The Archive of the Wreck of the Josephine Willis

The Josephine Willis Archive is a dedicated research project focused on the tragic collision and sinking of the packet ship Josephine Willis off the coast of Folkestone.

On the night of February 3, 1856, while bound for New Zealand, the ship collided with the steamer Mangerton. This site serves as a digital memorial and historical record, documenting the passenger lists, the stories of the survivors and lost, and the recovery of the famed Staffordshire pottery from the wreck site.

Our mission is to connect descendants with their maritime heritage and provide an accurate chronological account of the events surrounding one of the Victorian era's most significant maritime disasters.