On 17 September 1970, Alexander McKee and his team pulled an object from the bottom of the Solent, and what they uncovered was a major milestone in the search for the Mary Rose.
It was the last two days of the 1970 season, and the team were down to their last few pounds. McKee decided to explore the area where a concreted iron object had been located 2.4 metres (8 feet) below the surface the previous year. It was an early start for McKee, rising at 5.45am to get the boat ready for the day’s work.
Just after midday, a large, concreted object was lifted to the surface by crane. McKee immediately suspected it could be a ‘built-up’, or wrought iron, gun. He was correct, and the gun was the first physical proof that the Mary Rose had been found.
In his book How We Found the Mary Rose, McKee reflected:
“It was many years now since I had dreamed of finding clear, dramatic proof that the site held the wreck of the Mary Rose. Some single object, such as a built-up gun or a dead archer, which by itself, on top of the circumstantial evidence, would be conclusive.”
Raising the concreted gun that helped to positively identify the Mary Rose onto the deck of the dredger, September 1970 (Credit: Courtesy of the McKee Family)
By this point McKee had been searching for the Mary Rose for more than five years. In 1965 he started Project Solent Ships with the Southsea branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club to investigate wrecks in the Solent.
Five minutes after the gun was raised, it was washed down, McKee noted:
“One of the rings is slightly exposed for a few inches … we are seeing that part of the gun as it was on the deck of the Mary Rose. Morrie Young commented afterwards that I was in a state of shock, and so I was.”
Afterwards, the conservation team at Southsea Castle confirmed that the gun was the same type as another 16th Century gun that had been recovered in the mid-1800s by John Deane and William Edwards.
Alexander McKee (left) and Maurice Young with the gun (Credit: Courtesy of the McKee family).
Summarising his day, McKee wrote:
“As evidence of identity, on top of all the other evidence, the gun did it in one.”
Come face-to-face with this iconic gun and uncover the secrets of the Mary Rose. Celebrate McKee’s legacy by exploring mysterious artefacts these summer holidays and diving deep into maritime history. For a limited time only, ticket prices are reduced in our incredible Summer Sale – including the lowest priced family tickets in five years. Don’t miss your chance to dive into history for less!