Gold Watch from 1860 Lady Elgin Shipwreck Returns to Herbert Ingram’s Hometown

In a tale that ticks through time, a gold pocket watch lost in the tragic 1860 sinking of the Lady Elgin on Lake Michigan has finally returned to its rightful home in Boston, England. The steamship, struck by a schooner during a fierce storm off Winnetka, Illinois, claimed over 300 lives, including British journalist and politician Herbert Ingram and his son. Ingram, the founder of the London Illustrated News, revolutionized journalism with the first newspaper to feature printed images. His watch, a personal relic of a visionary, sank with him into the cold depths.

Fast forward to 1992, when divers exploring the scattered wreckage of the Lady Elgin stumbled upon the gold timepiece, remarkably preserved by the lake’s chilly, low-oxygen embrace. For decades, it remained in the U.S., but this May, it crossed the Atlantic to be studied by historians. Valerie Van Heest, co-founder of the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association, recognized its significance: “This watch doesn’t belong in America. It belongs in Boston, England, where Herbert Ingram’s legacy lives on.”

Ingram, celebrated as Boston’s “favorite son,” is honored with a statue in his hometown. His watch, now donated to the Boston Guildhall Museum by diver Van Fleet, arrived just in time for an exhibit on Ingram’s life. “It’s serendipity,” Van Heest noted, “to bring back a piece of him when the museum needed it most.” On May 24, the town marked the watch’s return with a heartfelt ceremony, from a tribute at Ingram’s grave to a handover at his memorial. The museum called it a “day to remember,” celebrating a piece of history that still ticks with pride.