Cutty Sark is an MN memorial.

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Often not known or forgotten fact:

The contribution of the Merchant Navy is remembered at Cutty Sark in a memorial by sculptor Maurice Lambert.
Cutty Sark was placed in Greenwich as a memorial to the Merchant Navy, particularly those who lost their lives in the two world wars.

The sacrifice of the Merchant Marine for their country is still too little known and the sculptor Maurice Lambert’s memorial to the Merchant Navy, which was restored in 2011, is displayed prominently at Cutty Sark.

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Cutty Sark


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Opening of Cutty Sark by HM The Queen

In the early 1950s, a movement began to find a permanent home for Cutty Sark. The Cutty Sark Preservation Society was established to bring the ship to Greenwich and open her to the public as a memorial to the Merchant Navy and an icon of the bygone era of sail.

By this time, Cutty Sark was in need of a major overhaul to restore her and present her as a museum ship. On 28 May 1953, ownership of Cutty Sark was formally passed over from The Incorporated Thames Nautical Training College to the Cutty Sark Preservation Society; the ship’s papers were received by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, as Patron of the society. The ship remained in Greenhithe until February 1954 when she was towed to East India Docks for preliminary restoration work. All her masts, spars and rigging were removed except the three lower masts, and a quarter of her sea-sand ballast was also removed to facilitate the later docking of the ship. The land in Greenwich was given free of charge by London County Council. The area had been earmarked for redevelopment having suffered extensive bomb damage during WWII, and it was felt to be an advantageous position as the ship would be seen by all shipping passing up and down the river. Construction of the dock began in February 1954 by Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons and by 3 June that year, construction had progressed sufficiently for HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to start the driving of the last pile and lay the foundation stone. Eventually, her berth was ready and Cutty Sark made her final journey on 10 December 1954.

Her majesty The Queen opens the ship.

Eventually, on 25 June 1957, the ship was completed and HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh visited the ship to perform the ceremony of opening the ship to the public. The royal party toured the ship and were presented to members of the Cutty Sark Preservation Society, and the men who had worked on the vessel throughout the course of the restoration. From the poop deck, to a crowd of people, HM The Queen said she had “much pleasure in declaring the vessel open to the public” and the following day the trail of visitors began.

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Cutty Sark – reopening 20 July

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