The Ship's Blog

The Ship's Blog 13th January 2012 'December Photo Diary now on our website'

2012-01-13T16:42:00.000Z

The latest update to our Photo Diary showing progress of works in December has been added to our website. These include photos showing the return and stepping of all three of the ship's masts. A momentous day for the ship and the conservation team. http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/index.cfm?fa=contentGeneric.rpwrhbpxsuxwtdmo

The Ship's Blog 15th December 2011 'The masts are back'

2011-12-16T11:17:00.001Z

It was a big weekend for everyone involved in the restoration of Cutty Sark. Five years after they were removed for conservation the iconic masts of the ship were returned and raised back into position, once again gracing the Greenwich skyline. The day was beautifully crisp and sunny and the rigging team successfully placed all three masts across the weekend. Whilst the masts are still at only about half their final height, the next section will be raised higher over the coming months, the return of the masts really makes the ship come to life ready for her grand re-opening in April 2012. There is a real buzz on the frenetic conservation site as everything reaches completion.

We always used to put a Christmas Tree on top of the main mast so even though the mast is yet to reach it's full height we've continued the tradition this year.

Merry Christmas!

Video of the masts being raised can be seen on our YouTube channel

Are you a teacher? Help us develop our new schools programme!

2011-11-22T09:57:00.003Z

Group visits will be warmly welcomed to the ship and the new offer will be suitable for all age groups. A visit to Cutty Sark upon completion of the Project will specifically complement young people’s studies at KS1, KS2 and KS3 levels of the National Curriculum learning about history, geography, science and D&T.

The Cutty Sark Trust is inviting UK teachers to help develop the new
schools programme by completing a short online survey.

Everyone completing the survey will have the chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher!

Survey for primary school teachers
Survey for secondary school teachers

The survey takes about 10 minutes and will be available until midnight, Thursday 15 December. The prize draw will be held on Friday 16 December.

If you would be interested in being kept up to date with the development of the project, or are considering booking a school visit after we re-open, please email us at enquiries@cuttysark.org.uk

Please note, if you're having trouble accessing the survey it may be to do with restrictions on your school's network. You should be bale to access the survey from a private computer.

The Ship's Blog 11th November 2011 'Gilded scrollwork complete'

2011-11-15T15:53:00.002Z

After much painstaking conservation and restoration work the ship's gilded decorative pieces are all now complete. The carved wood known as 'gingerbread' features images and motifs which echo both her Scottish heritage and her original owners own personal taste.

The scrollwork is looking fantastic as the following images from the past few weeks show.

The Ship's Blog 5th July 2011 'Our YouTube channel shows video of the project'

2011-07-05T12:51:00.002+01:00

Our YouTube channel 'cuttysarkclippership' shows footage taken during the project and is updated with interesting video showing the ships ongoing conservation.

The Ship's Blog 1st July 2011 'Nannie is back on board!'

2011-07-01T12:18:00.003+01:00

The ship's figurehead Nannie has been returned to the ship this week, restored and looking fantastic. She is now back in her prominent position on the prow of the ship and is visible from all around.

Her arm which is designed to be unshipped was detached for the craning operation and will be re-attached shortly. The picture above shows her immediately after being removed from her bespoke crate ready to go back on board.

This figurehead was carved in the 1950's when Cutty Sark first came to Greenwich and was removed in 2007 for restoration. See our 'Two Nannies' blog for more information. The original figurehead carved for the ship, which is too important to keep out in the open is also being restored and will be proudly on display in the new museum space under the ship from next year.

The photo above shows Nannie, Cutty Sark's figurehead ready to be crated and returned to the ship. For more information see the figurehead section of the website.

The Ship's Blog 3rd June 2011 'May Photo Diary Lift Of Ship Complete'

2011-06-03T12:15:00.001+01:00

The latest update to our Photo Diary showing progress of works in May has been added to our website. The ship has now been successfully lifted as the dramatic photographs show.

The ship was lifted over three consecutive days. The temporary supports held the ship in place whilst the permanent supporting arms were attached. These arms now take the ship's weight down into the ground. The temporary scaffolding is now being removed to allow for the installation of the new museum roof and the return of the masts.

The Ship's Blog 12th May 2011 'Figurehead of Florence'

2011-05-12T12:14:00.001+01:00

Born on this day in 1820, Florence Nightingale is best known for her work during the Crimean War and then afterwards for her role in developing nursing as a profession. She was affectionately called 'the lady with the lamp'.
'She is a "ministering angel" without any exaggeration in these hospitals, and as her slender form glides quietly along each corridor every poor fellow's face softens with gratitude at the sight of her. When all the medical officers have retired for the night, and silence and darkness have settled down upon these miles of prostrate sick, she may be observed alone, with a little lamp in her hand, making her solitary rounds.' The Times Thursday 8 February 1855

The figurehead of Florence Nightingale in our collection was carved at an unknown date but portrays her in the early years of her life, at about the time of the quote above. Nightingale lived for 90 years and as well as being a pioneer of modern nursing she was also a noted statistician. She did not become famous until after her time in the Crimea so the figurehead was likely carved much later than the 1850’s. It’s thought the figurehead may have come from a schooner which traded in the Mediterranean at the beginning of the 20th century.

Our figurehead of Florence Nightingale has a detachable left arm and it is likely that she would have held a lamp aloft. She will be displayed in the new museum space with the rest of the figurehead collection from 2012.

The Ship's Blog 19th April 'Transporting Tea'

2011-04-19T09:57:00.000+01:00

For hundreds of years China produced the only teas known to the western world. Tea came in two basic types; Green and Black. Black tea (the kind used in tea bags) is oxidised whereas green tea is un-oxidised. Each type of tea, whether black or green, was available in a number of different quantities, qualities and from a varied number of growing regions within China. Teas were given Anglicised Chinese names for consumption in Europe and America.

Some of the teas carried by ships like Cutty Sark are still readily available today. Lapsang Souchong literally "small plant from Lapu Mountain” is renowned for its tarry taste, acquired through drying over pine wood fires.

A legend states that this black tea acquired its unique taste by accident. It’s said that the Chinese army camped in a tea factory that was full of drying leaves which had to be moved to accommodate the soldiers. When the soldiers left, the leaves needed to be dried quickly, so the workers lit open fires of pinewood to speed up the drying. The tea reached the market on time and a new flavour had been created.

The real reason this black tea originally acquired its smoky flavour is due to 17th century preservation methods used by Chinese tea producers when they began to export their teas to Europe and America Their traditional green teas did not travel as well and quickly lost quality during the 15-18 month journey across land and sea. By the time Cutty Sark was sailing this journey time had been cut to 6 months.

The producers developed a method of rolling, oxidising and drying their teas so that they would hold their quality for longer. Once the teas had been oxidised, they were spread on bamboo baskets which were placed on racks in the drying room. This was built over ovens that allowed the heat to rise up through vents in the ceiling and into the drying room above. To fire the ovens, the tea manufacturers used the local pine wood from the forests that surrounded (and still surround) the factories, and as the wood slowly burned, it gave off a certain amount of smoke that was absorbed by the drying tea and gave it a lightly smoked, sappy, pine character.

The factories that made those lightly smoked black teas in Fujian province still manufacture lightly smoked Lapsangs in exactly the same way as they did 400 years ago.

A popular green tea today and back in the 1870’s gets its name from its distinctive shape: Gunpowder tea is produced in Pingshui in Zheijian Province. After it has been pan-fired to de-enzyme it, the leaf is rolled into small pellets and then dried. The pellets look remarkably like lead shot or gunpowder, giving the tea its descriptive name. The pellets come in different sizes - the smaller the leaf plucked and rolled, the smaller the pellet - and grades range from tiny 'pinhead' gunpowder to larger 'peahead' gunpowder. Gunpowder tea has a soft honey or coppery liquor with a smooth light taste.

Today (as in the 1870’s when Cutty Sark carried tea) many green teas are still made by hand using methods that have been handed down from generation to generation. However, more and more teas are now made in mechanised factories.

To get the tea safely to Europe in as fresh a condition as possible it was packed into softwood chests which were lined inside with lead foil and covered on the outside with bamboo or rush matting for protection.

The tea chests were constructed in a variety of sizes and occasionally irregular shapes to enable the cargo to conform to the finely curved hulls of the tea clippers. The chests were separated at each layer by wooden battens known as dunnage to give rigidity to the stowage of cargo and also to allow the air to circulate.

The Tween Deck and the lower hold of Cutty Sark would have been packed solidly with such tea chests.

Fascinating photographs from the 1880’s showing the tea production process in China can be seen on the Harvard Business School website. For more information on tea visit the Tea Council website.

The Ship's Blog 24th March 2011 'Restoring The Merchant Navy Memorial'

2011-03-24T16:17:00.000Z

In the wall at the southern end of the ship’s dry dock is a large sculptural piece. This is the memorial to the Merchant Navy. When it was decided that the ship would find a permanent new home here in Greenwich as a museum, it was felt that Cutty Sark would also be a fitting place to commemorate the men of the Merchant Navy.

The memorial was designed by the sculptor Maurice Lambert. Born in Paris in 1901, Lambert began his art training through his apprenticeship to the sculptor Francis Derwent Wood. He was a sculptor in bronze, stone, wood, concrete and glass of figurative and abstract subjects.

Maurice Lambert with the design for the memorial 1954

A review of his first major exhibition in 1929 read, 'In his hands sculpture is not merely a matter of stone or marble or bronze moulded in obedience to some established form, but an instrument of far wider range and possibilities.'

In the 1930s his work was linked with the radical Modernist sculptors such as Hepworth and Moore who drew influence from primitive art and Surrealism.

His major public works include an equestrian statue of George V in Adelaide, Australia and a series of portrait busts of Dame Edith Sitwell and Dame Margot Fonteyn, which are on permanent display at The National Portrait Gallery in London.

Dame Edith Sitwell by Lambert 1926 (NPG)

In the 1950’s Lambert was commissioned to design a number of public statues to be placed in new-build towns that were being constructed on the outskirts of London. After the War Lambert became master of sculpture at the Royal Academy Schools. He died in 1964.

By the time the ship closed in 2006 the memorial had sadly become largely forgotten and was in need of restoration. Cast in concrete from Lambert’s designs and moulds the memorial is based on the Star Of India and features a stylised wreath depicting the national flowers of the UK. The memorial has inscriptions on each side which read….

“Here to commemorate an era the Cutty Sark has been preserved as a tribute to the ships and men of the Merchant Navy in the days of sail. They mark our passage as a race of men Earth will not see such ships as these again”

“In memory of those whose service in the Merchant Navy helped to enlarge the livelihood of Britain and protect the freedom of the British Commonwealth of Nations”

The memorial looking rather forlorn in 2006.

A digital scan of the memorial to allow a new piece to be cast.

As part of the conservation project to restore the ship and her environs the memorial has recently been digitally scanned to allow new moulds to be made. The memorial is to be re-cast and re-positioned within the dry dock gallery space, giving it a much more prominent position.

The Ship's Blog 15th February 2011 'Maiden Voyage'

2011-02-16T15:15:00.001Z

The original advert placed for Cutty Sark's maiden voyage - 1870

Cutty Sark set sail on her maiden voyage on the 15th February 1870. There was great competition between the various ship owners who loaded goods in London's Docks.
Adverts were placed prior to a ship's voyage letting anyone who may be interested know that a ship was preparing to leave and would transport freight and or passengers. This is the advert placed by the shipping agent for Cutty Sark which was loading at East India Dock near Canary Wharf.
Jock Wilis wanted to get the best return possible from his ship, with so much competition between shipping lines it was important that a ship had a good reputation both for speed and safety. As with advertising today the virtues of his product, ie the ship, were talked up.
Mentioning her A1 rating from Lloyds of London was a way of demonstrating Cutty Sark's good condition. The ship was also described as follows 'This vessel, just launched, is, from her fine lines, expected to prove one of the fastest afloat'. Words that were ultimately to prove correct!

The Ship's Blog 3rd February 2011 'First Photo Updates of 2011'

2011-02-03T16:15:00.005Z

The first monthly updates of 2011 showing the progress of the conservation works in January can now be viewed in the Photo Diary section of our website. Just click the title above.

The Ship's Blog 25th January 2011 'Burns Night : The Two Nannies'

2011-01-25T11:57:00.003Z

Burns Night seems an appropriate date to talk about Nannie our figurehead. Nannie is a character from Robert Burn’s poem Tam O Shanter. John Willis, who commissioned and owned Cutty Sark until 1895 was a proud Scot, but there is nothing in the records to suggest why he named his newest and favourite ship after the then slightly indelicate cutty sark.

The ship actually has 2 versions of her famous figurehead!

One was carved in 1956 to be placed on the prow of the restored ship. She was carved by Arthur Levinson from Colombian pine presented to The Cutty Sark Society by the Canadian Lumberman’s Association. The block of wood was shipped over to the UK from Canada on the Cunard liner ‘Ivernia’.

The second Nannie being carved in the 1950's.

The new Nannie being fitted in 1956.

Nannie removed from the prow of the ship in 2007.

Currently in storage this figurehead will be returned to the ship nearer to the completion of the conservation works.

The original Nannie which was on display within the ship after her 1950’s restoration was carved by F Hellyer of Blackwall. Her head and left arm were lost in rough seas sometime between 1885 and 1895. So her torso has been given a replacement head and arm on a number of occasions. This figurehead will have pride of place on display again within the new museum.

The original Nannie being removed in 2006, her arm wrapped in bubble wrap!

The only way to clean Nannie, when she was on display, was by using a harness and ropes. Luckily our rigging team were well prepared for this!

The Ship's Blog 12th January 2011 'Cutty Sark Videos on YouTube'

2011-01-25T11:51:00.000Z

We now have our own channel on Youtube where you can see video of the conservation progress and process. With over a thousand videos of the project taken by the conservation team to date we hope that you will enjoy seeing a growing selection of these over the coming months.

You can view via our YouTube channel cuttysarkclippership here . You can also choose to subscribe to our YouTube channel to be informed whenever a new video is uploaded. This can be done via the 'subscribe' button on our homepage or via our YouTube channel.

Saving The Bowsprit

2011-01-10T15:31:00.009Z

This is the first of a series of blogs showing you the progress to date of the conservation works by focusing on what has happened to certain 'bits' of the ship. One of the most dominant features of the ship is her bowsprit.

This large spar extends from the prow of the ship. It provides an anchor point for the forestay(s), allowing the foremast to be stepped farther forward on the hull.

As with many other areas of the ship, by 2006, the iron areas of the bowsprit and those areas around it on the prow of the ship were badly in need of repair. Corrosion both in the form of rust and rot was in the advanced stages.

The bowsprit, as well as all of the masts, had to be lifted and removed from the ship to undergo conservation work. This also allowed for the area around the monkey fo'c'sle to be treated.

The pictures below show the extent of the damage and corrosion and the work that has taken place to date to conserve the bowsprit. The bowsprit is just one of hundreds of pieces of the ship, all of which were in urgent need of conservation, and all with their own unique problems to overcome and remedy.

The photos also reveal that we don't always know what we will find when untouched areas of the ship are exposed for the first time! It seems the ship was home to a number of feathered friends!

The bowsprit in position prior to removal for conservation in September 2007.

Looking down the bowsprit prior to its removal in November 2007.

The bowsprit is removed by crane in November 2007, to allow for conservation work to take place.

November 2007: The bowsprit is inspected prior to leaving the ship.

Further inspection reveals evidence of birds nesting within the bowsprit over a number of years!

Looking along the prow of the ship after the removal of the bowsprit, the extensive corrosion and damage is evident.

February 2010: The layers of paint have been removed from the bowsprit and the iron structure has been checked and is undergoing conservation.

August 2010: The cutwater is returned to the ship after it has been through the conservation process, this area is directly under the bowsprit when attached.

September 2010: The conserved cutwater has been re-attached to the ship and is undergoing further work.

December 2010: Work begins on reinstalling the monkey fo’c’sle, looking down onto the main deck from port side, bow end. When this work is complete the bowsprit can be returned to the ship

The Ship's Blog 10th December 2010 'Arriving In Her New Berth'

2010-12-10T11:06:00.004Z

On December 10th 1954 Cutty Sark was towed into her new berth in Greenwich as described in this extract from the ‘Cutty Sark Society’ 1954 Annual Report.

‘Arrangements were made early in the year with Messrs R & H Green & Silley Weir Ltd for the removal of the ‘Cutty Sark’ from Greenhithe to the East India Import Dock, and for reconditioning of the ship. The berth in the dock was kindly made available by the Port of London Authority.

Reconditioning work proceeded while the vessel was in the East India Dock. The sand ballast, topmasts, deckhouses and rigging were removed in order to reduce the draughts as much as possible; the frames were strengthened, and other parts of the structure were repaired. With the assistance of representatives of the Admiralty, inclining tests were carried out to ascertain the minimum safe draught.

The difficult operation of transferring ‘Cutty Sark’ to the permanent berth in Greenwich was successfully and precisely performed under the careful supervision of Messrs R & H Green & Silley Weir Ltd to whom the Board wishes to express its appreciation and thanks.

The Technical Committee would like to add its thanks to those of the Board to Messrs Wm Watkins Ltd for their most generous action in providing the tugs and carrying out all necessary towage from Greenhithe to Blackwall, and Balckwall to Greenwich, free of charge to the Society. The Committee also wishes to express its gratitude to Mr Tom How, who gave his services freely as Pilot in charge of the operation of docking ‘Cutty Sark’.

After the vessel had been floated in, the construction of the wall of the dock at the river end proceeded satisfactorily and has proved to be completely watertight.’

Run for Cutty Sark in The London Marathon 2011

2010-12-09T16:16:00.000Z

If you are a runner and would like to run for The Cutty Sark Trust we have a small number of Golden Bond spaces still available. All we ask is that you will commit to raising a minimum of £1500 for the trust to put toward saving the ship. If you are interested in a Golden Bond space please contact us on info@cuttysark.org.uk or telephone us on 0208 858 2698 before the 11th January 2011.

Cutty Sark is one of the key London landmarks on the marathon route. It has become a spot chosen by huge numbers of spectators to support the runners just after the 6 mile mark. It is also a key point for television coverage of the marathon.

The Ship's Blog 1st December 2010 'Captain Moodie'

2010-12-01T09:52:00.003Z

Capt. George Moodie (1829-1923)
First Master of Cutty Sark

During Cutty Sark’s construction, Capt. Moodie carefully scrutinised the materials bought by Scott & Linton. If they did not meet his high standards, they were not used for the ship. This activity helped bankrupt the young firm, but it is a reason behind the ship’s survival to this day.
Moodie commanded the ship for three voyages from 1870, including the race with Thermopylae in 1872 when she lost her rudder. His skill and knowledge enabled a jury rudder to be fixed to the ship in violent seas, the Cutty Sark returning back to London only seven days after her rival.

Happy Birthday

2010-11-22T09:57:00.001Z

Today is Cutty Sark's 141st Birthday!

Here's the latest artists impression of the ship as she will look in 2012.

Shop Sale

2010-11-08T14:46:00.003Z

For those looking for an unusual gift for anyone at Christmas we have a great range of products in our online shop. We've recently added a 'Cutty Sark Ship In A Bottle' to our product catalogue. And we're having a pre-Christmas sale on many items too! So why not take a look! All the proceeds from our shop go back into the fund to protect Cutty Sark for the future.

Fourth Anniversary

2010-11-04T15:46:00.014Z

It’s officially 4 years ago today that the ship last opened her doors to the public. After inviting more than 16 million people on board and being open nearly every single day since 1957 the ship was embarking on her biggest overhaul in half a century.

When we closed in 2006 we never imagined we would reach the four year milestone and still be in the process of conserving the ship. Without the significant delays caused by the condition of the ship and of course the major fire that swept through her hull in 2007 the project would have been completed a year ago.

However the ship is now coming back together and is looking fantastic, the new museum space is well underway and although the wait has been a long one, we do believe it will be worth it.

When we closed in 2006 we began the slow process of taking the ship apart. The images below were taken fifty years apart and show the masts being installed on the ship after conservation in 1956 and the masts being removed from the ship ready for conservation in 2006. It won’t be long now before the masts return ready to grace the Greenwich skyline once more!

1956 - Laying out the masts.

2006 - Removing the masts.

Jock Willis

2010-10-18T12:16:00.004+01:00

Jock Willis (1817-1899)

Owner Cutty Sark

1869-1895

Every so often we're going to give a short biography of some of the characters and personalities involved in the story of Cutty Sark, both past and present. So there's no better place to start than with the ship's original owner........

Son of a famous captain, Jock Willis commanded one of his father’s vessels, probably the Demerara Planter, when only 19 years of age, and went on to become a ship-owner in his own right. Described as a hard headed and successful business man, Willis later inherited his father’s firm and was a well-known London personality, gaining the name “White Hat” Willis because of his habit of sporting a white top hat around the city!

Having failed in his previous attempts to win the China Tea Race, and witnessing the Thermopylae’s record breaking run to Australia in 1868, he contracted the young firm of Scott & Linton to construct a tea clipper to beat all others. She was launched in 1869 and named the Cutty Sark. Willis was proud of his Scottish heritage, his Border roots and passionate about Robert Burns. The names of his ships reflected this – vessels such as Cutty Sark, Halloween, Whiteadder, Blackadder, and The Tweed.

He awarded the Cutty Sark the “golden chemise”, displayed at the top of the main mast, to represent her primacy in the Australian wool trade. A resident of Cardigan House on Richmond Hill, he died in 1899 having sold the Cutty Sark in 1895.

The Pensacola Hurricane 1906

2010-09-28T16:05:00.001+01:00

Today in 1906 Cutty Sark was grounded by a hurricane whilst she was off loading cargo in Pensacola, Florida. The ship sailing under the name 'Ferreira' was unable to leave the port for many months due to the damage caused by the storm. A rare photograph taken at the time shows her after the hurricane had passed.

Cutty Sark 'Ferreira' during the Pensacola Hurricane 1906.

The Pensacola Journal from the 27th September 1906 detailed the following:

MOST TERRIFIC TROPICAL HURRICANE
PENSACOLA SWEPT BY GREATEST AND MOST DISASTROUS STORM IN HISTORY
Whole Water Front Is Strewn With Wreckage and City Is Almost Devasted
TEN LIVES ARE REPORTED LOST
Big Bayou and Many Houses Along Bay Front Are Swept Away

LOSS WILL RUN INTO MILLIONS AND MONTHS WILL ELAPSE BEFORE DAMAGE CAN BE REPAIRED OR SHIPPING BUSINESS AGAIN FULLY RESUMED

The most terrific storm in the history of Pensacola or since the village of Pensacola on Santa Rosa Island was swept away 170 years ago broke over this city in all its fury Wednesday afternoon and kept up with increasing violence until about noon today when it moderated to a considerable extent. During the height of the storm property valued in the millions was destroyed and it is stated that at least ten lives were lost although the names of those supposed to have been drowned cannot be ascertained at this time.
The greatest loss was to the shipping interests and a large number of ocean going vessels, tugboats fishing smacks, launches and craft of all kinds are wrecked upon the beach, the wreckage being strewn from Magnolia Bluff to the entrance of the harbor. During the height of the storm, people of the city were panic stricken, many believing that a repetition of the Galveston disaster was imminent, and large numbers of people took refuge to the higher portions of the city braving the high wind and stinging rain in the hope of reaching a haven of refuge.

Free Explore London Maritime Tours

2010-09-14T15:27:00.013+01:00

Londoners and visitors to the capital can now explore the city’s maritime secrets through newly launched free smartphone walking tour apps. The website and smartphone applications have been produced by London SHIPS and Clarity in Marketing, and were launched this weekend at the Mayor’s Thames Festival. This event is London’s largest free outdoor arts festival, a spectacular, free celebration of London and its river. London SHIPS were manning a stand in the Blue Ribbon Village where visitors met a costumed interpreter – the captain of HMS Belfast to be precise who brought the ship’s vivid history to life!

The smartphone apps and accompanying website provide directions and information for a series of maritime sites, from Trafalgar Square to the Thames Barrier Park.

The new free walking tours are available to download from

www.londonships.org.uk/explore and include key sites such as Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site and the historic vessels based in London, including HMS Belfast, Golden Hinde and Cutty Sark. They also include less well known locations off the regular tourist trail such as London’s only lighthouse at Trinity Buoy Wharf and the home to the city’s marine police in Wapping, the oldest police force in the world.

www.londonships.org.uk/explore provides information, maps and suggested routes, but users can also modify the tours to suit their particular interests.

Smartphone users can access the tours using free geo-location apps Gowalla and Flook which utilise GPS features of the phone to provide location-related information. Users will be able to share their tips and comments with friends and find other relevant locations nearby.

Flook is a location browser that lets users discover and share the world around them. Flook’s unique approach combines a web browsing concept with the physical world by allowing users to browse or make “cards” at their current location.

Available free to download from iTunes. http://www.flook.it/

The London SHIPS Flook page

Gowalla is a social network that connects people with places by inspiring them to discover and share the world. Motivated by friendship and a growing collection of game-like rewards, people have checked in at over 600,000 unique places in 165 countries. To download Gowalla for your mobile phone (iPhone, Andriod, Blackberry and Palm compatible) please visit http://www.gowalla.com/

London Ships of Historic Interest Partnership (SHIPS) was founded by member vessels HMS Belfast, Cutty Sark, Golden Hinde, Massey Shaw, SS Robin and HQS Wellington, and brings together over four centuries of our nation’s great maritime history. The group aims to provide a dedicated information service to visitors to the capital who want to find out more about the nautical attractions offered on the River Thames.

Britain is at heart a maritime nation, dependent on the sea for trade. Sea trade and its security depend on a huge fleet of ships of all sizes and an extensive supporting infrastructure. Over the past few decades, there has been a diminution in the public perception of the conduct and importance of sea business; the historic ships based in London provide a valuable source of information and inspiration, as well as facilities to inform and educate the public on the role in our lives of ships and the sea not just in the past, but today and into the future.

London SHIPS brings together for the first time the varied ships of historic interest based in London, to inspire learning and to be enjoyed.

Find out more about London SHIPS at http://www.londonships.org.uk/

Afternoon Tea

2010-08-26T16:09:00.004+01:00

By 1869, when Cutty Sark was built, tea had become part of the staple diet of the poor, but it was among the rich that tea-drinking had evolved into an elaborate social occasion. Tradition has it that afternoon tea was 'invented' by Anna Maria, the wife of the seventh Duke of Bedford, who in 1841 started drinking tea and having a bite to eat in the mid-afternoon, to tide her over during the long gap between lunch (eaten at about 1 o'clock) and dinner (eaten at around 7 o'clock). This swiftly developed into a social occasion, and soon the Duchess was inviting guests to join her for afternoon tea at 5 o'clock. It did not become instantly popular elsewhere though, partly because in fashionable circles dinner was eaten earlier, leaving less of a gap to be filled by afternoon tea. But by the 1860s the fashion for afternoon tea had become widespread. Such teas were elegant affairs, with tea drunk from the best china and small amounts of food presented perfectly on little china plates. On offer might be bread and butter, scones and cakes, and sandwiches with the crusts cut off.

Contemporary manuals on etiquette and good housekeeping are full of advice on how to conduct a correct afternoon tea. The idea of needing an instruction book in order to enjoy a cup of tea and a biscuit with some friends seems rather alarming these days, but although nineteenth century afternoon teas were elaborate affairs from our point of view, in those days they were considered relatively informal occasions. Invitations were issued verbally or by note, and rather than attending for the entire duration guests were free to pop in when it suited them and likewise leave when they wanted to. The hostess would pour the tea, but it was the responsibility of the men to hand the cups round. If there were no men present, this job fell to the daughters of the hostess or other young women present (goodness know what happened if there were no men and no daughters available!). There was a fashion for women to wear tea gowns, but these were softer and less restrictive than evening gowns, and it was not always deemed necessary for women to wear gloves. Nonetheless many did, and the author of The Etiquette of Modern Society points out that a thoughtful hostess should always provide biscuits with tea, since these can be eaten more easily than sandwiches without removing one's gloves.

To read this article in it’s original location and for a wealth of information on tea, including interesting stories about tea, visit the UK Tea Council website www.tea.co.uk

Life On Board

2010-08-18T15:53:00.009+01:00

The entire compliment of the ship was, at most, 28 men, including the Master and the First Officer or Mate.

Nationalities were mixed, Danes, Germans, Greeks, Italians, Australians, and West Indians all served on Cutty Sark. Most of the time, however, the majority of the crew were registered as British subjects.

The crew lists for Cutty Sark, one for each voyage, required under Act of Parliament and the later Merchant Shipping Act of 1835, still exist.

This act stated that the master of any vessel belonging to a British subject bound on a foreign voyage, or any British registered vessel of eighty tons or more had to carry a written agreement made before the voyage with every man on board.

This agreement was to specify the wages, the nature of the voyage and the capacity under which he was to serve. The list would also help inform the list of victuals to which the seaman was entitled.

Ships Biscuit

The food was basic and monotonous. There was no way to freeze items for long voyages, unlike on ships today. Items such as fresh fruit or coffee were simply unavailable to a merchant seaman back in the late 19^th century. Several methods of preserving were available to mariners, particularly smoking and salting. Such methods did not however provide ships' crews with a healthy diet.

A cask of beef and a cask of pork would be opened every two weeks. Bread and ‘hard tack’ (ship’s biscuits) were served on alternate days. Rations for all foodstuffs were generally less than what would be expected today.

Some effort went into provisioning Cutty Sark with fresh food, but on longer voyages this was not possible. Livestock was carried on board; usually chickens or pigs. In calm weather the pigs were allowed to roam around the deck.

Fresh water was a valuable commodity: it had to be rationed and the freshwater pump was kept locked. Each man was allowed a gallon a day, but five pints of this went to the cook, leaving only three pints for drinking and washing.

If you are interested in more detailed information about each person listed as serving on board between the years 1870 – 1895 a book is available from our online shop ‘The Crews Of The Cutty Sark’.

Fastest in her day......and ours!

2010-07-28T16:22:00.014+01:00

It was reported in the news this week that modern container ships are taking longer to cross the oceans than the Cutty Sark. Travel times between Australia and Europe, are today comparable to those of the great age of sail in the 19th century.This is due to modern shipping lines adopting 'super-slow steaming' to cut back on fuel consumption. A combination of the recession and a growing awareness about climate change emissions has lowered speeds, with many major companies operating their ships at 12 knots (under 14mph) down from 25 knots in 2007.

It’s also reported that shipping companies are adopting different ways to reduce fuel use and cut carbon emissions. Fitting ships with kite-like "skysails” or systems that force compressed air out of hulls to allow them to "ride" on a cushion of bubbles have all been tried.

Also many modern commercial ships including the Queen Mary 2 have had their hulls coated with special anti-fouling paint. This has been shown to cut around 9% from CO₂ emissions by keeping their bottoms free from barnacles and other sea life. In the mid 19^th century to prevent this happening to Cutty Sark’s hull it was sheathed with sheets of Muntz metal. Obviously in Cutty Sark’s case this wasn’t an effort to prevent CO₂ emissions but to help improve her passage through the water by decreasing the pull.

130 years ago Cutty Sark would regularly travel at speeds in excess of 17 knots. It’s not the first time that Cutty Sark has been in the news for beating fuel powered ships. In 1889, Cutty Sark was involved in a famous incident with the ultra-modern P&O steam ship Britannia. On the night of the 25th July, Britannia, doing between 14.5 and 16 knots, was overhauled by Cutty Sark doing a good 17 knots.

Robert Olivey, Second Officer on Britannia, watched the lights of the sailing ship overhauling his vessel with amazement and called Captain Hector. Neither could have known it was Cutty Sark, and Britannia’s log read with great amazement, “Sailing ship overhauled and passed us!”

So it seems that not only was Cutty Sark fastest in her day, she may well have been fastest in our day too!

Cutty Sark at sea

Hitting The Million

2010-07-20T16:46:00.010+01:00

A major milestone was reached by Cutty Sark as a museum ship 50 years ago today – the 20^th July 1960. An excerpt from the 1960 Annual Report explains…..

‘it is now four years since Her Majesty the Queen opened the Cutty Sark for exhibition to the public and it is with satisfaction that the Governors report that the ship still continues to attract large numbers of visitors. During the summer of 1960 no fewer than 13000 children went aboard in parties booked in advance from over 600 schools. It was therefore, not altogether surprising that the millionth visitor was a schoolboy. Anthony Heap of St Peters School, Hammersmith was received on board on the 20^th July 1960’

The ship had reached the one million visitors mark.

Only fours years later on the 4^th August 1964 this number doubled to reach two million visitors. These milestones would be broken again and again as the ship continued to hold a special appeal for visitors from across the world. By the time the ship closed for conservation in 2006 we’d had more than 15 million visitors.

Did you visit us back in the summer of 1960? We’d love to hear about your memories of your visit if you did?

Amateur Photographer

2010-07-16T16:11:00.008+01:00

Best known and longest serving Master of Cutty Sark, Captain Woodget was in command of the ship between 1885-1895. Under Woodget, Cutty Sark firmly established herself as one of the fastest vessels afloat, achieving a long series of record-breaking voyages between England and Australia.

Woodget was a keen amateur photographer, encouraged to take up photography by Toby Mayall, a member of the crew and son of a London photographer. Woodget’s prints provide the only images of life on board and the amazing sights encountered by the crew on their voyages to the other side of the world. Woodget was particularly fond of his pet Collie dogs. Using them on a number of occasions as the subject for his photographs!

Woodget's collie on board Cutty Sark

Cutty Sark: A Tale

2010-07-09T15:15:00.009+01:00

If you’ve visited Greenwich in recent months and arrived by public transport there’s a good chance that you may have seen the DLR Art commission that is alongside both the south bound and the north bound platforms at Cutty Sark Station.

The two pieces of work are titled Cutty Sark: A Tale. The work links the themes of maritime history, astronomy and the Robert Burns’ poem Tam O’Shanter. As you may know it was this poem that inspired the naming of the ship in 1869.

The artist David Ward has contrasted an image of a comet’s tail with the image of the horsehair tail that is held in the hand of our figurehead ‘Nannie’. There are similarities not only in the appearance of the comet and the horsehair tale but also in the idea that like a comet the ship followed a set course around the world at great speed.

The Cutty Sark Trust were more than pleased to allow the horsehair tail to be photographed in such an evocative way for an art commission that lends itself so well to the station named after the ship.

Part of the work entitled Cutty Sark: A Tale.

The DLR's Public Arts Programme is inspired by the urban landscapes, communities and cultural organisations that it connects. The aim of the artworks is that they be innovative, inspirational and engaging.

DLR Art will see artworks installed across the DLR network and trackside, in adjacent public spaces and in stations and trains over the next few years. For more information in the scheme visit www.dlrart.co.uk

More information on the artist and the work can be found on display boards situated in the centre of the platforms at Cutty Sark station.

Junior Shipmates

2010-06-30T15:35:00.010+01:00

In 1953, “The Eagle” comic launched a scheme whereby boys and girls became ‘Junior Shipmates of the Cutty Sark’ by subscribing 2/6 in return for which they received a badge or a brooch, designed by Reynolds Stone RA

Reynolds Stone who died in 1979 was a noted English engraver, designer, typographer and painter.

Much of his work was done in the field of printing as a designer of typefaces, book jackets and bookplates. In 1949 he redesigned the famous clock logo of TheTimes. In 1951 he was invited to carve the Second Worls War memorial in the Grand Entrance of the Victoria and Albert Museum. He engraved the Royal Arms for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 and the official coat of arms for Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1955 - still reproduced today on the cover of the UK passport.

1955 Design still used on the UK Passport.

He designed the £5 and £10 bank notes respectively and in 1965 he carved the memorial to Sir Winston Churchill in Westminster Abbey.

Did you read ‘’The Eagle’’ in 1953 as a child, maybe you even received one of the Cutty Sark badges. We’d be really interested to hear from you if you did.

For more information on Reynolds Stone you can visit www.reynoldsstone.co.uk

A New Name

2010-06-21T16:51:00.003+01:00

It was on this day 21st June 1922 that Cutty Sark set sail for the first time! Hang on, that was in 1869 surely?

Well yes, of course, but it was on this day that she sailed under a new name, Maria do Amparo.

By the 1920's Cutty Sark had been sailing far longer than her expected lifespan, she had been sold by her original owner Jock Willis back in 1895, as she was no longer profitable enough for Willis to keep maintaining her. She was renamed Ferreira by her new Portuguese owners.

In 1922 she was sold again and renamed Maria do Amparo. It was with this new name that she set sail from Lisbon on the 21st June 1922.

By September of 1922 she was back in British ownership having been bought by Captain Dowman. He'd recognised Cutty Sark earlier in the year, and despite her forlorn condition he made it his aim to return her to her former glory.

Cutty Sark was lucky. Her beauty had been recognised. It was not such a happy ending for Cutty Sark's greatest rival Thermopylae. She had also found her way to Portugal by 1895, but seen as old fashioned and of little worth she was purchased by the Portuguese Navy, towed out to sea and torpedoed in a practice exercise.

Photo Diary

2010-06-14T12:23:00.005+01:00

Don't forget that we have a photo diary on our website showing the work in progress, it is currently back dated to September 2007 but we are working on having the diary available to view back to the beginning of the conservation project in November 2006.

Each month we update the diary to show the changes to the ship as we move closer to completing the works. We also hope to begin uploading selected video footage of the project soon, this too dates back to the beginning of the project! So watch this space!

The diary is viewable from the 'Photo Diary' link on our homepage or click 'Photo Diary' to view now.

All & Sundry

2010-06-11T09:46:00.008+01:00

Of course Cutty Sark is famous for being a tea clipper, racing back to London from China loaded with the new tea crop. But she would carry a vast array of other goods and cargo during her life at sea.

Before leaving London on each voyage she was often loaded with items which were destined for countries such as Australia.

The cargo manifest from 1872 details the following items to be shipped to Melbourne:

baking powder; Rickett blue; sherry; plated ware; iron; quicksilver; fruits; machinery; pianos; nails; bolts; shot; spades; shaft; fancy goods; grindery; seeds; candles; carriageware; sugar; oilman's stores; brandy; wine; hardware; tinplates; iron sheets; galvanised iron; timber; bells and stocks; anvils; hops; engine springs; currants; tobacco; malt; earthen and glassware; paper; printing material; books; drugs and chemicals; oils and paints; soft goods, boots and shoes; music and instruments; sundries.

As the voyage out to Australia took around three months some of the cargo didn’t always arrive in the best of condition. The detailed cargo information on arrival in Melbourne lists items spoilt: corn sacks, brandy, figs, wine, oil cloth, sardines, champagne.

This manifest also details a consignment for Rolfe & Co: blue, bluestone, liquorice, jujubes, carriage candles, cocoa, marmalade, vestas.

A jujube is a fruit which can be dried and has many uses including as an ingredient in traditional medicines and as a flavouring for drinks.

Looking at the list it makes you wonder how many pianos dotted around Australia may have a link to Cutty Sark!

Shipshape

2010-06-08T14:11:00.009+01:00

We’re all really pleased that another important section of the ship was returned last week. This is the ship’s cutwater or beak, the wooden section of the ship that juts out from the bow helping to support the bow-sprit. With this part of the ship back in position she is really starting to get back her original graceful lines. It was these proportions which helped make her so fast in the water. The beak has undergone conservation work and has now been re-attached as the photos show.

The ship’s original owner John ‘Jock’ Willis really wanted to win the prestigious tea race and gain all of its associated prestige for his shipping firm ‘John Willis & Son’. In 1868 he had the seeds of a future design in his head. He believed that his current flagship, The Tweed, was the fastest ship afloat but was too big for the tea trade. If he could build a new ship with the same lines, but smaller…….

He had just the man to do it, a talented young designer called Hercules Linton, a partner in a new firm called Scott & Linton which had set up business at Dumbarton, on the Clyde. In 1868, Willis took Linton to see The Tweed’s bow, which was not too rounded at the forefront (the front of the keel) but with a squarer stern than the bigger ships. This was a telling factor in the Cutty Sark’s ultimate success, for it made her more stable than The Tweed and more able to carry sail. Most tea clippers needed very careful handling in heavy seas, but the Cutty Sark could be driven hard like no other.

The Famous Little Clipper

2010-06-02T15:54:00.006+01:00

Cutty Sark was famous even during her working life as the fastest of the clippers, particularly on the Australia – London run. Tourists were invited on board in Sydney and in

South Africa

even when, after 1895, she had been sold to the Ferreira company and was flying a Portuguese flag. Enthusiasts had tried to save her for the nation during the First World War, but finally Captain Wilfred Dowman succeeded in 1922. She has been commemorated ever since, in a wide variety of media, from teabags to public houses.

The ship marked her centenary year in 1969 with amongst other things a special stamp produced by The Royal Mail. Part of The British Ships collection the stamp was released to the public on the 15^th January 1969.

The stamp was designed by David Gentleman who has produced many of Britain’s most popular commemorative stamp designs.

The 9d stamp was also attached to a special First Day Cover to be posted from the ship on one day only, the 100^th anniversary of the ship’s launch on the 22^nd November 1969.

We’ll be looking at some of the many other ways that Cutty Sark has been depicted in future blogs.

Cutty Sark has inspired many people to name products, buildings and even places after her. Maybe you know of places called ‘Cutty Sark’ that we don’t? Or images of her on buildings or products local to you? We’d love to hear about any of them.

The National Drink

2010-05-27T15:32:00.004+01:00

Former British Prime Minister William Gladstone wrote, "If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you."
We have a figurehead of Gladstone in our collection. The Cutty Sark Trust has one of the world's largest collections of figureheads. Most of which will be on display in the new museum space when the ship re-opens. Gladstone who was prime minister four times in the 19th century repealed the duty on tea so it could be more affordable for the working classes and incidentally was also MP for Greenwich.

It's all in the detail

2010-05-26T15:15:00.000+01:00

Cutty Sark’s original specification makes interesting reading. When she was commissioned in 1869, her owner, the man holding the chequebook, John ‘Jock’ Willis wanted no expense spared. It is written in the original document under clause number 75 ‘The whole to be of the very best workmanship, material and finish.’ This may go some way to explain why the building of Cutty Sark bankrupted her first shipyard. The wide variety of items to be constructed and sourced for the ship is evident from a section marked sundries, ‘Four hen coops of Teak 8 ft long. Pig houses covered with teak to be found and fitted with all requisites necessary and placed where required. Racks for arms to be fitted, one four pounder gun to be found and fitted with carriage, Breech ropes and fixings, ladders for hold and Twix Deck and for Peaks and skids. Handsome stairway with perforated brass steps. Teak hand rails, Belaying pins and rigging winches at fore and main rigging. Spare tiller to be found, Gratings aft and covers for steering gear in Teak. The Block Sheaves, Hearts, Deadeyes and Bull’s eyes to be of Lignum Vitae, the pins steel. The bindings inside fore and main deadeyes 9” in diameter, remainder in proportion. A figurehead by Allan with suitable carving about the stern and to correspond with the name of the ship.’ Clause 54 details only her brass work ‘All the Bitt ends, cabin door locks and hinges, and door slides, mounting for capstan with plate and ship’s name. Helmets for compasses, Teak hand-rail in front of poop stairway and Brass perforated plates on steps of stairs, Ship’s bell 50 lbs. with name engraved, skylight hinges, Quadrants and guard side light frames to be of brass, small bell for Quarter Deck’ With this level and attention to detail in her construction it’s no wonder that Jock Willis loved the ship from the moment he saw her. He was the first of many to fall under her spell!

The Stern Returns

2010-05-21T16:54:00.002+01:00

Today was an exciting day for all of us here at Cutty Sark. Two years since its removal and after much careful conservation work the ship’s stern was reattached. This marks a massive milestone in our efforts to conserve the ship. The stern section was craned back into position at 11am. The operation to reunite the two bits of the ship took slightly longer than we anticipated! But eventually after about an hour and with a little gentle persuasion to get the stern over the rudder post the operation was a success!

It seems a timely point for this to be happening as it’s three years since the fire that tore through the ship at the beginning of the conservation project. Since that point we’ve been hit by delays and financial worries but thanks in large part to the DCMS we are now back on track. Through this blog we will show you the conservation process in detail, as well as the reasons why we are conserving the ship and why we are all so passionate about her.