In a fascinating discovery along the Welsh coast, more than 200 shoes and soles, resembling Victorian-era footwear, were found washed up on Ogmore Beach by dedicated litter pickers on December 18. The intriguing find has locals and experts alike reconsidering the story behind these well-preserved leather shoes, which have reportedly been appearing on this stretch of coastline for years.
Initially, many believed the shoes originated from the tragic sinking of the Frolic steam packet in 1831—a disaster that claimed 80 lives when the ship went down near Tusker Rock. However, recent testimonies from residents suggest a different story: these shoes might have been discarded during the 1960s by local cobblers from a nearby shoe factory who threw irreparable boots into the river, which eventually washed onto the beach.
Emma Lamport, founder of the Beach Academy that discovered the shoes, shared insights about the ongoing finds: “This isn’t the first time such shoes have been found here. Locals have long told tales of unusual shoes scattered across the South Wales coast. Back in 2013, a similar collection was uncovered at Newton Beach in nearby Porthcawl.”
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While the exact age and origin of the shoes remain unverified, the Beach Academy is carefully preserving them. Future plans include potentially donating the items for educational purposes at Cardiff University, transforming them into art pieces, or even restoring them as wearable clogs.
This discovery was part of the Academy’s ‘Rockpool Restoration’ project, focused on clearing litter and restoring natural habitats along the coast. To date, the group has removed over 12,000 items of rubbish but acknowledges that much more remains.
Historically, the treacherous waters near Tusker Rock have claimed many vessels, with the Frolic’s sinking being particularly infamous. The rock, lying less than two miles southeast of Ogmore and spanning less than 500 meters, has earned the ominous nickname “ship graveyard.” Reports confirm that after the Frolic tragedy in March 1831, bodies and debris continued to wash ashore for many months.
Whatever their true origin, these shoes now offer a tangible link to the past and a curious mystery waiting to be unraveled.