In Memoriam Cutty Sark

At around 4:30am London time today, the 138-year old tea clipper Cutty Sark caught fire. Arson is suspected. The flames were put out by 7:00am, but during that time managed to destroy most of the inside of the vessel. Cutty Sark was undergoing a £25million restoration program at the time so luckily, the masts, artefacts and at least 50% of the structure was detached and undergoing repair.

Cutty Sark left from the Clyde for her maiden voyage on 16th February 1870, sailing around the Cape of Good Hope to Shanghai in three and a half months. She made 8 journeys to China and back for the tea trade, one record-breaking run back from China taking 72 days.