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Blog 7: The Riddle of Henry Tucker
The captain’s missing book – and a legacy that shaped Bermuda.
A Man Who Made History
When the Sea Venture ran aground on Bermuda in 1609, it set in motion a fate that not only saved the Jamestown colony, but also laid the foundations for Bermuda’s future development. One of the survivors, Christopher Carter, remained permanently on the islands.
More than a century later, another name appears that is closely interwoven with this story: Henry Tucker. He came from an influential family, became president of the governor’s council and played a key role in shaping Bermuda’s path towards economic independence.
A Book That Could Explain Everything
According to tradition, Henry Tucker is said to have owned a book that allegedly belonged to the captain of the Sea Venture. What it contained remains a mystery to this day. Was it a logbook? A map? A personal account? Or even clues to what Carter really found at that place?
Only one thing is certain: Tucker was a man who steered Bermuda’s fate. He later played a decisive role in establishing the island as a tax haven, a place of international business – and a source of unusual prosperity for a remote island group in the Atlantic.
In a remarkable way, the lives of Henry Tucker and Christopher Carter are intertwined. Both now rest in the historic St. Peter’s Church in St. George’s. Two men, separated by generations, yet connected by a ship that never reached Virginia – and by a secret that time has still not fully revealed.
Some researchers suspect that the Sea Venture sank off a section of Bermuda’s western coastline.
Blog · Exodus Cipher
Tucker’s Exodus Riddle
Teddy Tucker’s grandfather Henry is said to have owned a book written by the captain of the Sea Venture. Researchers found a strange Exodus cipher among his belongings.
The digits indicate the position of the missing letters in the original word. Combined, they reveal the name of a specific book.
Excerpt from EXODUS II
The digits 1., 2., 3., 6. give the letter index of the omitted word.
EXODUS II Thou 1. 2. 1. to theyself any graven image, or 3. likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the 3. beneath or in the water under the earth. Thou 1. not 1. down to them, nor worship them: for the Lord thy God am a 6. God and visit the sins of the fathers upon the 1. unto the 2. and fourth generation of them that hate me... and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Gold coin H found!
Correct. It is Fort St. Catherine .
The code was correct. The cannon is from the Sea Venture – but when was it cast?
