Guttenburg

The "Guttenburg", a German brig of 170 tons met with hurricane force wind in thick fog and snow of the Goodwin sands, Ramsgate, which drove the brig onto the "south sand head" where it capsized during the storm. The "Guttenburg" had been carrying 14 survivors from the "Canton", which she had found dis-masted and waterlogged off the coast of Newfoundland. The survivors of the "Canton" wreck were rescued and later delivered safely into the hands of the Walmer lugger "Cosmopolite" in a chance meeting off of Dover. After that, the "Guttenburg" continued on, only to become trapped upon the Goodwin Sands; distress signals were fired but were not seen by the harbor authorities because of the weather.

The Deal boatman Stephen Pritchard sent a telegram to Ramsgate harbor, asking for the lifeboat there to be launched. The lifeboat "Northumberland", pulled by the Ramsgate steam tugboat "Aid" began to make a rescue attempt, but the boatmen and harbor tug men were prevented from leaving the harbor by the harbormaster, because he had not received the distress call by the proper means, and regulations had not been observed.

This delay resulted in the deaths of 23 male passengers and crew (including the Deal pilot, Henry Pearson) and six female passengers. The harbormaster was later charged with neglect, but retained his post. James Hogben had been master of the "Northumberland" since 1852, but never went to sea again, due to the harbormaster's reluctance to act. Isaac Jarman was chosen to occupy the retired coxswain’s position, and held the position of Ramsgate coxswain for ten years, to be followed in 1871 by Charles Fish.

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*George B. Bayley and William Adams: "Seamen of the Downs".