Historians Solicit Public Recollections of Cutty Sark’s 1953 Arrival

Seventy years have passed since the Cutty Sark completed its final journey, and now historians are seeking individuals who recall the day the vessel was towed to its permanent resting place. On December 10, 1953, the British tea clipper was guided by two tugboats into dry dock in Greenwich, south-east London. Royal Museums Greenwich announced that those possessing memories of this event would be invited to contribute their recollections to an upcoming museum initiative. Since the Cutty Sark’s installation in Greenwich, an estimated 17 million-plus visitors have explored its decks. Prior to reaching Greenwich, the ship was initially towed to East India Docks, where its topmasts, deckhouses, and rigging were taken down to mitigate potential risks. A temporary passage was carved into the Thames wall, allowing the ship to be carefully maneuvered into the dock while floating in only 45cm (18in) of water. The remaining water receded with the tide, after which the entrance was sealed. The vessel then underwent a three-year restoration period before its official opening in 1957 by Queen Elizabeth II. Alan is among the first individuals to submit his memories via an online platform. “I can just about remember the Cutty Sark being towed into the dock at Greenwich by what I believe were two Sun Tugs,” the London resident recounted. “I was seven years old at the time. One was the Sun V, aboard which I started my Thames career when I was 15 years of age.” Louise Macfarlane, the senior curator of Maritime Technologies, observed: “What we’ve experienced over the years of Cutty Sark being in London is that there’s this real emotional connection with the ship and we really wanted to give space for that.” She added, “If you remember the ship arriving 70 years ago, fantastic, please do share that memory with us, but equally if you’ve got a memory from last week (of the ship) we’d love to hear from you.” She further clarified that these memories can be submitted either directly at the Cutty Sark site or through an online portal. Macfarlane emphasized, “The real thing that’s really special about the Cutty Sark is that it’s the last one left.” She continued, “This is the last tea clipper in the world, so it’s come to encapsulate lots of things beyond itself, and I think for me that’s the special thing.” For more content, listeners can tune into the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and connect with BBC London on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be sent to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.