This lovely snuff shoe was made from salvaged wood from the sinking of The Royal George in 1782. It has pique work with the date 1782 and Royal George on the side. On top of the lid in pique work it says to a friend.
Pieces like snuff boxes were made from salvaged wood over a number of years. A real piece of history!
The Royal George was a British warship that sank on 29 August 1782 at Spithead, near Portsmouth.
After the sinking, the wreck lay partially visible and was periodically salvaged across the 19th century.
Key dates:
•1782–1839: Various small salvage operations.
•1839–1843: Major clearance and salvage work by Charles Pasley, using early diving bells and explosives.
During this process, large amounts of oak timber were salvaged.
The Royal George had been Admiral Lord Howe’s flagship and one of the most powerful ships in the Royal Navy.
The disaster happened  on 29 August 1782, while being heeled over for repairs to the hull and cleaning the ship’s lower gun ports, the Royal George suddenly capsized at anchor off Spithead.
•The disaster occurred due to improper ballasting and the open lower gunports being too close to the waterline.
•Around 800–900 people died, including crew, dockyard workers, women, and children visiting or living aboard — making it one of the worst maritime disasters in British waters.