Funded by National Historic Ships Park Row Greenwich London SE10 9NF www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk p t r o p e R l a u n n A 8 0 0 2 h c r a M - 7 0 0 2 l i r p A s p i h S c i r o t s i H l a n o i t a N COVER with Pocket:COVER 24/10/08 09:01 Page 1 Page 09:01 24/10/08 Pocket:COVER COVER with Pocket:COVER 24/10/08 09:01 Page 2 Foreword During the year ending March 2008 several of the United Kingdom’s most significant historic vessels faced extraordinary challenges. There were serious fires on board the clipper ship Cutty Sark and the harbour defence motor launch Medusa . Elsewhere, the other clipper ship City of Adelaide, the minesweeper HMS Bronington and the former Fairmile launch Golden Galleon were deemed to have no sustainable future by their owners, who brought forward proposals for these ships to be broken up. Fortified by additional assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund the Cutty Sark is coping with the aftermath of the fire, and Medusa’s recovery is also proceeding well. National Historic Ships has been actively involved in attempts to find sustainable futures for other ships in difficulties. We played a pivotal role in the negotiations over the HMS Bronington, dispensed more than £76,000 from our Strategic Development Fund, and ensuring that, whatever her fate, the maximum amount of material from we have also launched the first in a series of publications, providing vessel her structure will be saved for display or incorporation in other vessels. owners with advice and guidance on best practice in ship recording. We also continue to support and advise on attempts to build sustainable futures for the City of Adelaide , the frigate Unicorn and the topsail We have continued our successful programme of forum meetings around schooner Kathleen & May . Although no satisfactory solution could be the coast, open to the owners, operators and others interested in historic found for the problems facing Golden Galleon , National Historic Ships vessels. These meetings provide us with the opportunity to explain our ensured she was recorded properly before she was broken up. mission, but equally importantly they help us to understand the issues confronting those who manage historic vessels. Looking ahead, there are In this second year of our operation, we have established ourselves as an still many challenges to be faced, but the year has strengthened our authority to which funding bodies, national and local, public and private, confidence, our reputation and our resolution to ensure that there is a turn for advice on historic ship matters. But we also exist to help the strong, secure future for historic vessels as a central part of our maritime individuals and trusts that look after historic vessels. This year, we heritage. Robert Prescott, Martyn Heighton, Chairman Director and Secretary to the Advisory Committee 1 Introduction We are pleased to present the second annual report of the Advisory Committee on National Historic Ships, a non-departmental public body reporting to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, with the specific remit to advise the Secretary of State and other public funding bodies on ship preservation and funding priorities. The report sets out the principal activities of the Committee and its staff, and how its resources were deployed, during the financial year 2007-08. Our forward plan is included as an insert within the back cover. This publication, along with the advice documents mentioned in the text, will also be available as a download from our website, www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk. Front cover illustration: ss Great Britain , Mandy Reynolds © Trustees of the ss Great Britain Trust 2 Contents Strategic Development Fund 4 Major consultations 8 Research and publications 14 Meetings, forums and visits 15 Foundations for the future 18 The Registers 22 Income and expenditure accounts 24 Deploying our resources 27 Appendices: A The remit, targets and priorities of National Historic Ships 28 B Members of the Comittee and staff 30 Volunteers and consultants 32 C The National Historic Fleet 34 HMS Cavalier Destroyer 3 Strategic Development Fund The Strategic Development Fund was launched in 2006 to assist owners, were all considered, but to meet the high number of sustainability trusts and societies responsible for craft on the National Register of applications, money was transferred from the other two funds. Historic Vessels to attend conferences, training courses, develop Experience has shown that relatively small grants can make a real business plans, improve interpretation, undertake essential repairs and difference. However there is still a great deal to do and we need to find purchase vital equipment. The scheme has proved immensely popular ways of increasing monies available for this vital aspect of our work. The and during the financial year 2007/2008 a total of £76,013 was full list of awards to date is set out in the table on pages 5 and 6. dispensed in grants to vessel owners, trusts and societies. Applications for conference bursaries, training bursaries and sustainability awards (CC= Core Collection, DV = Designated Vessel List, Reg = Registered) 4 Vessel Status Grant Purpose Awarded £ New descriptive literature and 199 DV Sustainability 1,137 portable display panels Aldgate and Angel Reg/Reg Sustainability Remedial and protective work 3,000 Blue Leader: Reg Sustainability Re-planking bow section of the hull at 937 RAF 2561 the waterline Bramble Reg Sustainability New gunwales and running gear 3,000 Bruce’s DV Sustainability Lifting out of the water 750 Cactus Reg Sustainability New interpretation signs 400 Calshot CC Sustainability Survey costs 1,000 Coronia DV Sustainability Survey costs 3,000 Corrie CC Sustainability Bow strengthening and mast repair 2,750 Española Reg Sustainability Spars 3,000 Cornish Maiden Reg Sustainability Crane hire 2,000 Humber Keel and Sustainability Production of educational material 975 Sloop Preservation Society James Stevens DV Sustainability Signage 2,000 No.14 Kent DV Sustainability Hull maintenance 3,000 Keewaydin Reg Sustainability New sails 3,000 Lady Francesca Reg Sustainability Hull caulking 2,000 Lively Hope CC Sustainability Conservation plan 3,000 Mary Gordon Reg Sustainability Education planning for HLF bid 1,000 5 Vessel Status Grant Purpose Awarded £ Preliminary stability and Medway Queen DV Sustainability 1,316 structural assessment Morna Reg Sustainability Deck repairs 2,000 SS Nomadic CC Sustainability Survey costs 2,000 North Carr DV Sustainability Signage 2,300 Pioneer Reg Sustainability Consultant to draw up business plan 2,250 Regal Lady DV Sustainability Dry docking 3,000 Resolute Lady Reg Sustainability Survey costs 1,000 Scottish Fisheries Training Training course for volunteers 1,000 Museum Boat Club Snowdon Star Reg Training Boatbuilding course 3,000 Spider T DV Sustainability New sails 3,000 HMS Stalker Reg Sustainability Survey 3,000 Swallow Reg Sustainability Engine repairs 600 VIC 32 DV Sustainability Volunteer working group 1,000 Vigilance DV Sustainability New sails 3,000 Vigilant CC Sustainability Legal advice 3,000 MFV Voyageur Reg Sustainability Timber for the hull and deck 3,000 Wheelhouse Reg Sustainability General repairs and new saloon 2,600 Wherry Yacht Sustainability Slipway repair 3,000 Charter Charitable Trust 6 Grants financial summary 2007-08 2006-07 ££ INCOME DCMS 80,000 80,000 Surplus 2006/07 carried forward 50,593 0 Additional funds 700 0 Total Income 131,293 80,000 EXPENDITURE Vessel grants Conferences 0 (1,683) Training (4,000) (1,449) Sustainability (72,013) (26,275) Total vessel grants (76,013) (29,407) Projects Unicorn & City of Adelaide (5,500) Infrastructure audit (12,552) Conservation Pilot Book (26,373) Total projects (44,425) Total expenditure (120,438) (29,407) Funds to carry forward 10,855 50,593 Project Sustainability Carry Forward 34% 55% 3% 0% 8% 2007-08 2006-07 0% 33% 2% 2% 63% Training Conferences 7 Major consultations HMS The Royal Navy Submarine Museum applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a Alliance grant for part of a project to restore this Core Collection ship. National Historic Ships advised HLF that the "We were deligthed that you proposals presented were not the best possible solution for the vessel. The Museum subsequently agreed to withdraw its application with the intention to resubmit a stronger bid. National Historic Ships is assisting the were able to support our project. Museum in developing a substantially better proposal. The new sails have just been HMS National Historic Ships has, since its inception in 2006, sought a permanent home Bronington for this Ton Class minesweeper but without success. Therefore, to achieve a positive result, National Historic installed, and they look Ships initiated and led a consortium (which included the Royal Naval Museum, the Imperial War Museum, Chatham Historic Dockyard and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Commission, with the support of the Museum, magnificent" Libraries and Archives Council) to map out a deconstruction plan for the vessel. As a result, members of the consortium acquired parts, fixtures and fittings for their public collections and thus some of Bronington will be Vigilance of Brixham preserved in perpetuity. Preservation Co. Ltd This West Country ketch is now on the open market, although no firm offers have Kathleen & May been received. The Director has met with the Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport to discuss how a strong trust or community interest company could be established to campaign and eventually take over the vessel, if the funding can be raised. National Historic Ships supported the application to HLF for conservation of this Brixham trawler. Pilgrim 8 Top left: HMS Alliance Submarine Top right: HMS Bronington Minesweeper Bottom left: Kathleen & May Topsail schooner Bottom right: Pilgrim Brixham trawler 9 The Medway Queen Preservation Trust applied to HLF for a £1.86 million grant towards Medway Queen restoring the vessel.