A coincidence...3 ships perish in same place and only have one survivor...Hugh Williams..

Came arcoss this the other day. Not sure if it is true or not. Thats why it is in the Grey Area.. If it is true it is one hefty coincidence... Never get on a boat of the coast of Wales with a man called Hugh Williams..

Over a period of 200 years, 3 ships perished at the same location of the coast of Wales, on the same day (December 5th) and all 3 had only one survivor. The 3 survivors all had the same name : Hugh Willaiams. (December 5, 1664, a ship sunk in the Menai Strait, a stretch of water with tremendous tidal swings off the coast of Wales. All 81 passengers died, except one. His name was Hugh Williams. On December 5, 1785, another ship sunk in the Menai Strait, with again everyone aboard dying except for one man…named Hugh Williams. And then again, on December 5, 1820, yet another ship sunk in the Menai Strait. Only one man survived, and he was named Hugh Williams. This is an awesome legend, and the scope of the coincidence is staggering. Another source actually references two other British shipwrecks with the lone survivors bearing the name Hugh Williams, except they weren’t on December 5. In one of those wrecks, there were actually two survivors, an uncle and nephew, and both were named Hugh Williams. And so despite having two survivors, you could still technically say of the wreck “the only man to survive was named Hugh Williams.”)

FB

Originally posted by purplemer
Came arcoss this the other day. Not sure if it is true or not. Thats why it is in the Grey Area.. If it is true it is one hefty coincidence... Never get on a boat of the coast of Wales with a man called Hugh Williams..

Let's have a link so we can look further...

reply to post by purplemer


Hi op

Sounds interesting i love stories like this.
You didn't put a link.
Hope this one is ok.

The Unsinkable Hugh Williams – Truth Behind the Legend?
www.oldsaltblog.com...

I found a link


So the question we should ask is who is Hugh Williams?


Very cool, I never heard of this story and I hope I can dig up a little more on this.

Thanks OP

reply to post by purplemer


Sounds to me like this Hugh Williams guy might be trapped in some horrible time loop, every time he gets on a boat everyone dies. hmmmm...if nothing else, it would make one great basis for a new book. I'm with you though, I would caution anyone from getting on a ship with him.

Originally posted by davesmart
reply to post by purplemer

 

Hi op

Sounds interesting i love stories like this.
You didn't put a link.
Hope this one is ok.

The Unsinkable Hugh Williams – Truth Behind the Legend?
www.oldsaltblog.com...

the link you posted does a decent job trying to work out fact from fiction. it mentions a possibility of 300 shipwrecks in that area in 200 years (ok if you are not Hugh Williams don't go boating there ), dates are possibly off , as well as commenting that the name is pretty common and thus tends cancel out the coincidence factor. what i found rather amusing was a comment posted by......none other than HUGH WILLIAMS

Hugh Williams says: August 2, 2012 at 3:04 pm As you can see my name is the lucky or safe name. I was named after my paternal grandfather who immigrated to Canada from north Wales in 1877. My late father gave me newspaper clippings (two ) many years ago—he died in 1954 and I am now 79 these both describe four ship sinkings with the only survivor being Hugh Williams. The first was on Dec.5,1664 in the Menia Straits, the second event was on Dec.5 1785 a pleasure schooner was wrecked on the Isle of Man. Then on Aug.5,1820 a pickning party on the Thames was run down by a coal barge and of 25 on board only 5 year old Hugh Williams survived .Now the most singular storey–onAug.19,1889 a Leeds coal barge with 9 men abord floundered–all but two were drowned and both were named Hugh Williams,an uncle and nephew! This is unlike the story which has the same 3 dates but all say the sinkings were in the straits of Menai . Go figure ? Respectfully, Hugh Rowland Williams.

four sinkings listed in his newspaper clips with "Hugh Williams" surviving. dates 2x dec5, aug 5, and aug 19.

reply to post by JohnnyCanuck

Let's have a link so we can look further...

Soz I could not provide a link for it.. Came off a friends facebook page.. A link is provided below now..

Originally posted by StarsInDust
reply to post by purplemer

 

Sounds to me like this Hugh Williams guy might be trapped in some horrible time loop, every time he gets on a boat everyone dies. hmmmm...if nothing else, it would make one great basis for a new book. I'm with you though, I would caution anyone from getting on a ship with him.

Unless this Hugh Williams guy is some kind of terrorist and sinking the boats... Although he would be real old by now..

reply to post by sevensheeps


If you find out let me know so that I don't get a on a ship with him, cheers.

S+F OP for the story.

reply to post by purplemer


Sounds like Hugh Williams could be a villian in a Dr. Who episode.

Fascinating! What are the odds? Wow!

As a commentator on another site states, It would be more impressive if the three survivors were named something like Ziggy Stardust than such a common name Welsh name as Hugh (Hew) Williams.

What a fascinating story, thank for sharing OP. Now if we were to pick up the same thing with airplane, train and bus accidents... That would be something now wouldnt it?


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by generik


HAHA

Me to.

I read his comments, think he was in his 80s.

Agreed, as soon as i read "common name" that ruled that one out.

Loved Hugh's comment

As you can see my name is the lucky or safe name. I was named after my
paternal grandfather who immigrated to Canada from north Wales in 1877.
My late father gave me newspaper clippings (two ) many years ago—he died in 1954 and I am now 79 these both describe four ship sinkings with the only survivor being Hugh Williams. The first was on Dec.5,1664 in the
Menia Straits, the second event was on Dec.5 1785 a pleasure schooner
was wrecked on the Isle of Man. Then on Aug.5,1820 a pickning party on
the Thames was run down by a coal barge and of 25 on board only 5 year old Hugh Williams survived .Now the most singular storey–onAug.19,1889
a Leeds coal barge with 9 men abord floundered–all but two were drowned
and both were named Hugh Williams,an uncle and nephew! This is unlike
the story which has the same 3 dates but all say the sinkings were in the straits of Menai . Go figure ? Respectfully, Hugh Rowland Williams.



Edit: sorry mods posted in haste due to too much beverage.
Forgot to quote source plz help

he is an immortal, like connor and duncan maccleod! and he is the one sinking the ships so he can start another new life!

i have actually read this story before. do NOT want to go to see with this man.

reply to post by purplemer




Woah..! What a bizarre find purp. Thanks for the heads up. I do not want to be on the same ship as any person with the name Hugh Williams..

I wonder if it is true.. If so that is a very creepy coincidence.... *shivers*

hugh williams mmm maybe he is uncle albert in only fools and horses .you never know ??? it could be a conspiracy

reply to post by fluff007


lol if i'll ever get on a ferry from Wales and after some time in the ocean i'll meet someone on board whose name is Hugh Williams, I will probably # my pants...

Could make up a nice prank also.

Don't know if it's true or not, hard to validate with these dates but the story is sure strange and thought provoking. Thanks for posting this OP.

Common name in Wales, but just in case I'm going to change my name by Deed Poll to 'Hugh Williams'!

Originally posted by blackthorne
he is an immortal, like connor and duncan maccleod! and he is the one sinking the ships so he can start another new life!

i have actually read this story before. do NOT want to go to see with this man.

dang! you beat me to it! he's obviously the highlander.
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