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Cutty Sark, London

Cutty Sark was launched on 22nd of November 1869 at Dumbarton, Scotland. She was built for John Willis, a ship owner based at the port of London. Willis was a literary man and during his time as a ship's captain would often read novels in his cabin. He named his sleek new ship after a character in a Robert Burns story. In this story a farmer called Tam O'Shanter riding out one night comes across a coven of witches dancing around a fire in a churchyard. Tam is terrified but mesmerised, particularly by the dancing of the youngest and most attractive witch. Tam names this fascinating witch Cutty Sark, after the Scottish name for the petticoat she is wearing. Tam tries to keep quiet, but eventually can't help shouting out his admiration for Cutty Sark's dancing. Furious at being disturbed, Cutty Sark and her fellow witches chase the unfortunate farmer away. He only just manages to escape with his life.

Perhaps Willis saw his ships as having a life of their own, reflected in the evocative names he gave them. He named one of his other ships Hallow'een, after another Robert Burns story. Certainly a sailing ship like Cutty Sark was less predictable than a modern ship. No journey time is certain when you rely on the wind. The ships themselves were less reliable than modern ships. The wind that drove them was potentially the wind that broke them. Cutty Sark might have danced across the waves, but there was much frightening unpredictability in sailing her. The name seems wonderfully fitting, and in a sense sums up the whole age of sailing ships.

 

 

 

 

 

Hay's Galleria

After being launched in 1869, bankrupting the company who built her, Cutty Sark went to work on the run to China round the Cape of Good Hope, carrying cargoes of tea. Getting back first with the new tea harvest meant higher profits, and Cutty Sark made eight high speed voyages from China to London. One captain had to retire with stress after a race with the clipper Thermopylae in 1872. The tea dock where she unloaded her cargo in London survives today as Hay's Galleria, on the south bank of the Thames near HMS Belfast.

But time was moving on. Steamships were replacing sailing ships, and into the 1880s Cutty Sark moved to the wool trade, where her speed still made her valuable. Eventually, however, the lower running costs and reliability of steam ships also pushed Cutty Sark out of the wool trade. She was sold to Portuguese owners who continued to use her for transporting general cargo. In 1923 Wilfred Dowman, a sailing enthusiast, saw Cutty Sark at Falmouth when she put in to repair storm damage. Dowman was able to buy her, and Cutty Sark remained at Falmouth until 1936 where she was used as a training vessel. In 1938 there was a move to Greenhithe, and continuing use as a training ship. Finally in 1954 Cutty Sark was bought by the Cutty Sark Society, formed by the director of the National Maritime Museum, Frank Carr. She was then berthed in a special dry dock in Greenwich where she has remained as a visitor attraction ever since.

Sadly in 2007 during restoration work Cutty Sark caught fire and was badly damaged. Fortunately much of the ship was not at the site, being away for repair. It is hoped that she will be fully restored by spring of 2012. Until then it is not possible to visit the Cutty Sark.

 

 

Opening Times: Please note that the Cutty Sark Conservation Project is currently underway and therefore there is no access to the ship at present.

Address: The Cutty Sark Trust, 2 Greenwich Church Street, Greenwich, London SE10 9BG

Directions: Cutty Sark is in dry dock beside the Thames at Greenwich, just off the A206. Click here for an interactive map centred on the Cutty Sark. The Cutty Sark Conservation Centre is beside the ship.

Access: The exhibition is fully accessible for visitors in wheelchairs. Toilet facilities, including adapted facilities, are available at the nearby Greenwich Visitor Centre.

Contact:

telephone: 020 8858 2698

fax: 020 8858 6976

e-mail: bookings@cuttysark.org.uk

web site: www.cuttysark.org.uk