The engraving on this mug indicates that it was presented to Charles Scott Knight, who captained the Steamship London on its maiden voyage from Newhaven to Jersey in 1853. Little more is known of Captain Scott Knight, but the tragic tale of the SS London is notorious, for it sank on 12th January 1866, drowning 220 passengers and earning the undesirable label of a ‘coffin ship’.

Coffin ships were vessels that had been overinsured and were therefore worth more to their owners sunk than afloat. The SS London sank on 12th January 1866, three days after leaving London for Melbourne under the captaincy of John Martin.  It was later said that a seaman watching her pass Purfleet said: "It'll be her last voyage…she is too low down in the water, she'll never rise to a stiff sea." This proved all too accurate. It later transpired that the ship had been overloaded with 345 tonnes of railway iron and 50 tonnes of coal, the latter of which was stored above deck. When the storm hit, this cargo moved and blocked the scupper holes so that the waves washing over the deck were prevented from draining off. A message in a bottle found following the sinking read: "Adieu, father, brothers and sisters, and my dear Edith. Steamer London, Bay of Biscay. Ship too heavily laden for its size, and too crank. Windows stove in. Water coming in everywhere. God bless my poor orphans. Storm not too violent for a ship in good condition.’

The sinking of the SS London played a major role in reforming shipping by raising awareness of the lack of maritime safety regulations and the dangerous conditions on ships overloaded by unscrupulous ship owners.