Cutty Sark Figurehead Appeal Update Event
The RMG events 2021 events season kicked off on 14 Jan with the debuting of the Figurehead Appeal Update video, followed by a Q&A with ship carver Andy Peters.
A bit of background. In 2019 the Development Team ran a members and patrons appeal to raise money for a new Nannie figurehead for the Cutty Sark. The current Nannie, which is herself a replica, is damaged and regardless, not particuarly true to the original. The appeal raised £50k from over 150 donors, which is fitting as it was held to coincide with the Sark’s 150th anniversary.
There was always a plan to celebrate with the donors around the mid-point of the appeal, ideally with the new figurehead in situ in the dry berth for some live carving with Andy. Eventually, after several rearranagements we threw in the towel and decided to go to Andy instead and make a film for the donors instead.
Somehow between Lockdown 1 and Lockdown 2, my colleague Marianne and I made our way to Andy’s studio in Waterperry, Oxfordshire. As a side note, it was fantastic! It was my only time out of London in 2020!
We spent a day filming with Wolfpack Productions back in October. I had no intention in featuring so heavily (or at all really) in the production, but it just seemed a natural flow to have a conversation about his work in situ.
The film aired first to those who donated to the appeal, followed by a fascinating Q&A with RMG Director Paddy Rodgers and Cutty Sark curator Louise MacFarlane, with a special guest appearence from Glen Smith, Senior Conservation Manager at the Museum. Watch the full Q&A here.
Thanks to Jay Olivier Yip, Chris Rithin and Chris Ashok from Wolfpack Productions, to all the panellists, to Marianne for the trip to Oxford and of course to Andy Peters for the stunning new figurehead.
Thank you to all Members and Patrons who donated to the 2019 Figurehead Appeal. Your generosity and support has made this possible. With special thanks to the Heritage of London Trust and The Hon. Mrs. Gilmour (via The Cayzer Trust Company Limited)