Anson (1781).

A view on board the salvage vessel Greencastle (1884) looking forward from the port side just behind the air pump. The diver, Captain H. E. Anderson, is halfway down the ladder over the side with his hands on the bulwark. A man is on his knees in front of the dive helmet. A child is watching from the chocked lifeboat in front of the bridge. A small group of people are on the beach in the distant left of the photograph, indicating how close inshore the salvage vessel is.

This is a film copy negative of a print from glass negative G14426.

The 64-gun Third Rate HMS Anson (1781) was wrecked in December 1807 and subsequently rediscovered by Captain H. E. Anderson, the chief officer of the West of England Salvage Company. A negotiated deal between him and the Admiralty allowed him to buy the wreck to undertake salvage work. The first items recovered were some of the guns, the first being on 14 April 1903.

Object Details

ID: P51072
Collection: Historic Photographs
Type: Sheet film negative
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Gibson & Sons of Scilly
Date made: 14 April 1903
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Gibson's of Scilly Shipwreck Collection
Measurements: Overall: 100 mm x 125 mm