James Craig (barque)
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The James Craig is a three-masted, iron-hulled barque restored and sailed by the Sydney Heritage Fleet.
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[edit] History
Built in 1874 in Sunderland, England, by Bartram, Haswell, & Co., she was originally named the Clan Macleod. She was employed carrying cargo around the world, and rounded Cape Horn 23 times in 26 years. In 1900 she was acquired by Mr J J Craig, renamed the James Craig in 1905, and began to operate between New Zealand and Australia until 1911.
Unable to compete profitably with freight cargo, in later years the James Craig was used as a collier. Like many other sailing ships of her vintage, she fell victim to the advance of steamships, and was first laid up, then used as a hulk, until eventually being abandoned at Recherche Bay in Tasmania. In 1932 she was sunk by fishermen who blasted a 3-metre hole in her stern.
[edit] Restoration
Restoration of the James Craig began in 1972, when volunteers from the 'Lady Hopetoun and Port Jackson Marine Steam Museum' (now the Sydney Heritage Fleet) refloated her and towed her to Hobart for initial repairs. Brought to Sydney in 1981, her hull was repaired and relaunched in 1997. In 2001 restoration work was completed and she was able to set sail.
[edit] Current situation
The James Craig is currently berthed at Wharf 7 of Darling Harbour, near the Australian Maritime Museum. She is open to the public, and takes passengers out for cruises on Sydney Harbour and beyond. She is crewed and maintained by volunteers from the Sydney Heritage Fleet.
She departed from Forgacs Dockyard in Carrington, NSW, on 19/02/07 after having extensive painting work and some other minor maintenance.
[edit] Historical Value
The "James Craig" is of exceptional historical value in that she is one of only four ships of her era and rig, still afloat and putting to sea at regular intervals. As such she is a working link to a time when similar ships carried the bulk of global commerce in their holds. Thousands of similar ships plied the oceans in the 19th and early 20th centuries linking the old world, the new world, Asia and Oceania.
[edit] Reference sources
- The James Craig: her history, recovery and restoration Jeff Toghill (1978, ISBN 0-589-50059-7)
- The James Craig story Jeff Toghill (2003, ISBN 0-9750227-0-9)
- The James Craig restoration - archived website from the James Craig Restoration Division, Sydney Heritage Fleet, 1999-2002
[edit] External links
- History and description
- James Craig Tallships Australia page
