This morning I awoke to the news that the Cutty Sark was on fire. It's difficult for me to imagine a sadder start to the day. The hull, still in its dry dock, is a charred shell. There's a chance that the fire was arson. I hope they find the culprits and keel-haul them very slowly underneath a very large tanker. Even if it proves to be negligence, I can't help feeling that the same punishment will be warranted.
The ship was in the early stages of a £25 million restoration programme. The good news is that about 50% of the ship was not in place, but is in a restoration yard at Chatham Docks. But 80% of what is left has been destroyed, with the decks lying in ashes on the floor of the dry dock. The masts I have been used to seeing towering over the town centre were removed some time ago, and the figurehead was in separate accommodation next to the ship and was untouched by the fire. Nevertheless the loss of original materials is a devastating blow. The restorers are determined to give us back what they can, but it will never be the same again.For those who are interested in the origin of the name, Cutty Sark is the Scots name for a short petticoat, and the Scottish poet Robbie Burns, in his poem Tam O'Shanter, the "hero" comes across a witch dressed in a cutty sark, and she chases him till his horse reaches a river. As witches cannot cross running water, he escapes, but the witch grabs his horse's tail, which comes off in her hand. The figurehead always has a fresh horse's tail in her outstretched fist.
9 comments:
I thought I'd misheard this story when I heard it on the news this morning. Let's hope that the National Lottery stump up some of the billions it hoards to help pay for restoring, rather than sending a large sum of money to help farmers up a mountain in Peru study the effect of rain on flowers (or some other nonsensical project they seem to have a fondness for)
They think it may be arson... I just wonder if it was something from the restoration work... hmmmm!!!
Oh no!!! I remember your Cutty Sark post b/c I asked if that's where the liquor got the name! What a terrible shame that so much was lost! Keep us posted if/when they catch the arsonist(s).
Prior to this post, the only thing I knew about Cutty Sark was that it is a brand of booze. Thanks Val for the mini-lesson. I certainly hope they manage to put it back to rights.
"The restorers are determined to give us back what they can, but it will never be the same again."
It is a tragedy beyond belief, but chin up, Val. As a woodworker of some note I can assure you that the people working on it, given the time and money, will be able to put her to rights again.
A friend of mine worked on the Kalmar Nyckell reproduction, but they did it using original techniques wherever possible and the end result was a true wooden ship as real as the original.
http://www.kalmarnyckel.org/
I'm quite certain the same can be said of the Cutty Sark.
Stop and think, if you will, how many ships of the line in Nelson's time were battered and bruised by cannonades and put to rights again afterwards.
This situation won't be much different in the end. I expect any witch worth her salt would rise from the ashes and ride the wind again.
:o)>
I saw it on Breakfast news yessterday.I'm hopeful that they'll put her to rights again.I also hope that the fire was started accidentally because the iea that someone did it on purpose is just too nasty,and heartbreaking.
julie...
I thought of you Val when I saw this tragic story on CNN while I was at the gym. Very pitiful.
What a shame! If it was arson, I hope they find them.
They said there had been no work on the ship since Friday Ann, so it's unlikely to be that. On the other hand, some locals appear to have heard yobs around the area at about the time the fire started.
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