The Cutty Sark: Inside The Fastest Ship Of The Victorian Era

'Aboard the Fastest Clipper Ship of the Victorian Era: The Cutty Sark'
Alice Loxton heads to Royal Museums Greenwich to visit the Cutty Sark, one of the most famous 'clipper' ship that traversed the world’s major trading routes in the late 19th Century. Alice was even lucky enough to climb the rigging of the spectacular tea clipper!
Experience life at sea for yourself and climb the rigging of one of London's true icons in Cutty Sark's new Rig Climb Experience: www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark/attr...
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#CuttySark #MaritimeHistory #TeaClipper

[@ChrisPollitt]

"...if it's a fast ship." "Fast ship? You've never heard of the Cutty Sark? It's the ship that made the China Run in less than twelve weeks. She’s fast enough for you old man. What’s the cargo?" "Tea, and no questions asked."

[@MrGchiasson]

I had no idea that the Cutty Sark still existed. Fantastic. I built several models of the Cutty Sark when I was a boy/teen. A beautiful ship. I've got to follow up on this.

[@JoergSi]

Sounds fantastic, this could be used in a Movie, let's call it "Tea Wars - A New Hope"

[@trevorhart545]

@@JoergSi I think it might be the Opium Wars?

[@MikeWood]

Reminds me of the Euterpe/ Star of India. Still afloat and sailing as a museum ship in San Diego. An iron hulled contemporary of the Sark, it will be celebrating its 160th anniversary next year. I went out to sea under sail in 2003 as a guest of the museum. My g.g.grandfather was the longest serving captain of the ship in the 1870s and 80s.

[@loboheeler]

I was on the Star of India in around 1955, long before it's restoration to a working sailing ship. It is an iron ship without steam power, which was unusual at the time. Cutty Sark has an iron frame, but otherwise all wood.

[@seanogallchoir3237]

Would be great to see Sailing ships being used again to carry cargo under sail, also to train young people to Sail. The large profits made by leading companies could support, as their commitment to Climate change. Clean energy technology and transport, training of young people World wide, who seek a challenge to enjoy our beautiful Ocean Planet. To share & care.

[@jameswood2711]

Coincidentally I had two GGG Grandfathers who served on board the ship at the same time ,one was Captain Woodgate , and the other was George Cunningham the cook .Unfortunately I have never visited the ship yet! James Wood

[@harbourdogNL]

@@seanogallchoir3237 You'll find this channel fascinating: www.youtube.com/@sailcargo

[@Robdutton91]

@@seanogallchoir3237I would love a chance to sail like this

[@richardthompson9836]

Another marvelous history tour Alice. When I was a boy growing up here in Orlando in the early 1960's, my parents bought me a large plastic model of Curry Sark for Christmas. It was a very pleasurable and exciting experience to build that model. It was years later that I got to visit the actual ship. Thank you Alice. Very well done.

[@wmpmacm]

I built one of those, too. Cool ship.

[@faerieSAALE]

Now as an elderly man - Richard enjoys his own personal Cutty Sark as he tips a fifth of Cutty Sark every evening!

[@billyjo1148]

well the human cargos slave and convict and imperial peddling of opium were what developed the clipper but that will never do for polite cobersation over a cuppa lel

[@TRPGpilot]

@@billyjo1148 it is what is is, does not change the fact that it is still an impressive ship for its day.

[@billyjo1148]

@@TRPGpilot indeed its a great ship however I was making a point about the historical context given glossing over the reality of the cutty sark Indeed nothing has changed there is more bonded and slave workers than ever thus it is perhaps important we do not gloss over such history and in fact learn from it wether that is unpleasant or not

[@jaydurych]

I enjoyed watching Ms. Lofton “get off by any means possible.” From the rigging, that is.

[@wendycreaney5524]

Fantastic ,brilliant to keep part of our maritime history. Thanks to all involved. I knew it was a tea clipper but not the wool after. Cheers for that.

[@dimitriwolfs9370]

V.9..

[@martentrudeau6948]

It has a really great history, and it's beautiful ship.

[@alexmarshall4331]

My great grandfather was able bodied seaman on the Sark...Frederick Marshall...we have his diaries for the 3 England to China via The Horn👉🇬🇷👈👉🇬🇧👈

[@marcuslarsson9548]

Any mention of opium?

[@alexmarshall4331]

Not in his diaries!!!

[@anthonyjackson280]

When I was ~ 5yrs old, and just before we emigrated to Canada from UK we visited the Cutty Sark. It would have been 1964 or 65. I can still remember the holds had the lingering scent of tea. I wonder if they do now? Around one of the holds were displayed the figureheads of various other ships.

[@shermanmace3773]

I made a model of this ship as a kid in the 1950's. I was so proud of that ship, and it was a beautiful ship; and the real ship is even more beautiful.

[@hoaacres7084]

Did you make a tiny fortune in the tea trade?

[@SevCaswell]

My father had a model of the Cutty Sark on the mantelpiece in the house I was born in. It too survived a fire, being set alight by an advent candle when I was 9 and being restored 3 years later.

[@JulieWallis1963]

Lovely, but still kinda sad story.

[@spikespa5208]

The first sailing ship model I ever built, in 1973, damaged beyond repair in a move 2016. If only it could have been *any* other model of mine.

[@mjsmith1223]

Imagine having to scale that rigging in a storm with a bosun shouting at you. Yikes!

[@spikespa5208]

At night.

[@smitajky]

Without that safety harness. And going to the top, THEN going out horizontally on a yardarm to furl a sail.

[@buffewo6386]

On the bright side, you probably couldn't hear the Bosun over the wind noise. (Edit) in that storm

[@jeremywelder5383]

Or turning the South African point into massive head winds. Look it up

[@marcelolinhares8233]

Whatch the documentaries of The Pamir,Passat,and Preussen

[@photonjones5908]

What a pleasure to experience this ship, and the wonder and spirit of the Age of Sail through the eyes of a young, enthusiastic and clearly very gifted presenter!

[@rosewood1]

Thanks for posting. So wonderful to see her rebuilt after the terrible fire. I visited her pre fire when Gipsy Moth was next to her. Ironically one the few original Clipper ship's is here in Port Adelaide Australia. That ship requires total restoration however.

[@ElroyMcDuff]

As a "yank" my experience with tall ships is limited so this was a treat, thank you. She's a beauty!

[@erichtomanek4739]

In Australia we learnt about the Cutty Sark and the wool industry in history class. She and a selection of other Clipper Ships even appeared on an issue of stamps some years ago. Sailing the Roaring Forties and if she sailed far enough south, the Furious Fifties, would have been interesting to say the least!

[@schechter01]

"interesting" seems like a very mild word to describe it...

[@jorgefiguerola1239]

Stunning. Such passion, vision, and attention to detail that would face the high seas. What a time to have lived.

[@kenpatton8761]

Took a tour of the ship while stationed in England back in 1985. Worth every bit of the 50p entrance fee. British Maritime Museum was nearby as well. Love those tall ships! I also got the chance to tour the “Bounty” (same one used in the movie- Mutiny on the Bounty) when it was docked in ST Petersburg FL in the late 1960’s. It sank while being moved during hurricane Sandy in 2012 off North Carolina USA. Cheers

[@scottnolly3582]

Visited yesterday. Amazing how really simple the ship was. It's basically just a huge storage compartment with some sails and sleeping quarters on top

[@maryrafuse3851]

The beauty of the Cutty Sark is undeniable and fills one with wonder for a golden age. Some day my husband and I hope to see it in person. It is both rare and beautiful. It also makes me more appreciative of Bluenose 2 which does leave Lunenburg Nova Scotia, on occasion, and visit other ports. Lunenburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also well worth seeing.

[@EdwardKilner]

Visited her in 1975, and it was quite an experience. Glad there is continuing care of her.

[@rvrrunner]

I visited the Cutty Sark in 2005 while on business in London. Even bought a small metal portion of the mast that was sold at the gift shop after some previous restoration. I was heart broken when it was damaged by fire. So glad to see it back in such beautiful condition.

[@richardglady3009]

Pretty video. Thank you. I admire your courage in climbing the main mast.

[@donchonealyotheoneal5456]

I love this aerial view of the display of her that was beautiful it looks like she's surrounded by ocean I can almost imagine standing on the deck in the Roaring forties of the Southern Ocean it must have been invigorating to say the least it would be nice to go inside and see her cabins and the holds maybe you can make a second film on her

[@alexmarshall4331]

No cabins on her...my great grandfather was able bodied seaman on her for 3 trips to China ...I lived a couple of hundred yards from her in dry dock in Greenwich 👉💎👈

[@normanbraslow7902]

That setting is a total disgrace. Horrible design, godawful disaster. Shame, shame.

[@brianperry]

The most beautiful manmade moving object ever.devised .....I saw what I believe was a Sailing Training Ship at sea back in 1968/9 when I was in the merchant navy... a beautiful sight

[@book3100]

Amazing ship, amazing history. And still there!

[@williamrobinson7435]

This beautiful ship was my first London landmark.. A lovely film. Thanks for posting! 👍

[@2pugman]

We visited the Cutty Sark in the late '80's before the fire. Simply amazing.

[@N_0968]

A race after my own heart! I’d be at the port eagerly awaiting my precious tea.

[@samiam619]

Bring money!

[@eliothowell8654]

Well done. The narrator's enthusiasm and delivery were both excellent.

[@tango-bravo]

I was there in 2021. They did a wonderful job on the renovation and museum. Anyone going to London with the faintest interest in ships or sea-faring should make a visit!

[@jeffreyrobinson3555]

I built my first module of Cutty Sark as a teen, and have done several ship modules since, working on one now. I always dreamed of going up rigging. I envy you. Can’t imagine how men did that when yard arm under and shipping green water over the bows. About made me cry when she was burned, we lost Bounty just a while before. Hear us when we lift our plea for those who peril on the seas

[@cricket8438]

I went aboard the Cutty Sark before her fire and was amazed at how little room the crew had for sleeping quarters. One room with hammocks 4 high in as much space as possible. Incredibly claustrophobic and smelly to be sure. The cargo hold was HUGE !! A truly a beautiful ship!

[@pandamusic8373]

I had a ship in a bottle as a kid in my room growing up and it was the cutty sark!!

[@ChrisHalliganLaw]

The designer of that museum installation is absolutely brilliant.

[@bryanhyde8850]

This is fantastic, I actually assembled a model of the Cutty Sark when I was a boy, I have always been fasinated by this ship.

[@tonnywildweasel8138]

What a beautiful ship! Thank you very much for sharing, appreciate it a lot! Greets from the Netherlands 🌷, T.

[@moodberry]

Fascinating video. As a boy, I built a 3 foot model of the Cutty Sark. I wasn't aware it still existed. This will be on my list of must sees next time I go to London.

[@david9783]

She makes it look glamorous, but you may be assured it was anything BUT glamorous for the common sailor aboard.

[@scottloar]

You are so right. Anyone who has walked the decks, seen the rigging, smelled the tar and looked at the size of the pulleys ofa large sailing ship like the Cutty Sark or Falls of Clyde is quickly abused of any romantic notions of life aboard, it is all - work and hard work.

[@seanogallchoir3237]

Bare feet, no safety lines.the poem by Harry Kemp, Leaving the Sea. Cassels Magazine 1940 is worth reading. Thank you.

[@seanogallchoir3237]

The Cutty Sark should be rebuilt and use to transport cargo under sail, the training of young people to find freedom on our beautiful Ocean Planet. Thank you. #HeroesAtSea.

[@clark9992]

It must be glamorous. They named a brown coloured booze after it.

[@MrDavfit]

Go see it....worth the trip... its in Greenwich which is worth seeing too... along with Greenwich Park

[@vjlable]

Born and raised in Chester Pa, our high school is called the Chester clippers and the Cutty Sark is in the Crest of the city of Chester

[@andidubya3840]

6:30 and on. Excellent phraseology and very well done. Funny.. But 41k ppl have watched this and no one spotted that utter gem?

[@bombast9866]

Arrgghh ye must be able bodied Seaman Staines from the Old Smutty Fark 😂

[@federalist46]

Alice clearly loves her job, causing smiles in the audience.

[@busterboy7505]

Well done team another interesting video, cursed ship, (fire alarm goes off) 🤔 if you didn’t want to climb any higher you should have just said lol, 👍👍.

[@triffidgrower]

To the memory of Captain Dowman, for his vision in allowing this ship to endure...three cheers, from the other side of the planet.

[@rlycervano8934]

I remember this ship from the show called speed machines It's rival in the tea trade was the Thermopylae And it's eventual fate of carrying wool from Australia Nice show, I highly recommend it!

[@dogsbyfire]

Great video! Thanks

[@H_E_N_X]

Yay more Alice 😊

[@simeon2851]

The complexity and size of the rigging!

[@SewolHoONCE]

The complexity and functionality of the rigging is the great adventure of building a model with molded plastic hull.

[@twotrackjack2260]

And here I always thought Cutty Sark was just some booze with a cool label. Thanks for this video!

[@canobeansyummers1667]

I distinctly remember when I visited the cutty sark back in April of 2019 that merry go round (6:26) playing pumped up kicks on a loop but just playing like 20 seconds of the song. Kind of laughed considering the subject of that song and where it was being played.

[@remyyamabushi1473]

magnifique bateau.

[@vjlable]

When our high school competed you often heard the cry "the Chester Clippers are coming!"

[@ditzydoo4378]

I believe the fastest Clipper ship ever, was the Flying Cloud who's passage from New York to San Franciso of 89 days 8 hours stood from 1854 to 1989.

[@michaelcorbidge7914]

So entailing the southern tip of South America. I understand that there was the option of saing through the straits of Magellan.

[@Xl8tor241]

@@michaelcorbidge7914 the straits of Magellan wasn't a good passage for these vessels, Sailing the Drake Passage, while could be seen as more dangerous, was much more efficient for these vessels

[@kaleighard8668]

@@Xl8tor241 wow the drake passage in a clipper! Insane. Most people today can't handle it in a luxury cruise ship. Crazy to think of steerage/crew level drake passage 19th century ships commonly passing through

[@ZoeylaRose]

that record is still held by the "Sovereign of the Seas" with a logged speed of 22 knots (25mph/41kmh) Note that this is a very specific record. It applies to a ship in the most literal sense, a three masted, square rigged, sailing vessel.

[@ditzydoo4378]

@@ZoeylaRose Lovely information that. thank you for sharing. ^~^

[@alistairbain6149]

Awesome presentation. Maybe a follow-up could take us below decks and explain something of the sailors' life?

[@jamesmyers3773]

Always dreamed of being at sail on a ship like that.

[@seebybermo9167]

Read 2 years before the mast great true story

[@gaborbaksa4690]

It's never too late to start. When I sailed on the Statsrad Lehmkuhl, the oldest traniee was 62. ;)

[@Handle0i]

Bound for South Australia the song gets it ,best wishes to all grandparents ,!!

[@andysimpson6595]

Check out the "Western Shore" / "Oregon Clipper" from Coos Bay Oregon - it still holds the record

[@timmurphy8578]

I thought that was Donald McKay’s Flying Cloud!

[@AngiLJarman43711]

Thanks!

[@paulrichardson5892]

my grandfather told me , as a child he went to circular quay in Sydney , probably about 1905 . he said all he could see were sailing ships. history before his eyes,

[@martijnb5887]

For some context on the speeds. The speed records set by the Tea Clippers with full cargo, were only surpassed by racing yachts with any superfluous kilo stripped in the nineteen eighties, a full hundred years later.

[@gregglistrom2483]

I don't really remember my night on the Cutty Sark, but I did hear some good stories later.

[@craigdonald551]

Would have been nice to acknowledge Hercules Linton who was the man who designed Cutty Sark, born in Inverbervie on the east coast of Scotland on 1 January 1837. And perhaps a nod to Robert Burns poem Tam o’ Shanter where the name Cutty Sark came from.

[@JohnyG29]

Blimey, someone always has to have a moan. Just enjoy the video, its only 12mins long and they can't cover everything. That's what wikipedia is for.

[@rnstoo1]

@@JohnyG29 I think in a "history of the Cutty Sark" it might be important to tell us who built it and where as well as why it was named the Cutty Sark. She was after all a Scottish ship and none of this is even mentioned in this video.

[@georgemorrison9280]

@@rnstoo1 Quite so .

[@SewolHoONCE]

Name dropping: First, the movie WINDJAMMER with a look at Der Adler (The Eagle); Built a Ravel plastic Cutty Sark; On board the Cutty Sark while attending Churchill’s funeral 1965; I think I still have a souvenir nail from that visit; heard stories of a British grandmother riding a bicycle through Pakistan while I was riding a bicycle from Karachi to Lahore - had lunch with her beside the Cutty Sark in 1985.

[@korey4070]

Beautiful ship. I need to go to the UK amd break out the t7

[@awesomedallastours]

Alice, I'm glad the crew got you off lol.

[@BertPreast]

"The crew were understandably eager to get me off by whatever means necessary". Sailors never change, do they?

[@michaelplanchunas3693]

An excellent book about life aboard a sailing ship is Richard Henry Dana's "Two Years Before the Mast." Shipped as a weak eyed student from Boston on a ship bound for California and cowhides.

[@critical_always]

I like how the ship is displayed in its glass water surroundings.

[@ktmzuk]

I believe the Thermopylae was the sister ship to the Pamir, the ship my grandfather sailed on

[@reynardthefox]

Well done Alice

[@randomtrap1789]

Great video! In fact I’m making a model of it right now!

[@thomaselliott573]

Jolly good. You are all doing very well. Pip pip and cheerio.

[@camrenwick]

Ships being kept in a dry dock is like having a stuffed animal on display

[@NeunExtraleben]

i love this ship. although: team thermopylae! 😁

[@pheart2381]

Peter Duck

[@acmelka]

Great video... Below deck not restored? Would love to see the crew accomodations

[@nagaimichael3193]

There such beautiful ships

[@daxconnell7661]

i always thought it was called the Cutty Shark. learned something new

[@dpeter6396]

Outstanding tour! The setting for the ship is unique; the ship is supported at the water line by the "mesh" arch! Brilliant! Maximum access for maintenance and the glass looks like the sea from the outside. Museum ship sites take notice!!

[@Mrcaffinebean]

I thought the same thing! I’ve never seen a museum ship like that. I love a ship in water but it’s very hard to maintain a ship on the water.

[@seanjoseph8637]

All that protection! Seamen used to run up the rigging bare footed in any weather.

[@sampoultney7373]

Someone I feel needs to build a sea going replica to join the tail ships gang once more

[@QurttoRco]

Being sailor on these was awful though

[@botirqodirov7649]

I have read about this from Cambridge IELTS book It is very interesting

[@CaribouDataScience]

What was left after the fire?

[@skipstalforce]

My God, I had no idea this ship still existed.

[@user-qz7nu5du4e]

I sailed on a ship named Roald Amundsen (sail ship) and i was almost useless. Because what you see at 4:39 (and also we do not have rope belay all the way, just in some "checkpoints") and etc - this was SO scary for me in the rain and a little storm at night, so i just can't handle my feers (and do my job - raise the sails and etc). Huge respect to all of the sailor's.

[@Will-Parr]

Excellent

[@RichardTClark396]

The CUTTY SARK was the first model I put together was 2 feet long and a good foot and a half tall.

[@abnurtharn2927]

She is such a beauty.

[@kathryncarter6143]

Just the array of ropes is astounding! Now days so much is done by just pushing buttons.

[@aaronkelley8909]

I wish I could give this a second thumbs up! 👍 👍

[@Andy-qo6rq]

The Cutty sark has dark memories for me when I was a child we visited the ship when suddenly we heard a large bank from a warehouse nearby. As we looked round we saw a small plane above the warehouse heading towards the river Thames right over the Cutty sark and dropping very quickly. Apparently the bang was the propeller falling from the plane. The pilot was never going to make the river as a place to land. The pilot pulled up the plane to miss the masts of the Cutty sark but in doing this he was to high to enable a safe landing and nose dived into the Thames just off the shoreline. He was removed from the plane at the Cutty sark the plane was towed to the jetty by a small boat. I have contacted the Cutty sark who was not aware of the incident. If they plane had crashed the aviation fuel would have burnt it to the ground back in the day the fire brigade all wore tunics and did not have all the modern equipment as they do today. It was the 31/5/1971 school holidays before I went to the senior school in September. A real hero Mr. Peter Terence Gent-Eggett.

[@MotoGreciaMarios]

wow.

[@mikekavanagh8952]

A great marvel of engineering,

[@utet.4226]

How many miles of rope is used for this rigging. Hats off to the crews of these ships.

[@andywomack3414]

The "Cutty Sark" was practically obsolete when built. Within a few years these wooden hull clippers would be replaced with larger, more robust, almost as fast wind-jammers. Well into the twentieth century wind-powered ships made economic sense for some bulk cargoes and ports. One of the innovations on the "Cutty Sark" were the inboard attachments for the shrouds and back-stays.

[@brianedwards7142]

As a kid I had bedroom curtains with Cutty Sark pattern.

[@batesvillbilly368]

4:09 I think we have different ideas on what "scurrying up" and "really speedy" are.

[@tomtaylor6163]

I’m a former Navy Man . This ship is so beautiful

[@pheart2381]

Cool!

[@stevetheduck1425]

Visited London some years ago and saw that the Cutty Sark had been burnt down to her steel skeleton. Apparently a meeting of the board of directors of the preservation trust was being held the night before. Also recall when every schoolboy knew the name of this ship, and was likely to visit it on a school trip. I went to Dover Castle instead.

[@dannybeun948]

Is hè back on sea ?

[@joshuasill1141]

I wonder what ship of the line that was in the picture at 11:02

[@keithlaycock9059]

It's the training ship Foudroyant, originally launched as the frigate HMS Trincomalee just after the Napoleonic wars. The photo was taken around 1920 when she was still being used as an accommodation/training ship. She was subsequently restored to her original condition and was renamed back to HMS Trincomalee in 1992. She's the oldest Royal Navy warship still afloat.

[@timcutler4708]

Flying Cloud and Challenge raced from New York to San Francisco in 1854. The record was not broken for 130 years. Anyone remember Challenge?