Birchington Heritage Trust   - Newsletter   

Minnis Bay Shipwrecks

By Michael Lodge

Although there have probably been many shipwrecks in Minnis Bay over the ages, the wrecks of two of these ships can still be seen today. On the main beach to the east of the bay and in line with Canute Road are the remains of the Hero which was wrecked in 1895, whilst to the west of the Bay near Plum Pudding Island the Valkyr met her doom in 1919.

The Hero was an American built ship and on November 24th 1877, she was on her way from North Shields to the Mediterranean with a cargo of coal and coke. There had been a moderate SSE wind blowing that afternoon and at about 5pm the wind backed easterly and then ENE increasing in strength and with heavy torrents of rain. At 7.30 the Hero was known to be in trouble as signals of distress were seen from the Roads and the lifeboat was readied for launching. By now the wind was gaining in strength with the flood tide, reaching hurricane strength with heavy rain and sleet squalls.

It was impractical to launch the lifeboat from Margate in the gale and so horses were called for and the lifeboat pulled about two miles eastwards and launched at about 9.30 near the Longnose. The Hero was still drifting and firing flares and distress rockets. The lifeboat, Quiver, reached her at about l1 p.m. and succeeded in taking off the crew of 15 hands. However, the lifeboat had fouled the Hero's anchor cable and had to be cut free and then distress flares were seen from another vessel, the Louisa. Two lifeboatmen were put aboard to help her to a place of safety and finally the lifeboat landed the crew of the Hero at Whitstable, as it was impossible to return to Margate.

The second clasp of the National Lifeboat Institution was awarded to William Grant, the Coxwain of the Lifeboat. It is not known what happened to the crew once they were landed, but the Hero remains at Minnis Bay.

The Valkyr was a Swedish three-masted schooner built in Sweden in 1901 and registered in Gothenburg. She was originally called the Valkyrien. On Saturday afternoon 26th April 1919, she was on her way from Setubal in Portugal to her home port with a cargo of sardines, cork and salt fish. Off Deal she had taken on a pilot who had taken her into the Thames Estuary, presumably to shelter from the gathering storm. The Valkyr was taken up through the Edinburgh Channel and moored close to the Edinburgh lightship, owing to a strong headwind. Later, on the 27th, the pilot moved the ship down the Black Deep and moored by the Sunk Light Vessel. By 6pm that Sunday evening a SE gale was blowing.

At midnight the wind suddenly veered NE causing the Valkyr's two anchor chains to part. The ship was now at the mercy of the gale and the Valkyr struck the Sunk Sand and about an hour later drove over it into deep water, only to find her rudder gone. The vessel drifted all night and crossed several sand banks bumping heavily. On Monday she lost her foremast and afterwards struck the Margate Sands where she was sighted the next morning.

The Margate Lifeboat with Coxswain Stephen Clayson, which had already been out that night to rescue 9 crew from the Dunvegan of Boston, was launched at 8 a.m. After much difficulty, they succeeded in rescuing the Captain, the 7 crew and the pilot, who were all landed at Margate Pier. The shipwrecked men were well cared for by the local agent of the Shipwrecked Mariners Society. Captain Wessburg went to the Gazette offices to thank all who had helped and later he arranged for the lifeboatmen to receive medals. During the night of Monday 28th April, the Valkyr drove across the Margate Sands and drove ashore dismasted and bow up at Minnis Bay where it was totally wrecked. Its cargo was salvaged, although many locals helped themselves to supplies of coal and tinned sardines. The Valkyr was driven ashore close to the wreck of the Hero, but on subsequent high tides, she was driven westwards to her final resting place.