Conservation Plan 3 Significance.pdf - National Maritime Museum

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Cutty Sark Conservation Plan vol. 3: Significance Alterations 1870 — 1953 Ship rig Barquentine 26 of 107 The crew accommodation was moved from the foc’sle to a new deckhouse in 1871. The masts and spars were shortened when she began work as a wool clipper, facing stormier conditions of Cape Horn. Under the Portuguese, she was re-rigged as a barquentine in 1916. The original fore lower mast was retained, a new main lower mast stepped and the mizzen lower mast was repaired and lengthened. The boats, davits, skid beams, etc. were moved forward to a position between the fore and main masts. The poop deck accommodation was also altered at this time. Under Captain Dowman’s ownership Cutty Sark was re-rigged back to ship-rig, but using the existing lower masts. Unfortunately, both the fore and main lower masts were too short and the mizzen lower too long, and many of the spar dimensions were incorrect. Photographs show that the shrouds were incorrectly set up. Additional davits and lifeboats were fitted abeam of the after deckhouse and in the position in which the boats were stowed before the Portuguese alterations. Also at this time, four ventilators were installed at the fore end, three ventilating the foc’sle accommodation and one replacing the small hatch forward of the foremast to ventilate the fore end of the ’tween deck. A cowl ventilator, two mushroom ventilators and two skylights were fitted to the roof of the afterdeck house, and one cowl ventilator fitted at the afterend of the coach roof. Companionways were built over the hatchways and, just prior to her departure from Falmouth, the ’tween deck was pierced for portholes.
Alterations 1953 — 1957 Cutty Sark Conservation Plan vol.3: Significance There are no records of structural alterations to the vessel during her time at Greenhithe, although during the War, the fore, main and mizzen topgallant and royal masts were sent down, with their yards, as a precaution against low flying aircraft. They were not sent back up. No records have been located detailing any work that may have been undertaken in 1951 for the Festival of Britain. Masterminded by the then-director of the National Maritime Museum, this restoration/reconstruction programme involved a huge amount of repair and replacement work, particularly to the superstructure. However, the structural and cosmetic alterations to the hull were relatively minor, the principle ones being: • creation of a new deck in the lower hold for exhibitions • emergency exit cut through the bottom of the ship • entrance way cut in the side of the ship to provide visitor access • insertion of stairways through fore and aft hatches to provide visitor access A considerable amount of research was undertaken to present the ship in a form in which she would have appeared in 1872 (with the most notable exception of the configuration of the saloon), including gathering primary material, as the working life of the ship was still within living memory. Apart from a few errors in the rigging, the use of softwoods (which decayed rapidly), and a support system that would prove inadequate, as a restoration project, it was an outstanding achievement. However, it would today be criticised because much evidence of earlier periods was swept away at this time, including panelling in the saloon, and a philosophy of replacement rather than conservation. 27 of 107
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Conservation Plan 3 Significance.pdf - National Maritime Museum

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