
Scientists exploring the wreck of a ship which sank off the Kent coast claiming all 237 crew have found a cache of silver coins which had been sewn into the clothes of those who died.

The crew and cargo of the 18th-century Dutch East India Company (VOC) ship the Rooswijk were wrecked on the treacherous Goodwin Sands near Dover.

Maritime archaeologists have been diving on the site, 85ft down on the sea bed, continuing the excavations which started last summer, with the aim of revealing more of the ship's story.

The Rooswijk sank on the notorious sand bank - known as 'the great ship swallower' - in January 1740 with all 237 crew lost while carrying a cargo of silver ingots, cut stone and iron bars.

Scientists exploring the wreck of a ship, which they believe would have looked much like this one, pictured, that sank off the Kent coast claiming all 237 crew have found a cache of silver coins which had been sewn into the clothes of those who died

Maritime archaeologists have been diving on the site, 85ft down on the sea bed, continuing the excavations which started last summer, with the aim of revealing the ship's story. Coins found on the ship includes pieces of eight and roughly cut silver

Some of the coins found during the dives have small holes deliberately made in them, an indication that the crew sewed them into their clothes to smuggle to the Dutch East Indies

But archaeologists have now uncovered lots of other, older coins at the wreck site including ducatons from the Republic and the Southern Netherlands (now Belgium) that were not part of the sanctioned cargo.

This suggests that the Rooswijk's passengers and crew were carrying extra silver to trade illegally.

Other coins found during the dives have small holes deliberately made in them, an indication that the crew sewed them into their clothes to smuggle to the Dutch East Indies.

Concealing the coins in this way also kept them safely hidden from others on board.

At this time historians know people were smuggling silver in their shoes and belts, such was the demand overseas.

Archaeologists uncovered lots of other, older coins at the wreck site including ducatons from the Republic and the Southern Netherlands (now Belgium) that were not part of the sanctioned cargo - revealing that the sailors were smuggling them

These pewter spoons were also found during excavation works on the Rooswijk which sank off the Kent coast in 1740

The Rooswijk sank on the notorious sand bank - known as 'the great ship swallower' - in January 1740 with all 237 crew lost

Smuggling silver was officially prohibited by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) although it seems to have been common practice by many VOC personnel.

It's thought that by the time the Rooswijk went down, up to half of the money being transported on these ships was illegal.

The Rooswijk set off on its fateful last journey, from the Netherlands to Batavia, modern-day Jakarta in Indonesia, with a cargo of silver on board - all of it destined for trade in Asia.

The precious metal was in high demand and was exchanged for asian spices and porcelain. The value of the Rooswijk's known cargo is thought to have been more than 300,000 guilders.

Shoe parts found during excavation works on the Rooswijk. Researchers in the Netherlands have now been able to positively identify and name 19 of the 237 members of the Rooswijk's crew from documents held in Amsterdam archives

Musket balls found in the wreck. The Rooswijk set off on its fateful last journey, from the Netherlands to Batavia, modern-day Jakarta in Indonesia, with a cargo of silver on board - all of it destined for trade in Asia

Researchers in the Netherlands have also been able to positively identify and name 19 of the 237 members of the Rooswijk's crew from documents held in Amsterdam archives.

Until now it was only clear the Rooswijk was under the authority of skipper Daniël Ronzieres, as all other records of the crew and passengers were lost in the shipwreck.

Two tibia (leg bones) from two individuals have been recovered from the wreck and there is potential for more human remains to be found.

Dutch genealogists carried out new archive-based research and have been able to identify several more crew members for the first time, and a little more about their lives before tragedy struck.

The excavation of the Dutch ship which sank on the Goodwin Sands, off Kent, in January 1740. The Rooswijk was carrying a large cargo of silver ingots and coinage on board. All of the crew died during the sinking, 12 miles from the shore

Two tibia leg bones from two individuals have been recovered from the wreck, more human remains are expected to be found

A 'knee' - a huge piece of angled wood used to support the deck - has been uncovered and will be investigated and recorded to illustrate the enormous size of the ship. The team is working towards where the stern of the ship should be with dives continuing until mid-August

Those identified include a senior surgeon who travelled to the East and back several times named Gerrit Hendrik Huffelman.

19-year-old Thomas Huijdekoper was on his first VOC voyage and sailor Pieter Calmer had previously survived a shipwreck, The Westerwijk at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

Experts know most of the men on board the Rooswijk were born in the Netherlands but there were also crew with German, Swedish and Norwegian backgrounds.

Several crew members of the Rooswijk have been identified thanks to transport letters in the Amsterdam City Archives.

An archaeological conservator with Historic England checks a sealed wooden chest recovered from the excavation

A pewter jug most likely used by officers, found on the ship. Experts know most of the men on board the Rooswijk were born in the Netherlands but there were also crew with German, Swedish and Norwegian backgrounds

Transport letters authorised someone to collect a part of a crew member's salary from the VOC.

It is known that VOC personnel used these letters because of a lack of cash or credit - they used them to pay for accommodation, buy supplies for the trip to Asia or exchange them for cash.

Other indivduals were found because they visited a civil-law notary before setting sail, such as writing a will.

These deeds contain the name of the ship on which the voyage was to take place, linking person and place.

Martijn Manders, project leader of Rooswijk1740, the archaeological project led by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, in collaboration with Historic England and contractor MSDS Marine, said: 'The Rooswijk is special because it tells us about ordinary people of that time, but also about entrepreneurship, and (trade) relationships that ensured connections between cultures all over the world.

'The finds help us tell the story of the people on board, we can relate specific personal objects to what they did in general: how they lived, what the circumstances were on board the ship.'

Conservation team members Elisabeth Kuiber and Eric Nordgren with finds including musket balls and a spoon from the ship

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, said: 'It's extraordinary that after more than 270 years we now know the names of some of the people who may have lost their lives with the Rooswijk.

'Sea-faring was a dangerous way of life and this really brings it home. The revelation that the Rooswijk was used to smuggle silver adds to our understanding of global trade at this time - we shall have to wait and see what else we might discover from this site in the coming months.'

Archaeologists are continuing to investigate the wreck and so far have found several personal items alongside boxes and barrels in the galley behind the main mast including a nit comb, lead cheese container, pewter vessels and a chest full of thimbles.

A 'knee' - a huge piece of angled wood used to support the deck - has been uncovered and will be investigated and recorded to illustrate the enormous size of the ship. The team is working towards where the stern of the ship should be with dives continuing until mid-August.

Material recovered from the wreck site is being taken ashore to a warehouse in Ramsgate where first-aid conservation will be carried out and the items fully recorded. From here finds will be taken to a Historic England storage facility where work to assess, analyse and conserve them will take place.

The finds will be returned to The Netherlands and in future some material may be made available for display in Ramsgate.