The event:

The curse of the Betsy Jane slave ship

The location:

Solway Firth, Cumberland – Christmas Day, unknown year

The legend:

The Solway Coast was notorious for the transportation of slaves to the cotton and sugar plantations of the Americas. One of the worst of the sailors engaged in this business was the captain of the 'Betsy Jane'.

He scorned all Christian tradition - even Christmas - in pursuit of his evil trade and eventually the captain amassed great wealth in gold and ivory with which he intended to retire.

On Christmas morning a great storm blew up and the Betsy Jane was lost with all its crew. Many believe it was God exacting his revenge. Sightings of the ship show the Betsy Jane sailing again and again but never reaching port.