Fisherman Anchor - History

[captndale]

I am interested in the traditional fisherman anchor with a steel stock that slides through the shaft. The stock has balls at each end and one end is bent so that the stock can be laid next to the shaft for stowage. Can anyone tell me when this type of anchor, in this configuration was invented? When did it make its first appearance in the Great Lakes?

 

[hylass]

The invention of the Fisherman anchor go back to the ancien Greek and Roman time. Although at this time the stock was fixed..

Who invented the sliding stock??

To my opinion it has been invented so many years ago that I'm not sure anybody will remeber the name of the inventor??..

 

[Mirelle]

Maybe we can try.

We might look at the question the other way round by considering when the steel or wrought iron stock, capable of being slid through the hole in the shank when the forelock pin is removed in order to fold the anchor flat, was invented and when it replaced the older wooden stock.

My educated guess is that this is a Victorian improvement on the traditional anchor.

HMS "Victory", for example, has four anchors each of which is made of wrought iron, has a wooden stock, and is catted and fished.

When we look at the "Cutty Sark", however, we find that she has two anchors each of which has a steel stock; the "history of the ship's fabric", on her website shows that these two anchors have been with the ship since 1877, when they were fitted as replacements.

This suggests to me that the iron or steel stock came into use after 1815 and before 1877. This fits with the reduction in cost of iron and steel associated with the Industrial Revolution and the application of the steam hammer to forging large billets at the same time (Victory's anchors would have been hand forged - an incredible task!)

It would seem possible to narrow down the date and perhaps to find the inventor, with more research.

 

[Ships_Cat]

Re: Maybe we can try.

That gave me some clues to hunt a little, turned up the following - http://www.solarnavigator.net/anchors.htm.

Seems iron stocks appeared occasionally late 18th Century with them displacing wood during 19th Century around the time Mirelle says, for England.

Maybe is someone elses turn to turn up more /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Interesting question.

John

 

[Mirelle]

Re: Maybe we can try.

Interesting. There is a framed print on the wall of a pub in Woodbridge showing Admiralty trials of various patent anchors in the 1850's. Each anchor is labelled and described in the margins of the print. The only one that might be recognised now is the Trotman.

No need to guess the pub's name... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

There is quite a dissertation on yacht anchors in Worth's Yacht Cruising; he assumes a level of knowledge of fisherman anchor design that we have all lsot, I fancy.

 

[Ships_Cat]

Re: Maybe we can try.

It seems that the steam hammer was invented in 1842.

That date fits in well with the mention of 1846 for iron stocks being given complete sanction by the Admiralty in the link above, and also well with your observations re "Cutty Sark" and industrial revolution re iron and steel working.

John

 

[Salty John]

I believe the ancient Fisherman anchor was modified for yacht use by Herreshoff in the late 1800's. The typical Herreshoff anchor has a folding stock and weighs around 40lbs.

 

[Mirelle]

Re: Maybe we can try.

I think we are getting somewhere, John!

I need to get over to the CA Library and look up their fine collection of mid-nineteenth century seamanship manuals for the Merchant Service.

Interested to see from your link that the metal sliding stock was used by the Romans, forgotten, and re-invented circa 1854!

 

[Ships_Cat]

Re: Maybe we can try.

I found this report of the Admiralty's Anchor Commitee on tests of various anchors dated 1853 - http://www.bopcris.ac.uk/imgall/ref5086_1_1.html.

Quite long and don't think it throws much light on the actual question (haven't read it all yet), but of historical interest. Includes Trotmans, Admiralty, etc. Seems the term "beach tests" has been around for quite a while /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

If I get some spare time tommorrow I might try getting it all into one PDF file rather than the individual jpegs for each page.

John

 

[Mirelle]

Re: Maybe we can try.

Crikey!

That, I think, must be the test illustrated in the print (perhaps from the Illustrated London News) on the wall of The Anchor in Woodbridge.

In fact I am sure that it is. Not a bad method, pulling pairs of anchors together, and testing them at long and short stay.

Interesting that the test was precipitated by the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The High Victorian age indeed!

 

[Ships_Cat]

Re: Maybe we can try.

The Sheerness trials on the ploughed up parade ground which are mentioned in the report were probably the same as covered by the Illustrated London News on 17 July 1852 which had an article on anchor tests at Sheerness Docks. The dates are about right - I wonder if the engraving in The Anchor is from that article?

But couldn't find a copy of the article or any engraving that may have been in it so maybe someone has an old copy lying around /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Some other interesting engravings though eg http://www.iln.org.uk/iln_years/year/1852jul10.htm.

John