[1] The Goodwin Sands is a treacherous 10 mi (16 km) long sandbank, located a few miles off the Kent coast, and accounts for hundreds of shipwrecks.

The Kingsdown station opened in 1866, with a boathouse costing £223, constructed by W & G Deane, and a 33-foot lifeboat named Sabrina (ON 201), built by Forrestt of Limehouse, funded by a gift from Mr William Ferguson of the London Stock Exchange.

Picking up a line floated ashore from the vessel, the lifeboat was hauled to the wreck five times, and rescued all 23 people on board.

Some of the Walmer crew went aboard in an attempt to jettison cargo in order to refloat the vessel, but then their lifeboat, tied up alongside the ship's boat, was damaged and swept away by huge wave.

Crew from the Walmer lifeboat were once again stranded on a vessel, the SS Cap Lopez, aground on the sands, in an attempt to jettison cargo, when their boat was damaged and swept away.

[2] On 7:00am on 20 November 1916, both the North Deal, and then Ramsgate lifeboats, went to the aid of the Steamship Sibiria, both receiving damage and abandoning their rescue attempts.

Barbara Fleming was transferred to Walmer awaiting the arrival of a motor-powered lifeboat, and the Kingsdown station was closed on 8 January 1927.