Historical information

THE CUTTY SARK: -
The Cutty Sark was built in Britain in 1869 and was one of the last great sailing ships. At first, it carried tea from China. Later, it was used to transport wool from Australia. It became famous for its speed and held the record for the fastest voyage from Australia to Britain for ten years. Later, a Portuguese company bought the ship and renamed it Ferreira. After that, a retired sea captain purchased it to use as a training ship in Cornwall. When the captain died, the ship was given to a training college in Greenwich in 1938. In 1954, it was placed in dry dock at Greenwich, where it remains on display.

Significance

The postcard is a photograph of a model of the sailing ship, Cutty Sark, and is significant for its association with that special ship. The famous tea clipper carried wool from Australia to other parts of the world. Models like this one help us imagine what sea travel was like before steam-powered ships were common, and they show us how trade, travel and migration changed over time.
The Cutty Sark is also famous for being very fast. It set a record for the journey from Australia to Britain and kept that title for ten years. Today, people still recognise its importance because it has been carefully preserved and is on display at the British Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Its story has also made it a favourite subject for people who enjoy building ship models.

Physical description

Postcard, Black and White, showing a model of the sailing ship Cutty Sark. The face of the postcard has a brief description of the Cutty Sark.