I used to live in Snettisham in Norfolk. When I moved there I heard of the flooding event that happened around that area in the big storm which happened in the early 1950's. Lots of people in Snettisham sadly were lost to that flood and in many towns and villages in the county. Later on I moved to Stranraer (2019) and I'd heard of this beautiful ferry they used to have which went across to NI from Loch Ryan. I was just interested to see this video to find out what happened to her and why it changed to the Sea Cat, and then on to the port at Cairnryan. While I was watching I put 2 and 2 together; 31 January 1953. The Princess Victoria was lost in the same Great Storm as the flooding which happened in Snettisham and the east coast! I was around in 1987 when the Great Storm of that year hit so I remember something of the severity of what the Great Storm of 1953 must have been like. But that one must have been on a completely different level to the one in 1987! Very sad for both communities, so many lives lost. I've been past the memorial to the Princess Victoria in Agnew park so many times, but never stopped to look. I will next time I go there. And I'll know exactly what it was all about. Very poignant.
I used to live in Snettisham in Norfolk. When I moved there I heard of the flooding event that happened around that area in the big storm which happened in the early 1950's. Lots of people in Snettisham sadly were lost to that flood and in many towns and villages in the county. Later on I moved to Stranraer (2019) and I'd heard of this beautiful ferry they used to have which went across to NI from Loch Ryan. I was just interested to see this video to find out what happened to her and why it changed to the Sea Cat, and then on to the port at Cairnryan. While I was watching I put 2 and 2 together; 31 January 1953. The Princess Victoria was lost in the same Great Storm as the flooding which happened in Snettisham and the east coast! I was around in 1987 when the Great Storm of that year hit so I remember something of the severity of what the Great Storm of 1953 must have been like. But that one must have been on a completely different level to the one in 1987! Very sad for both communities, so many lives lost. I've been past the memorial to the Princess Victoria in Agnew park so many times, but never stopped to look. I will next time I go there. And I'll know exactly what it was all about. Very poignant.
This story needs to be told and retold. Bless all those affected by this tragedy.
My grandfather was a lifeboat man on the Jeannie Spiers and went out to this.
grew up watching that ocean and yeah when theres an average swell on you couldnt pay me enough to go out there, those lifeboat folk are true heroes
Who the hell thought it was a good idea to take the ferry out that day?