The Cradle of Sea Power NB; this is a planning document, and not all of the items mentioned can be guaranteed at this stage, though we will do our best to make them happen if there seems to be enough demand. An introduction to the maritime history and preserved ships of Britain Britain s maritime history is one of the most important in the world, particularly for the period between 1500 and 1960, when it rose and fell as the world s leading maritime nation. The country is extremely rich in all sorts of maritime relics such as paintings, manuscripts, artefacts and mementoes. There are many preserved ships, replicas, and reconstructions Norman J Brouwer s Historic Ships includes 54 pages on British ships, compared with 258 for the rest of the world. They include classics such as HMS Victory and the clipper ship Cutty Sark, as well as less well-known warships, merchant ships, fishing boats and yachts. Personalities connected with the sea and the navy include Sir Francis Drake, Lord Nelson, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Sir Winston Churchill and Samuel Pepys. British ships had a profound influence in shaping the world as we know it today. They colonised and protected the British Empire, carried immigrants to North America and Australia, and slaves from Africa and spread the English language throughout the planet. They played decisive roles in the wars against Napoleon and Hitler. They opened up most of the world s trade routes and affected the economies of many countries. Their builders produced many of the world s first steam and iron ships. British yachtsmen such as Sir Robin Knox-Johnson and Ellen MacArthur have long been famous for their long-distance voyages. Largely based in the London area, the trip offers a ten-day look at some of the most important preserved ships and maritime museums in the world, while keeping down the number of changes of hotel and without too much long-distance travelling by coach. This is a tentative itinerary. London 3-4 days in a hotel, with guided visits to; Ships Cutty Sark Steam coaster Robin of 1890 The Wellington, a former escort sloop of 1934
The cruiser Belfast which bombarded the Normandy beaches on D-Day, moored close to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge A replica of Drake s Golden Hind 2
Museums National Maritime Museum, including the Nelson Gallery, the Royal Observatory with the Harrison Chronometers.. Docklands Museum, showing the history of the great port Imperial War Museum, with many exhibits and records on both World Wars Trips River trip down the Thames with expert commentary on the river and its history, and the Thames Barrier. St Paul s Cathedral to see Nelson s tomb Lloyds of London, the leading insurance underwriters, a striking modern building with a famous collection of Nelson relics 3
Thames Barge Trip An optional one or two-day voyage in Thames sailing barges, exploring the East Coast rivers which are surprisingly peaceful despite their closeness to London., possibly living on board for one or two nights, in very simple but adequate accommodation reflecting that used by the original bargemen. Weather permitting, it might be possible to visit the historic naval port of Harwich and famous barging pubs such as the Butt and Oyster at Pin Mill on the River Orwell. Portsmouth and Southampton 2-3 days in a hotel in the area. Portsmouth was Britain s leading naval port for much of its history, Southampton was (and still is) a leading merchant port, famous for liner voyages across the Atlantic. Today it is the home to many cruise ships. The two towns are about 70 miles from London and about 20 miles apart, and are fierce rivals. Ships HMS Victory, Nelson s flagship and perhaps the most famous preserved ship in the world. The remains of Henry VIII s Mary Rose, sunk in 1545 and recovered in 1982 The M-33, a World War I monitor. 4
The Warrior, Britain s first iron warship Museums Royal Naval Museum, Portsmouth, with relics of many periods of naval history, particularly strong on Nelson and World War II D-Day museum, Portsmouth Royal Marines Museum Portsmouth Submarine Museum, Gosport, including the pioneering Holland I of 1901 and the Alliance of 1945. Southampton Maritime Museum, including many relics of the Titanic and other ocean liners Trips A boat tour of Portsmouth Harbour and Spithead South Coast Tour A one-day, 120-mile coach tour round the coast of England from Portsmouth to Kent, looking at many different ports, holiday resorts and sites. Highlights would include castles and cathedrals, the famous resort of Brighton, the views from cliff tops such as Beachy Head, the Martello Towers which were built to defend the country against Napoleon, Hastings where William the Conqueror landed in 1066, the medieval Cinque Ports including the charming town of Rye, changes in the coastline which created the 5
large area of Romney Marsh, Dover Castle with many layers of British history, the 3000- year-old Bronze Age boat found near Dover, Henry VIII s coastal forts, and finishing at a hotel on the East Kent coast, perhaps in one of the historic towns of Deal, Sandwich or Ramsgate. Chatham Historic Dockyard Opened to the public after the 400-yearold naval dockyard closed in 1984, the 80-acre site includes many industrial and residential naval buildings including a working ropery, the Commissioner s House, covered shipbuilding slips, and many others. There are demonstrations of traditional crafts, galleries on different aspects of history, and several preserved ships. These include the sloop Gannet of 1878, the destroyer Cavalier of 1944 and the submarine Ocelot of 1962. There will be an exclusive visit ot the ship model store of the National Maritime Museum. There are many smaller vessels including a midget submarine and a collection of historic lifeboats. A full day will be available for the visit, staying in a local hotel. 6
Other Features Well-illustrated lectures on periods and personalities in British maritime history and art, by the main guide. Guest lecturers might include the marine artist Geoff Hunt, Count Nikolai Tolstoi who is Patrick O Brian s biographer and stepson, Peter Goodwin the former curator of HMS Victory and several others. There will be evening showings, with introductions, of classic sea movies such as In Which We Serve and Master and Commander (for which the guide was a historical adviser). Though the main emphasis of the tour is maritime, there will be plenty of commentary on other items of interest and it will serve as a general introduction to British history and culture, with opportunities for non-maritime spouses or partners to go on alternative trips or tours. 7
Brian Lavery The main guide and has written more than 30 books on several aspects of maritime history, including Ship of the Line, Nelson s Navy and Churchill s Navy. Ship is a beautifully illustrated international history of seafaring and Island Nation is a maritime history of Britain. He was born in the shipbuilding town of Dumbarton (home of the Cutty Sark) in 1945. He has worked as a curator in both the National Maritime Museum and Chatham Historic Dockyard, he has served as a trustee of the Royal Naval Museum at Portsmouth and is on the advisory committee of HMS Victory and the Publications Committee of the Mary Rose. He was historical adviser on the replicas of the Susan Constant in Virginia and the Endeavour built in Australia. He has lectured extensively at conferences in Europe and North America and on cruise ships, and has conducted tours round the areas in question. He is an experienced yachtsman and has sailed in many kinds of vessel, from a dinghy to a square rigger. Sarah Lavery A civil engineer, she specialises in water engineering and flood defence. She has surveyed the banks of the River Thames, and operated the famous Thames Barrier. Currently she is planning the future flood defence of London. 8
Other Tours In the longer term, we are considering other one-week tours of different parts of the United Kingdom, which might be taken separately or as part of a wider experience. These would include; East Coast of England Essex Rivers, Thames barges, Sutton Hoo Anglo-Saxon Boat, Ship collection at Lowestoft, Nelson s birthplace of Burnham Thorpe, the inland waterways of Norfolk, historic town of Kings Lynn, whaling and traditional craft on the River Humber, Captain Cook s birthplace at Whitby, the frigate Trincomalee at Hartlepool, the port and shipyards of Tyneside, Bamburgh Castle, Holy Island and ending in the historic border town of Berwick Upon Tweed. Scotland Starting at Edinburgh to see the historic port of Leith and the former Royal Yacht Britannia; across the Forth Bridge to tour the beautiful coast of Fife, home of the original Robinson Crusoe, and sailing boats in the Scottish fisheries Museum at Anstruther. Through the famous university town of St Andrews then to Dundee to the polar exploration ship Discovery and the frigate Unicorn. To Arbroath to visit the shore station and museum connected with the famous Bell Rock lighthouse which can be seen offshore. Across country to view the famous Highland scenery and a sea trip to the Hebridean island of Mull and its famous harbour at Tobermory. South along the shores of Loch Lomond, to the shipbuilding town of Dumbarton and the Denny Test Tank Museum. A visit to the full-rigged ship Glenlee in Glasgow and a look at the city s ship model collection. This will be followed by a trip down the beautiful Firth of Clyde, the birthplace of European steam navigation, in the paddle steamer Waverely, the last of her kind. To the island of Bute then the Maritime Museum at Irvine, which includes the Clyde puffer Spartan and the steam yacht Carola. 9
The Lakes, Liverpool and Wales A trip on one of the steam launches preserved on Lake Windermere in the beautiful Lake District of England. On to Liverpool to see many historic ships and the maritime museum of one of the World s greatest ports, as well as the Cunard Building and Custom House, and the World War II headquarters of Western Approaches Command in the Battle of the Atlantic. Possible sea trips to the Isle of Man or Northern Ireland to see historic ships preserved there, including the World War I cruiser Caroline. South by coach to Dudley and the canal boats in the museum, followed by the Inland Waterways Museum in Gloucester. To Newport in Wales to see the medieval ship discovered there, followed by a drive along the Welsh coast to Swansea to see pilot cutter Olga of 1909 and the lightship LV 91 of 1937. 10
The West Country This area is rich in literature as well as maritime history. Starting in the historic city of Bristol with visit to Brunel s famous Great Britain as well as tours of the harbour and the River Avon. Proceed by road along the north coast of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall to see towns such as Watchet (where The Ancient Mariner was possibly set), Appledore (Patrick O Brian s Shelmerstone), Padstow, Newquay and Bideford with the sailing schooner Kathleen and May. Lands End and Penzance, then on to the Helford River which is the scene for several Daphne Du Maurier novels. A visit to the National Maritime Museum, Cornwall in Falmouth, then the great and historic port of Plymouth. Visits to smaller towns such as Dartmouth and the Royal Naval College, Torquay (the setting of Fawlty Towers) and Exeter. The Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton tells the story of British naval aviation, as well as housing the Concorde prototype. In the even longer term we might consider European tours to take in ships such as the Vasa in Sweden, the Viking ships in Norway and the Greek trireme. 11
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