Last updated at 20:20, Thursday, 01 March 2012

A Maryport fisherman could not believe his eyes when he found a perfectly preserved White Star Line saucer in his scallop nets.

Cliff Ismay, a descendent of Thomas Ismay, with the saucer from the White Star line, foound by a Maryport fisherman

Brian McGuirk, 43, of the Promenade, was in his boat, Bonnie Lass III, off Holyhead, Anglesey, when he found it.

And it brought to mind a string of coincidences, according to Brian.

He said: “It was such a coincidence for me, a Maryport fisherman, to find the saucer because my father John owns the White Star pub in Maryport.

“My mother, Ann Milne (nee Stephenson), was born in Maryport in the house of Thomas Ismay who founded the White Star shipping line.”

Brian said he found the saucer 18 months ago and, while he knew it had probably not come from the most famous White Star liner, the Titanic, he could not find out much about its history.

He did discover that it was a piece of third class crockery which was rarer today than first or second class dishes, which tended to be valued more and therefore preserved.

He has offered the saucer to the Maryport Maritime Museum to display as part of an exhibition marking the centenary of sinking of the Titanic, to be held at the town’s Wave Centre.

Cliff Ismay, of Workington, a descendant of Thomas Ismay, was delighted with the find.

He said: “It could be that it was thrown overboard, but there are also rumours of a White Star ship going down in that area. The White Star was a huge company with many ships.”

First published at 19:23, Thursday, 01 March 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk