Memorabilia related to a sailor from Mylor who won gold at the first London Olympics are due to be auctioned off next week.

The items came originally from Captain Richard Travers Dixon, a Royal Engineers officer and a sailor, once arrested for smuggling, who won over 1,000 races in a 50 year career, including Olympic gold in 1908.

He died in 1949, aged 83, and bequeathed his collection to his manservant, sailing partner and friend George Corke, whose family is now putting it up for auction.

Auctioneers David Lay said: “Dixon was one of England’s finest yachtsmen during the golden era of the J-class and gentleman’s yachting.

“He moved from Southampton to Mylor in 1926 and immersed himself in local racing. He was a well known, popular and (despite being arrested for smuggling in 1938) highly respected individual.”

The collection of logbooks, photograph albums, racing trophies and medals, boat plans, designs and wooden models will be auctioned on February 20 and 21.