Ophir Road, East Worthing, is named after a sailing vessel laden with salt which was blown ashore during a ferocious gale on Sunday, December 6, 1896.

The storm caused widespread mayhem along the Sussex coast, with the most notable casualty being Brighton's Chain Pier, which was washed away.

The Sussex Daily News recorded how the Ophir, a Norwegian barque bound for Norway from Sicily, ran aground opposite the Three Horseshoes pub, Lancing.

A report stated: "As day broke, the vessel was observed by the Coastguards at Shoreham and Lancing heading for the shore with her ensign halfmast.

"She was driven well on to the beach, but the water was high and although a very short distance from the shore, the rescue of those on board was carried out with the greatest difficulty.

"The waves were breaking over her with great violence until at last she was completely broadside to the water and exposed to the full fury of wind and waves.

"Gradually the vessel assumed a dilapidated appearance. The wind carried away her main-mast, which fell with a crash, dragging other portions of the rigging with it.

"It could be seen by the hundreds of people on the beach that there were several men on the barque and considerable anxiety was felt for their safety."

Shoreham Lifeboat was launched in a bid to lift them off but she was dashed back against the shore and several oars were broken. But the Worthing Lifeboat Henry Harris had better luck and Coxswain Lee managed to anchor to the windward of the wreck.

The crew of the Henry Harris attached a line to the Ophir and several men, including a sick steward, were hauled to safety before the weather gained the upper hand again.

At that point, rockets tied to ropes were fired from the shore in a bid to set up an uncomfortable form of rescue called the Breeches Buoy.

The fourth attempt succeeded and the stricken sailors were winched ashore one by one.

The Sussex Daily News continued: "At this point excitement was at its highest. It was seen that there were eight men on the vessel. Man after man was dragged ashore in a very exhausted state.

"Cheer after cheer went up from the excited crowd as each rescue was affected. Men rushed into the water in their excitement to rescue the poor fellows as they were hauled in. In some instances the sailors were almost too fatigued to hold on.

"Some were turned completely upside down in their passage more than once, while others were caught on the crest of a wave and thrown on to the beach with great force."

The exhausted men were taken to the Three Horseshoes, run by a Mr Prideaux, who was later given the ship's goat, cat and dog as a thank you for his hospitality.

The Ophir was later refloated, only to sink in another storm in the North Sea.

A three-masted schooner called the Kingshill, carrying a cargo of manure, ran aground off Goring on February 17, 1915.

Worthing's lifeboat, the Richard Coleman, twice capsized during the rescue, and crewman Jack Burgess, of Chandos Road, was drowned.

A contemporary newspaper report stated: "During Wednesday morning watermen on the front had their eyes on a small vessel westward bound, which was battling with the elements.

"In the dinner hour the summons came through the firing of the mortar, twice in quick succession. This attracted a larger assembly than usual, for on this occasion hundreds of soldiers who are billeted in the vicinity, and who were about to parade for duty, rushed to the lifeboat house to witness the operations."

Dozens of the soldiers, from Kitchener's Army, helped launch the lifeboat, some wading into the stormy sea to assist.

Burgess, wearing a lifebelt and oilskins, was lost overboard during the second capsize but the rest of the crew, blue with cold, could not reach him because they had lost ten of their 14 oars.

The unfortunate waterman's body was washed ashore soon after and frantic but futile attempts were made to revive him.

Burgess, who left a widow and four children, was buried at Broadwater Cemetery following a funeral service at Christ Church.