Treasure hunter Maurice Richardson, who unearthed Newark Torc, dies aged 75

A family man and avid metal detectorist, who discovered the famed Newark Torc, has died aged 75.

Maurice Richardson, who famously unearthed the 2,000-year-old Iron Age gold choker in a field near Newark, died at his home in the town on Thurday, October 17.

Mr Richardson had lived in the area his whole life — in Balderton as a young boy, when his father was caretaker for the Grove School, and later on Gainsborough Drive, where he lived with his wife of 52 years Marion Richardson for 45 years.

Daughter Shelly Richardson said: “Dad was such a laid back, chilled person. Nothing ever bothered him, and he loved life.

“He was just a gentleman really. His family was his world.”

Mr Richardson had been metal detecting for many years prior to finding the Torc, having been active in his hobby since at least his early twenties.

The collar, made from 67% gold, 32% silver and 1% copper, was unearthed in February 2005, and was thought to have been buried as an offering.

It is believed to date from between 250 and 50 BC, weighs 11/2lb, and was bought by Newark and Sherwood District Council for £350,000, raised through grants and donations, which was split between Mr Richardson and the landowner, Trinity College Cambridge.

It is now on display at the National Civil War Centre, but had previously been displayed at the British Musuem while the Newark museum was under construction.

During that period, Mr Richardson was a regular visitor to the British Museum to see the Torc.

“I must have been about six times. I always pop in to say hello,” Mr Richardson told the Advertiser, in 2012.

While it is the most well-known of his finds, it is one of many he unearthed.

“I can remember as a child, every weekend he would be out in the fields metal detecting,” Shelly added.

“The Newark Torc was massive when he found it, I can remember him brining it home.

“He’s always said it’s not about how much the finds are worth, its about them getting the recognition they deserve and being in museums. While he did get money from the Torc, he donated many other objects to the National Civil War Centre museum.

“That was always his goal, to have the objects on display in Newark where they belonged.”

Other objects unearthed by Mr Richardson included, in 2010, a haul of 200 pieces dating back to medieval, Saxon and Roman times.

These included 110 copper and 11 silver Roman coins from the dynasties of various emperors including Constantine, 13 brooches, pottery, oyster shells, and significant individual items such as an intricately-carved knife or spoon handle featuring a woman and child, plus a tiny pair of tweezers, and a Roman swastika brooch.

In 2012, he found a collection of 18 Bronze Age tools and weapons, including sword fragments, spear blades, axes, chisels, belt fittings and copper ingots.

These dated from around 800BC and had been buried for about 3,000 years in fields near Tuxford.

Mr Richardson also ran his own business, Richardson’s Tree Surgeons, which he built up from scratch and didn’t retire from until he was 70.

Since his retirement he had been poorly, Shelly explained, particularly with bowel cancer and heart failure.

He leaves behind his wife Marion, daughters Shelly Richardson and Clare Mills, son-in-law Darren Percival — who is decribed as being ‘like a son’ to Mr Richardson — six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.