January 11, 1866 the steamship London sank off Land's End in the English Channel. The London had departed Gravesend on the 13th of December bound for Melbourne with two hundred and thirty six passenger and crew. The ship ran into a gale on the 10th off and the captain decided to turn around and make for Portland. However the storm and the overloaded condition of the ship was too much. The pumps were manned but ineffective.

The crew managed to launch one lifeboat before the ship went under. The boat was picked up the next day by an Italian ship. Only three passengers survived the ordeal. In total over two hundred and twenty were killed.

© 2006 Michael W. Pocock
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