Deal Town Council outbid a telephone bidder by £200 to get its hands on the town’s long lost chronometer.

The important part of nautical history, which was in the Deal Timeball Tower for more than 70 years from 1855, went under the hammer last Tuesday.

Timeball Tower Museum treasurer Mike Carey and Deal town councillor Bob Frost went to the auction in London.

A successful afternoon’s work saw them secure the purchase for £5,200.

Mr Carey said: “When the lot came up the bidding started at £3,050 but terrifyingly quickly reached £4,200, going up in £200 increments.

“I was joining in where necessary until the final bids were £4,800 in the room, £5,000 on the telephone and then my bid of £5,200.

“Several calls from the auctioneer ‘with you sir in the room’ followed until relief when the gavel came down and it was ours or to be precise, Deal Town Council’s.”

The instrument is recorded as being purchased in 1836 and was used from Plymouth between 1842 and 1855.

From then until 1928 it was located at the Timeball Tower and was used to supplement the 1pm ball drop by providing to mariners an independent check on their chronometers.

In the past, captains or navigators would come ashore and visit the tower and note the chronometer time against their pocket watch then return to their ship with the accurate time.

The successful purchase comes after Mr Carey contacted Cllr Ben Bano to ask about the status of Deal Town Council’s grant scheme.

He then called staff at the town hall and appeared at a full council meeting on April 26. Members agreed to provide the funds to purchase the chronometer.

Mr Carey said: “After some administrative delay the auction house owner congratulated us on the purchase, told us he has a cottage in Walmer and offered to bring the chronometer back to Deal.

“We did not relish the thought of carrying £5,200 of easily snatched goods on the Tube and train so the offer was accepted.”

Mr Carey added: “The trustees and volunteers at the Timeball Tower are immensely grateful to the mayor, town clerk Lorna Crow, responsible finance officer Paul Bone and the councillors, particularly Bob Frost, for their part in this successful venture.”