1951: CUTTY SARK - Last of the TEA CLIPPERS | Newsreel | Retro Transport | BBC Archive

Cutty Sark, the last surviving clipper built for the China tea trade in 1869, is towed to Millwall Dock for a hull inspection and a final decision about her future.
Originally broadcast 2 March 1951.
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[@SamuraiRonin01]

My great-grandfather used to work on the tea clippers. My nan used to tell me that she was one of 13 kids & her mum always seemed to get pregnant everytime her dad returned from one of the long voyages he used to go on!

[@johnallen7807]

Glad there was sufficient foresight to preserve her as a part of our maritime heritage, a great pity the RN did not preserve a battleship!

[@julianaylor4351]

HMS Belfast on the Thames, look it up.

[@johnallen7807]

@@julianaylor4351 The Belfast is a Town class light cruiser armed with 6" guns not a battleship. King George V 10 x 14" main armament would have been a good choice, look it up.

[@BIGDAVE466]

@@julianaylor4351 Check out HMS Vanguard (battleship) on Wikipedia. Its about 60 meters longer than the Belfast. One hell of a ship. Look it up!

[@caledonianrailway1233]

What about mv carrik

[@johnallen7807]

@@caledonianrailway1233 Not really in the same class is it?

[@Sensorama2000]

I remember visiting the Cutty Sark when I was a boy. Must have been around '85 or so. I had a picture of her pinned to the wall next to my desktop for years 😊 Visiting the UK with my family was great!😊

[@DYRBCebuCity1968]

She once was the best there is, beating all competitors during the era of Clippers ship races for Chinese Tea. But nothing lasts forever. At least she had her glorious days.

[@julianaylor4351]

I saw the Cutty Sark in the early seventies, the ship has since had a new refit, after an accidental fire in dry dock at Greenwich.

[@spankflaps1365]

There was still a lot of clippers in service during WW1, but they were prime targets for German U-Boats. There is footage of them being torpedoed. It looked so wrong, seeing beautiful tall ships being sunk in seconds. ☹️ And even worse, most of the crews drowned.

[@Ricksta66]

The Cutty Sark is awesome 👍

[@Darphi01]

The man who owned the company that began building it is my great, great grandfather. Unfortunately they went bust before they completed it and sold it off to someone else to finish it. His son moved over to Australia and owned a 200 hectare area about halfwaf up Mount Macedon in Victoria, Australia.

[@Ricksta66]

@@Darphi01 Cool 😎 👍

[@rectify2003]

Wow

[@cameronrdonaldson]

I built a model of this ship "Airfix " the ship was Clyde built , Dumbarton

[@PaulParkinson]

What is the ship visible at just 5 seconds in, on the far right of the frame? She looks like a rated warship of the line? Fascinating if that is what she is!

[@paulhorn2665]

Good question, I want to know also.

[@rectify2003]

How long would it have taken the Cutty sark to travel from Australia to the Uk?

[@rectify2003]

@Lauren Lewis Wow, is that all? How did you know that?

[@gordonipock9385]

Looks like she is missing the upper masts that would have supported her top gallant sails.

[@Sam-mn4ed]

Tea… sure…

[@siobhanstrauss8492]

Americans are just not my cup of tea 🫖 lol