Pipkin, Curlew and Aileen

The pontoon at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall is busy again, now that summer is here: after a winter in the museum workshop Curlew, Aileen and Pipkin are all in the water. All three can be seen sailing up and down the river Fal throughout the summer.

Curlew is the oldest boat returning to the pontoon. A Falmouth quay punt that has travelled the world as a yacht, her career is one of the most varied, as it ranges from fishing boat to leisure cruiser to race winner.

Aileen is the very first St Mawes One Design. She was designed by Frank Peters after he was defeated in races off St Mawes, and was built for speed. She won three Falmouth Town Regatta Class races.

Pipkin is based on the design of the Cape Cod catboats and is used by the volunteers to hone their sailing skills.

On the subject of the NMMC, I’ve been asked to ask a favour of intheboatshed.net readers. It seems that the Our lighthouses: life on the rocks exhibition has made it to the semi-finals in the Best heritage project category of The National Lottery Awards, and needs your votes to make it through to the final.

Just 10 Lottery-funded projects are in contention. Voting is now open now and ends at midday on Friday 18 June.

To vote call 0844 686 7951 (calls cost 5p from a BT landline) or log on to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards (which is free).

Relieving the shift on Bishop Rock Lighthouse 1969 (thanks to Gibsons of Scilly); Portland Bill Lighthouse, Dorset (thanks to Trinity House); a storm lashes Longships Lighthouse (thanks to Tim Stevens, image courtesy of Trinity House)

Happy New Year! Lighthouses: Life on the Rocks is the title of a major new exhibition at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall from February 2010.

For centuries the men who operated these iconic beacons of light protected our seas in a very hands-on way, but the UK’s last manned lighthouse was converted to automatic operation in November 1998. This exhibition will therefore explore the lives of the last of the lighthouse keepers before their histories slip out of living memory, and explain the feats of engineering that lie behind the building of the lighthouses themselves.

It will feature a large array of objects including a massive four tonne optic, and there will also be a reconstruction of a lighthouse’s living quarters featuring original curved furniture from Godrevy Lighthouse.

The keepers lived a life of strict routine and isolation, and to fill their time would engage in all sorts of interests including poetry, crafting ships in light bulbs, and supplementing their limited supplies using surprising techniques such as kite fishing.

The exhibition is supported by Trinity House and the General Lighthouse Authority, which is lending a large number of artefacts to the exhibition, which complements the authority’s own heritage centre at the Lizard, and by grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

]]> http://intheboatshed.net/2010/01/01/national-maritime-museum-cornwall-devotes-a-big-show-to-lighthouses-and-their-keepers/feed/ 2 http://intheboatshed.net/2009/12/02/the-pentreath-photo-archive-talk-at-the-nmmc-falmouth/ http://intheboatshed.net/2009/12/02/the-pentreath-photo-archive-talk-at-the-nmmc-falmouth/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:40:00 +0000 Gavin Atkin http://intheboatshed.net/?p=8598

Newlyn harbour; portrait of a Porthleven fisherman; unloading, Mevagissey harbour; launching lifeboat, Port Isaac; Princess Victoria. Click on the thumbnails to see larger photos. Images courtesy of the Pentreath Photographic Archives of Cornish Maritime History

This post marks the 1000th intheboatshed.net post! Hurrah!

Professor Jan Pentreath will reveal some items from his archive of local images dating from the mid-nineteenth century up to the end of the 1930s at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall at Falmouth on the 7th December 2009.

The event is an illustrated public talk titled Snapshots of Cornish maritime history and is part of a programme combining a lecture and lunch exploring different historical and nautical themes. Prof Pentreath says: ‘Each image represents a snapshot of our rich local maritime history and reveals the lives of the men and women who lived and worked on our waters. This talk will look at a number of stunning images and the fascinating stories behind them.’

The lecture and set lunch is from 12.30pm on Monday, 7 December and costs £12.50. To book your place please call 01326 214546.

For more intheboatshed.net posts on events and exhibitions at the NMMC, click here.

OK 15 Ping Pong racing with her contemporaries, and at the National Maritime Museum – boat collections manager Andy Wyke is shown for scale!

An early example of the popular 4m (13ft 1in) OK singlehanded racing dinghy is on show at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall until the end of December this year.

The OK was the brainchild of Danish architect Axel Damgaard Olsen who, in 1956, saw the need for a fast, singlehanded boat with a simple unstayed rig that would be exciting to sail – and provided the inspiration for his friend Danish yacht designer Knud Olsen to draw up the plans.

Considered easy for home construction, the first 70 boats were built in Denmark between 1956 and 1957. By 1974 the class had achieved international status: numbers worldwide now exceed 15,000.

The Museum’s OK is number 15, Ping Pong. She was built in 1961 by Hugh Patton, who built several dinghies for himself and others in the back of his watchmaker’s repair shop in Bath.

He was also a successful sailor and sailed the dinghy in Olympic Trials in  1963, when it was thought that the class might be involved in the Tokyo Olympics of 1964.

Ping Pong was sold out of the Patton family in 1968 and was donated to the National Maritime Museum Cornwall by the OK Dinghy British Class Association in 2008.

NMMC boat collections manager Andy Wyke observes that originally the dinghy was to be named KO, after Knud Olsen’s initials, until someone pointed out that Ko is Danish for cow!

Today the OK is one of the most widespread international dinghies, with a loyal worldwide following. It is sailed in over 20 countries and has inspired many sailors to become involved in the sport.”

Dave Cooper, the International OK Dinghy UK website’s editor kindly supplied the photos above showing Ping Pong racing with her contemporaries. I asked him what he thought the appeal of the boat and the class might be, and this is what he said:

‘Hi Gavin,

‘Actually, OKs haven’t changed very much at all: now that flat side decks are back in fashion, contemporary hulls are pretty much identical to my first (1968) boat!

‘The materials have changed a bit: there are lots of foam sandwich epoxy boats now, but a new plywood boat came second at this years Nationals, so it’s not all over for wood yet!

‘The big change has been the rigs: the pic of Ping-Pong at the dinghy show gives quite a good impression of the wooden mast (laminated and very beautiful, I always thought) with the boom going right through a big slot in the mast. The booms had an ash front end scarfed to a spruce spar. Wood was superceded by aluminium, and now we’re using carbon.

‘Sail shape has also changed a bit. Someone in the 60′s pushed the top batten up a bit to make the sail more like the Merlin Rocket’s sail (I still say it’s illegal!), but the class still sticks with Dacron, so there are no laminate or Kevlar sails.

‘The class rules tie the boat down to a pretty fair one design, but sheeting and sail controls are completely free, so there’s plenty of scope for individual preference and experimentation.

‘I think people like the OK because it’s a design you can sail anywhere: just as happy on a river or gravel pit as out in big waves in the open sea. They sail well in any wind from bugger-all to way-too-much. The competition is always terrific: at any event there are desperate struggles going on right through the fleet with the guys at the back tussling just as hard as the front runners, and because the design isn’t particularly fast all the racing is very eyeball-to-eyeball.

‘It isn’t a particularly easy boat to sail, but doesn’t have any vices that good technique won’t overcome, so practice and pushing your own limitations pays dividends.

‘For the top-end sailors the international competition is a huge draw. Going to the OK Worlds lets sailors line up against some of the best helms anywhere, but without any professionals it’s a level playing field for everyone. Once upon a time people like Jorgen Lindhardtsen, Nick Craig, Turtle Wilcox and Karsten Hitz were ordinary club OK sailors, just like us!

‘For ordinary folk (like me!) OK sailing is a ton of fun and doesn’t cost the earth. We can line up against the top guys, too. Certainly we get thrashed, but not without the occasional satisfaction of tacking on top of Nick Craig or Terry Curtis.

‘Rule compliance is pretty good in the class but protests are non-existant (last UK protest was in 2004, and that was a Belgian!), so you can guess that racing is pretty friendly. Socially, the class is a currently a lot less wild than it was in the 90s, when they got banned pretty much everywhere. I think the attitude of ok sailors, who I’ve always found amazingly friendly and encouraging, is another big factor in making the class a great place to be.’

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Geoffrey Robertshaw’s photos of ships’ crews in the the final days of cargo-carrying sailing ships. Click on any of the images for much larger photos

Over 70 years ago Geoffrey Robertshaw kept a personal log and took many remarkable photos of life on-board cargo-carrying sailing ships travelling between Australia and Falmouth.

The photographs were taken on a Kodak No. 2 Box Brownie camera but their quality is remarkable; they were issued by the National Maritime Museum Cornwall to promote a lunchtime talk given by Elvin Carter a little earlier this month at the NMMC in connection with the Farewell to Sails exhibition. However, life caught up with me a little and I apologise for failing to post them in time to publicise the event. Hopefully we’ll still be able to draw attention to the exhibition itself!

Some of Robertshaw’s diary entries are as striking as the photos. One reads:

‘Day 127, Friday June 29th 1934. At 4am this morning we are dead opposite the Lizard Point. I can plainly pick out the villages of Cadgwith, and Coverack and the dangerous Manacle rocks.

‘It may have been hell at times, we have been short of food, fresh water and cigarettes, we have had fights, we have been wet through and hungry and thoroughly worn out with continuous work. But it has been worth it.

‘I love the sea and what is more I love the old sailing ships and without doubt Cape Horn will call me back again, and I shall not refuse.’

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The crew at the wheel of windjammer Passat (photograph by third officer Holger Thesleff supplied by NMMC)

King Neptune and his court onboard Passat (photo taken by Holger Thesleff and supplied by the NMMC); Passat sailing from Falmouth in July 1939

National Maritime Museum Cornwall curators are celebrating the final days of commercial square-rigged sailing ships with an autumn exhibition timed to mark 60 years since the last windjammer cargo ship taking part in a ‘grain race’ rounded Cape Horn.

In the early 20th century the British public gambled on which ship carrying grain from Australia to Europe would make the fastest trip of the year in what were called the grain races. At the time, this was one of only a few trade routes that remained viable for the world’s big sailing vessels.

The exhibition, which is to appear at 12 museums across the globe during 2009, includes a range of original objects from the ships, stunning photographs and a detailed account of that final voyage. The NMMC’s exhibition will also include the photographs by Geoffrey Robertshaw, who recorded life on board the windjammers during journeys between Australia and Falmouth. His personal logbooks, photographs and personal possessions have kindly been lent to the NMMC by Elvin Carter of Devoran.

Farewell to Sails opens on 1 September and runs until the 26 November at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth.

On Monday 7 September Elvin Carter will be giving an illustrated lecture at the Maritime Museum about Geoffrey Robertshaw’s remarkable life aboard the windjammers.

PS… If you haven’t read it, Eric Newby’s book The Last Great Grain Race describes one of these voyages superbly.

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For much of the 18th and early 19th century, Britain’s coasts were the setting for a vast smuggling industry. In some areas huge gangs of men regularly unloaded contraband in full view of the outnumbered and outgunned customs authorities. Whole communities shared in the risks and profits of these illegal free trade enterprises.

The traditional story-book image of smugglers is of generous, jolly, harmless chums who just enjoyed a drop of untaxed brandy and used peaceful persuasion to get the co-operation they needed. But just how accurate is this cosy stereotype? Were real-life smugglers actually more like today’s Mafia or Triads?

In an illustrated talk at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall at 6.30pm on January 28th, Richard Platt will compare the grim facts with the romantic legend.

Richard is the author of two books on this topic Smuggling in the British Isles and The Ordnance Survey Guide to Smugglers’ Britain.

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A new National Maritime Museum Cornwall display explores the evolution of fighting canoes used by the British in World War II.

The oldest canoe in the collection, the Mark II, was made famous by Operation Frankton in December 1942, which was the basis for the film The Cockleshell Heroes.

The real Cockleshell Heroes were Royal Marine Commandos, who got their nickname from the canoes that they used, which were known as cockles. They were difficult to spot at night  and easy to hide, launch attacks and seek out suitable landing places, and could even be used to and could be used to land and collect secret agents. Collapsible types could be carried and launched from submarines.

A brief description of the raid and a collection of relevant links appears at the Wikipedia.

I should explain that much of the information now available and some of the artifacts on show is available thanks to the painstaking research work of  Quentin Rees, who has recently published a book on the topic: The Cockleshell Canoes: British Military Canoes of World War Two.

The exhibition, which runs until the 26th April 2009, includes two other canoes in the exhibition are built of aluminium for use in the tropics, and the display is said to bring together three of the rarest military canoes of the time.

Sample images from Newlyn: Fishing for a Living – click on the
thumbnails for much larger images

A dramatic National Maritime Museum Cornwall exhibition by photo journalist Vince Bevan explores the working lives of fishermen at the port of Newlyn, Cornwall, from January 7th.

The images taken from a photo essay titled Newlyn: Fishing for a Living provide an insight into the highs and lows of contemporary fishing life, and echo the work of the Newlyn School artists, who depicted the harsh realities of life in this Cornish port at the end of the 19th century.

‘With rising fuel cost and the restrictive quotas placed on fishermen it seems as though every other day we read about the pressures faced by fishing communities,’ says Bevan. ‘These photographs portray a way of life that is increasingly under threat.’

Newlyn is the largest fishing port in England and has a strong and proud community, supplying livelihoods to many who are fiercely loyal to their profession; however, commercial fishing is still one of the country’s most dangerous industries, and even with modern boats and equipment serious injury and loss of life are common, and vessels are regularly lost.

The exhibition is supported by the Arts Council England.

The Jane Slade watercolour by Reuben Chappell

Mrs Adams presents the painting to museum staff

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall has been presented with a watercolour of the Jane Slade by Reuben Chappell. The donation came from Mrs G Adams, whose husband was given the painting by Ernie Slade of Slade’s Boatyard, and came with book entitled Practical Navigation.

The museum’s notes on the painting reveal that the Jane Slade was named after the only woman shipbuilder in Cornwall, and that she who took control of her family’s business on her husband’s death in 1870. Her legacy lived on through successive generations of shipbuilders, repairers and mariners and in this ship named after her. Jane’s story inspired Daphne du Maurier’s first novel The Loving Spirit.

Reuben Chappell (1870-1940) is one of this country’s best known pierhead painters. An artist who spent his entire working life making portraits of ships for seamen, his work is in the best tradition of pierhead painting painted not for galleries or art collectors, but for the men whose lives and livelihoods were intimately entwined with the subjects of the painting.

Chappell lived and painted in Cornwall from 1904 until his death in 1940.

The book dated 1852 is believed to have been owned by Jane Slade’s son Thomas, one-time captain of the schooner. Inserted inside are four pages which relate to Thomas receiving his Master Mariners Certificate headed Plymouth School of Science and Navigation – these are an extremely rare find.

St Agnes lighthouse, Scilly Isles – see
the news about Troze below

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall’s small boats register has gone online – and we’re all invited to let its organisers know of any craft that should be included. I should think there are hundreds!

Here’s the NMMC’s release on this important project:

‘Over the past few years, National Maritime Museum Cornwall has been working on a database of boats which deserve heritage protection. With the help of other museums, owners and charitable trusts, the Museum has been assembling a list of over 1200 boats.

‘Now part of this database known as the National Small Boat Register including boats under 40ft in length, is available on the web and everyone is invited to help make it the definitive list for the UK.

‘The list is modelled on the database used for ships – the National Register of Historic Vessels – but uses a new ‘history pod’ to identify key dates in a craft’s history.

‘Jonathan Griffin, director of the Maritime Museum says: “There is still much work to do. We need to obtain owners’ permission to publicise details of some of the boats we already hold on the database. We’d welcome hearing from everyone about other boats which they feel should be included in the Register.”

‘Looking ahead, the Museum is keen to develop a discussion forum to make the whole register inclusive and a place where enthusiasts can exchange information about the boats.

‘Have a look at the research area of the Museum’s website at www.nmmc.co.uk and see if your boat or a boat you know of should be registered.’

Also new from the NMMC has also launched an interesting-looking quarterly online journal called Troze. The first issue concerns wrecking on the Isles of Scilly.

Museum’s staff sayTroze will welcome article submissions from enthusiastic researchers, writers or people who are knowledgeable or passionate about their topics.

If you’re wondering, as I was, the title of the journal is taken from the Cornish word for the sound made by water about the bows of a boat in motion.

Outstanding photographs by MAX on show at the
National Maritime Museum Cornwall exhibition.
Click on each one for a much larger image – you won’t
regret it!

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall is putting on an outstanding tall ships exhibition starting on the 1st July.

Part of the celebration surrounding the Funchal 500 Tall Ships regatta arrival in Falmouth in September, the Tall Ships photographic exhibition features images of the vessels, and will include the work of the renowned tall ship photographer, MAX.

The following notes come from the NMMC’s release:

‘The exhibition also explores the background of The Tall Ships’ Races and their role in fostering greater understanding between young people from all over the world. The first ever Tall Ships’ Race took place in 1956 with just 20 ships while now the event often boasts over 100, with thousands of crew members from as many as 50 different countries.

‘Sail Training International, organisers of The Tall Ships’ Races, were even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for their activities promoting international friendship and understanding through sail training for young people.

‘Milly Newman, Exhibitions Development Assistant says: “Everyone at the Maritime Museum is incredibly excited about the Funchal 500 Tall Ships Regatta. For those that were here for the hugely successful ’98 Tall Ships event these breathtaking prints will serve as a reminder of the incredibly powerful scene these ships paint when under sail together. For those that missed one of Cornwall’s major highlights of the last 10 years this anniversary exhibition will whet their appetites for a truly spectacular experience yet to come.”

‘The Tall Ships photographic exhibition opens on 1 July and runs until 26 September.”