South West MEP Salutes Mutineer (Forest of Dean Liberal Democrats)

Forest of Dean Liberal Democrats <hdalziel@cix.co.uk>

South West MEP Salutes Mutineer

October 15, 2009 12:00 AM
Originally published by Sir Graham Watson MEP

Graham Watson MEP South West Euro-MP and maritime enthusiast Graham Watson has saluted the efforts of mutinous Sunderland City Councillor who is occupying a historic 150 year-old British ship due to be broken up because of lack of cash.

Councillor Peter Maddison boarded the City of Adelaide clipper on Monday 12 October after its heritage protection was removed, allowing it to be dismantled by the Scottish Maritime Museum. The ship attracts admiration from all around the world and is considered by some to be more important to maritime history than the Cutty Sark.

Graham Watson said;

"It will be a tragedy if the City of Adelaide was broken up because of a lack of money. This ship is of great importance to British heritage and maritime history."

"I have written to the Chair of the UK Heritage Lottery Fund, but if they cannot support the ship, interest groups will have to work together to secure the protection it needs."

Ends.

Notes to Editors:

The City of Adelaide was built in Sunderland in 1864 and made several journeys between Britain and Australia in the nineteenth century. She is now the oldest surviving clipper ship in the world and is considered by many to be of even more nautical significance than the Cutty Sark. This was recognised when the ship was given national heritage status and listed in the top 10 nationally significant vessels.

In 1991, she was purchased by the Scottish Maritime Museum with plans for renovation, but by the late 1990s funding had fallen through. As a result of financial pressures, the ship's heritage status has been removed to allow it to be broken up and taken away from its current mooring in Irvine. Once the City of Adelaide is dismantled, a considerable historical relic will be lost and future generations will never get the chance to see her as a whole. This decision has not been taken based upon her historical value, but because of financial reasons.

Independent Sunderland City Councillor Peter Maddison boarded the City of Adelaide on Monday 12 October in protest of the ship's protected status being taken away. He is part of the Sunderland City of Adelaide Recovery Foundation (SCARF), a group which aims to renovate the ship, take it back to Sunderland and display it to the public. They have been fundraising to save the ship. http://www.cityofadelaide1864.co.uk/.

Save the Clipper Ship City of Adelaide Action Group is an Australian group that hope to preserve the ship and take it to Australia. They have petitioned Downing Street and are also fundraising to save the ship. http://cityofadelaide.org.au/