Comments on: History of the Goodwin Sands

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:06:26 +0000

Earl Godwin gave his name to the sandbanks off the Kent coastline which came to be called the Goodwin Sands.

By: Phil Hughes

Phil Hughes — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:36:33 +0000

There are a number of explanations to how the sands got their name, one being it was land belonging to Earl Godwin who was involved in a dispute with royalty and the land was flooded by storms never to recover. I have a copy of the book “Heroes of the Goodwin Sands” handed down through the family. My wife’s ancestor was Henry (Harry) Belsey who was a crew member on the Ramsgate Lifeboat which went to the famous “Indian Chief” rescue.
Phil Hughes.

By: Ted Goodwin

Ted Goodwin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:04:25 +0000

Does anyone know how or why the Goodwin Sands got its name?
If you know please e-mail tedgoodwin@bellsouth.net.

By: Alistair Kerr

Alistair Kerr — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:54:05 +0000

I was a Junior Ordinary Seaman in the TSS Fordsdale on a voyage from Auckland new Zealand to London. On Christmas Eve, 1946, we anchored off Dover or thereabouts because of thick fog. I was on duty on the bridge when we saw this Victory ship flying past us at full speed. The Pilot said, “He’s heading up to Hamburg and carries no pilot.” Next morning, Christmas Day, 1946, we weighed anchor and headed for London. We saw this ship, which turned out to be the North Eastern Victory hard and fast on the Goodwins, broken in two just forrad of the bridge.

By: Alvin Dana

Alvin Dana — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:36:58 +0000

Greetings from Australia!

I am researching the family genealogy and am hoping to get more information on an ancestor who was claimed to be in a ship disaster off Goodwin Sands.

He was Captain John Magness of the Brig “HOPE” who lost his life on 12 February 1869.

Your kind assistance is much appreciated.

Warmest regards,

Alvin

By: admin

admin — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 08:58:44 +0000

Interesting news today about the WWII bomber found a couple of years ago in the sands:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12997528

By: JOHN BYRNE

JOHN BYRNE — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 21:12:12 +0000

STORM OF STORMS…..

Crouched low inside his lighthouse one fateful storm lashed night
But twelve, the candles powering its orange flicker light
There Winstanley cowered ‘bove a horrid tempest sea
On unforgiving Eddystone in 1703.

to be continued

By: David Chamberlain

David Chamberlain — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:38:24 +0000

Have you read my book ‘Lost and Found’? It gives details of the effect that the ‘Great Storm’ of 1703 had on the fleet that was anchored in the Downs at the time. It also delves into the discovery of the Stirling Castle by divers in 1979 and the subsequent events that have followed. The book can be purchased on line at www.goodwinsandsexplorer.co.uk for £3.99p.

By: JOHN BYRNE

JOHN BYRNE — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:50:25 +0000

FOR ADMIN…… Ficticious I’m afraid, just off the top of my head! Am very interested in Great Storm of 1703, Stirling Castle, Goodwin, Admiral Cloudisley Shovell etc. 1703 was the first of 2 major disasters for the good Admiral. His 2nd was 4 years later on the Scillies, as many as 3,500 souls perished altogether… We can hardly blame him for 1703, but 1707 was down to Longitudinal error. Although this was pre-Harrison, it should still not have happened. A junior crew member knew the ship’s position, while Shovell put them some 80 miles away, off the Brest Peninsula !

By: admin

admin — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:33:36 +0000

@JOHN BYRNE – Great stuff John, would like to know more about it. Tried running some of the phrases through Google but couldn’t find anything!