Unique plaque found in rubble

Jenny Foulds • Published 28 Jul 2009 09:00

Bronze artifact linked to Denny bros

A UNIQUE piece of Dumbarton's ship building history has turned up in a back garden 100 miles away.

Richard Morrisson was digging up his son's garden to build him a patio for a wedding present, when he came across the interesting artifact.

The 59-year-old stumbled upon a bronze plaque, which appears to have been fitted to one of William Denny Brother's ship stabilisers, built in Dumbarton.

According to a maritime expert, this could be the only one of its kind, or could even be linked to the first ever stabiliser fitted by the Dumbarton firm.

The lorry driver from Halifax has been in touch with the Denny Tank Museum in Dumbarton East about his unusual find.

In the 1930s, the Denny shipyards in Dumbarton pioneered the ship stabiliser - which is a fin used to sail a vessel - and revolutionised ship building.

And this mystery plaque, which is inscribed with "Denny-Brown Ship Stabiliser, nautical architects: Denny Brothers Dumbarton, 1937" could have come from one of the first stabilisers fitted on a vessel by the firm.

Linda Ross, curator of the Maritime Museum, told the Reporter: "The Denny-Brown ship stabiliser was the first mass produced stabiliser which was one of the greatest achievements of the Dumbarton shipyards.

"I am unaware of any similar plaque being in existence, and the details on it suggest that it could have been to commemorate one of the first stabilisers the Denny brothers fitted.

"It is an exciting find, and is perhaps one of a kind."

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This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 28 Jul 09

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