Former milkman Basil Brown found 90ft long ship buried in the seventh century
Author discovered archaeologist Peggy Piggott was his aunt and wrote book
The film based on his book, The Dig, is coming to Netflix on January 29
In the summer of 1939, a former milkman turned self-taught archaeologist called Basil Brown plunged a spade into the side of a large mound at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk. He had been hired by Edith Pretty, the wealthy widow who owned the mound, to see if there was anything inside. Possibly he might find a few ancient bits and pieces, she thought, or maybe even something a little bigger if he was lucky.