Sunderland City of Adelaide Recovery Foundation - Online Blog

Letter: "The City of Adelaide is in the hearts and souls of Sunderland..."

2010-04-11T15:18:00.000+01:00

What an excellent artice by the Echo's feature writer Linda Colling in the Good Friday edition of the Echo entitled "Why isn't it 'ship ahoy' for our sinking city?" about the City of Adelaide ship which is in real danger if being broken up in Irvine Scotland if a successful rescue is not achieved.

Tom Lynn recenly had a very good letter on these very pages championing the cause for Linda standing as a candidate for becoming a mayor of the City of Sunderland having read the piece on the Adelaide I can see where Tom is coming from and I know who I would vote for.

Linda mentions the crowds flocking into the Hartlepool Marina over Easter where they have done a tremedous job showing vision and the will to achieve things. Indeed Hartlepool have even offered a birth for the historic Wearside icon which was built by the geninus Sunderland shipbuilder William Pile whose relatives are getting behind this vital campaign. Even Tyneside has expressed an interest in OUR ship !

The Aussies are backing their campaign so its high time Wearside showed its teeth as it was built in our own back yard and not in Australia.

As Linda points out Sunderland was the biggest shipbuilding town on the planet but what evidence is there of this in our city in 2010, very little and this is an absoulte disgrace.

We have the National Glass Centre and the historic St.Peters Church currently on the banks of the River Wear and what a trio it would be if the City of Adelaide ship was added to the this impressive pair.

What a fantastic opportunity it would be for the youth of our city to restore this part of Wearside history and surely lead to them feeling a great sense of pride similar to which their forefathers felt while working in the shipyards of Sunderland.

As Peter Maddison founder and chairman of SCARF says in the piece:

"The City of Adelaide is in the hearts and souls of Sunderland and there is a need here, not just a curiosity or desire"

Maybe as our local politicans seem unable to grasp the importance of this massive opportunity its time for the citizens of Sunderland and the people of Co. Durham to back this campaign. Wearside is rightly proud of its tradition of giving generously to worthwhile causes, well now is our chance to help bring back some genuine history to Sunderland.

£400,000 is needed to bring the Adelaide home and half of this has been raised in pledges, so come on people of Wearside we can pledge the remaining £200,000 and help get our beauty home to her rightful place on the Wear.

Yours sincerely

Tony Ratton

Press feature article: Why isn't it 'ship ahoy' for sinking Sunderland?

2010-04-06T15:35:00.000+01:00

The contrast couldn't be greater this Easter – crowds flocking to Hartlepool marina and aboard the Trincomalee while, unbelievably, our fantastic opportunity to bring back The City of Adelaide is ignored and soon perhaps scuppered by our visionless council.

What a sop to tell the campaigners, striving to bring home one of the world's oldest clippers, that they would provide a place for her in the South Docks. How magnanimous.

Click here to read more

"I saw a brave and determined team taking on, perhaps a more talented team. Boldness won out...."

2010-04-04T14:50:00.000+01:00

Great result at the Stadium yesterday. I managed to get a last minute ticket for the game and for 90 odd minutes had my mind off the clipper. Even Ahab must have occasionally had whale free moments. I'm back in the office now though.

Ayrshire Metals and the Scottish Maritime Museum fell out years ago. For years they have only communicated with each other through their lawyers. Because Ayrshire Metals own the site where the Adelaide is positioned we have not been able to gain legal access to the ship. This of course makes it very difficult for us to be able to submit a detailed engineering recovery report to Historic Scotland. It would be a great, great breakthrough for SCARF if we were able to hold direct talks with Ayrshire metals. We would be able to come to a mutually advantageous business arrangement. We could, for example pay them a year’s slipway rent of £50,000. If we had a year’s grace, with technical experts and an army of useful volunteers, we would certainly be able to overcome all the engineering challenges as well as the political and financial.

Do you know any scrap iron men who could have business dealings with Ayrshire metals ? Do you know any smart legal people who would enjoy pulling off what no one else has ever managed; to set up a face to face meeting with SCARF and Ayrshire Metals. At the moment, in a way, we are hostage to whatever negotiations are going on between Ayrshire Metal lawyers and Scottish Maritime Museum lawyers. Historic Scotland and National Historic Ships are also included in those closed door talks.

Fortune favours the brave. That’s what I saw yesterday at the Stadium of Light. I saw a brave and determined team taking on, perhaps a more talented team. Boldness won out. I don’t like waiting for information and instruction to trickle down to us. That ship belongs to Sunderland. It is our property. We need that ship to kick start regeneration on our riverside. That ship will ensure our town becomes a city. It is never a good strategy to wait for things to happen; to boot the ball up the field and hope for the best. We need to steer our own ship. We need a scrap man with clout and connections and a lawyer driven by an aim rather than money. Do you know those people?

Kindest Regards

Peter

Press article: End of the line for ships called Adelaide

2010-03-29T16:14:00.004+01:00

From AdelaideNow:

ADELAIDE will be under water on Saturday. It also faces destruction within months. These are the fates which await the ships which bear our city's name.

One is the frigate HMAS Adelaide, which - after three decades of service - will be sunk off the New South Wales Central Coast on Saturday to become a habitat for marine life and a tourist playground.

Click here to read more

The Vasa Museum, Stockholm

2010-03-24T19:13:00.000Z

Click here to view the website of the Vasa Museum in Stockholm, Sweden.

It is a great example of how sheer hard work and determination can salvage a historical treasure and bring it back to life as a magnificent reminder of the heritage and identity of a place.

The Vasa is the world’s only surviving 17th-century ship and one of the foremost tourist sights in the world. The ship is displayed in a purpose-built museum in Stockholm.

Comment:

The comment about the Vasa is indeed a very valid one because she has been preserved under cover. I am not sure if you intend to berth the City of Adelaide inside one of the sheds at Sunderland or indeed if there are sheds large enough. I think I saw a picture of Manxman in a large shed.

The reason for mentioning this is that unless (as I have always hoped) you send the rebuilt ship to sea, you will need to preserve her in the best manner and that is under cover. She can be restored and rigged and be very impressive but the thing to guard against is falling between the conflicting possibilities represented by an
iconic presentation, which the Cutty Sark will be when finished, and an appropriately protected testament to the origins of build and fabric. If she is not to sail I would think the best thing is to adopt a stance in favour of preservation and develop a philosophy at an early stage so as to guard against the siren calls of funders for exciting presentation. Otherwise it becomes difficult to maintain a ship as she needs to be when in the open (ie with regular constant work) when she is also valued as an archaeological artefact.

Richard Titchener

City of Adelaide feature on Fyddeye

2010-03-16T13:54:00.001Z

Click here to view the listing of the City of Adelaide on 'Fyddeye'.

This includes recent photos of the beautiful clipper on the slipway in Irvine.

'Adelaide' by Jeff Butterfield

2010-03-13T11:11:00.000Z

Click here to visit the 'MySpace' page of Jeff Butterfield, containing a song called 'Adelaide' written and recorded many years ago. See the top right hand corner of the page to listen to the song.

Nil Desperandum shipmates!

Peter Roberts audio on City of Adelaide

2010-03-11T23:59:00.000Z

SCARF are continuing to campaign to bring the Adelaide back to Wearside, and are extremely confident of doing so.

Peter Roberts of the (Australian) City of Adelaide Preservation Trust was interviewed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation today. No news to speak of; he recounted the history of the clipper City of Adelaide, and efforts to bring it to South Australia. No mention of Sunderland, UK's rival efforts to move the ship to its Wearside birthplace.

Click here to hear the clip.

Blog: "...would it be fantastic if the world could once again see a sailing clipper ship..."

2010-03-11T20:00:00.002Z

Post content kindly translated from Swedish by Karin Gafvelin.

Fredrik Leijonhufvud 9 March 2010 wrote on his blog 'NÄTVERKET FÖR FARTYGSBEVARANDE':

In Scotland, on bare land, lays unbelievably enough the old clipper ship "City of Adelaide", build in 1864. The ship is now acutely threatened by demolition, and the enthusiasts have gotten a respite to find a solution. The plan is to transport the ship to Adelaide, Australia, where the interest apparently is bigger. This ship raises a lot of questions. Is it worth saving, and if so, how? Sure it is beautiful in some way when it is laying on bare land, sure it would be exciting to see it in its former glory, and sure would it be fantastic if the world could once again see a sailing clipper ship?

To try to preserve her in her current condition seems like it could be an interesting alternative, but it doesn't seem to in the interest of the local athorities or museums. The solution seems to once again rely on enthusiasts and private financiers, like it ever so often does when it comes to ship preservation. In this case I can only see bringing her back to sailing condition as a reasonable solution. A ship that is in such worn down condition as this one will probably not make a good stationary museum ship, as it would lack too much of the material authenticity cmpared to ships like the Cutty Sark or the Victory. But this is of course only my own opinion.

I wish the enthusiasts behind this project the best of luck and hope that everybody that reads this also visit their homepage where you also can support the project.

Comments:

Karin Gafvelin 9 March 2010 wrote:

I am happy to see that the City of Adelaide is brought to attention!

Concerning her I can happily announce that the date for destruction has been postponed to the end of May instead of the end of March, which was originally the plan.

Restoring Adelaide to sailing condition would of course be fantastic, but the question is how much of her can be kept. Would it be like so many other, similar projects, where a symbolic part of the keel etc. is kept intact, and the rest of the ship is replaced? When it comes to smaller boats I can see a point in doing so, but with Adelaide that is such a unique ship it seems a bit unneccesary to me. As opposed to Cutty Sark, Adelaide is in the closest completely untouched. From what I know she is also in a relativley good condition, regarding her being almost 150 years of age and not being looked after properly. In my opinion the best alternative is to preserve and restore her in a way that pays mind to and keeps her original parts, rig her, polish her up a bit and keep her as a museum ship in Sunderland, where she was once built.

Another interesting aspect about a potential restoration to sailing condition, where probably most of her woodwork such as planking and also the iron frames I presume would have to be replaced, is if it still would be the same City of Adelaide that we end up with? What defines a ship, a boat? A newly built replica ship would highly unlikely be considered being a 150 year old clipper ship, is it then reasonable to consider a ship where most of the original parts are replaced to be the same ship that in once were? Or do we rely on the ship's soul to live on even after a renovation? Existensial boat questions...

Whatever opinion one is of I am convinced that everybody with a sense of anything agree that anything is a better alternative than destruction, that is so fundamentally worthless that it hurts a bit to think of. The organisation that works on saving her, SCARF, doesn't have much money, labour or support. Send them an e-mail and share your sympathy and give them your support, it means more to them than you can imagine. It is the least that we can do to help those who struggle to save this magnificent ship and the unreplaceable part of maritime history that she represents. Losing her would be terrible, especially considering how unneccesary it would be.

Erik Enström 9 March 2010 wrote:

Well. Of course I think she is a very beautiful and fascinating ship. How did she end up there?

But if she is to be saved and kept it would require that a lot of crazy people want it at the same time. Maybe they exist "down under". From a shipbuilding point of view I don't think she would contribute with much that is unique. I often think about all the countless wrecks that lay hidden under the surface close to us. Everybody that has gone into the harbour of Mariehamn have passed over the "Plus" that sunk there during a towing. She is, apart from maybe the rigging, very complete and well preserved and about the size of "Pommern". And nobody waved any flags and demand a salvage of her right now. I feel that the time for large scale renovations is gone. Ships have always been restored and even rebuilt by their owners. Continuous authenticity of material is not a mantra and not of any bigger importance today. What is really important is the knowledge of how we work. In other words the terms of work has become more important than the age and origin of a piece of wood. A well-buildt replica is of big importance, maybe even more so than the original.

I think that in the case of the City of Adelaide we are blinded by her name and size. If you happen to live in Adelaide, Australia, your feelings are bound to feel extra much for her. And I totally agree that if you find financiers she is worthy of a fate better that destruction. She could at the least be allowed to stay where she is now. There seem to be sufficient space. And maybe her sole existence can bring more people to understand and appreciate the seafaring and shipbuilding of old times. I think that considering the costs, and from a knowledge point of view, she does most good where she is now. Maybe it would be possible to arrange to see her inside in some way. I believe in making her a museum ship in Sunderland, but I don't think that bringing her back to sailing condition is a good alternative.

Fredrik Leijonhufvud 10 March 2010 wrote:

I was just trying to figure out what would be a valid alternative today. Personally I think a preservation and keeping of her current condition is the most tempting and interesting one. I would find it more interesting to go visit her in the state she is in today, both of aesthetic reasons and to get knowledge and feel the winds of the history and old days. When I visit so-called museum ships I sometimes feel deceived when you realise how little is left of the "original" ship. But apparently it doesn't seem to be any interest to do so from the local authorities and financiers.

And if she doesn't get cut up I believe that yet another sailing museum ship is more viable than yet another stationary one. But unfortunatley it seems that she is in great risk of being cut up!

"... she is the base from which a story can be told"

2010-03-11T19:00:00.000Z

Comment to 'Adelaide Now' 11th March 2010

I have been a keen supporter of the Clipper City of Adelaide for forty years now. I knew men who were seamen in the days of sail and qualified Cape Horner’s who had held their meetings aboard her when she was the Carrick. Indeed after Bob Alan and John Murchie passed on, I still knew men who met when she was the RNR meeting place and Campbell Mackenzie a member of our Cape Horner organisation is but one of them. For these and for the descendants of all the intrepid Emigrants who sailed in her it is so important she is saved, she is the base from which a story can be told. Whether she is in Scotland, Sunderland or Adelaide is less important than the issue of saving the ship intact for future generations. The Cutty Sark 1869 is in pretty dire straights her frame is weaker than that of the City of Adelaide, I do not doubt however that she will be rebuilt successfully. The Ambassador 1869 at San Gregorio Chile is effectively abandoned as is the Darra 1865 Quail Island New Zealand. This grand old lady older than them all should be brought back from the brink an icon of an industrial age now gone for ever.

Chris Roche

Press letter: I can't believe it!

2010-03-10T14:22:00.000Z

I CAN'T believe that Sunderland Council would let The City of Adelaide be broken up or go to Australia.

Could you really see Newcastle/Gateshead letting this situation happen? Sunderland Council you are a disgace! No imagination.

We want leaders with vision. Just look at the quaysides and riversides at Newcastle, Hartlepool even Teesside.

I think the councillors after the next election will be in for a shock. They have really under-estermated the feelings of the Sunderland people if there is not a positive outcome regarding the Adelaide's return to the Wear.

Why should we vote for you, if you can't get right something that is so fundamentally the obvious thing to do.

There are more people in the city of Sunderland than in Newcastle, so there is more revenue for the council than in Newcastle. Do we really look richer than Newcastle? Why are their council plans and ambitions grander than ours – and they usually get built!

Sunderland Council, surprise us all and just do something! I did like the light projections around the city recently. What a shame it wasn't publicised till the last minute.

Tony Wardle, Sunderland

Press letter: Marvellous efforts

2010-03-09T14:19:00.000Z

AFTER reading in the Echo about the marvellous efforts of The Adelaide movement to bring the famous ship back home to the Wear, I think the people of Wearside should buy the Adelaide CD and Adelaide rock to help this terrific cause.

Councillor Peter Maddison deserves the highest praise for his efforts to make this great dream become a reality.

It's the first time I have ever praised a Sunderland councillor but in this case it is completely justified. As for the other members of Sunderland City Council, I wonder why they are not publicly backing the wonderful ambitious plan to bring back Wearside's exiled treasure.

This is a chance that cannot be wasted. While the Vaux site can still be developed, hopefully in the near future one day, The Adelaide needs to be saved by March 31, and if this is not achieved, then yet another opportunity will have been wasted and the guilty people will know what they have done.

John Turner, Coxhoe

Press article: Scrapping of City of Adelaide clipper ship delayed

2010-03-08T14:51:00.000Z

Plans to scrap one of the world's oldest clippers have been postponed in the hope campaigners can raise enough cash to fund a salvage operation.

The City of Adelaide, built in Sunderland in 1864, has been rotting away on a Scottish quayside since 1992.

Owners the Scottish Maritime Museum (SMM) had intended to begin breaking up the vessel later this month.

But a move to transport the ship to Australia has been given until the end of May to prove itself viable.

The vessel, also known as the SV Carrick, is five years older than the Cutty Sark and voyaged annually from London to Adelaide with passengers and a cargo of wool.

Her sailing days ended in 1893 and she was purchased by Southampton Corporation for use as a sanatorium and floating isolation hospital following a cholera outbreak.
She has been on a slipway in Irvine, Ayrshire, since May 1992 while a debate has continued about her future.

The City of Adelaide last sailed in 1893

A SMM spokesman said: "In January 2010 the museum received a proposal from the Clipper Ship City of Adelaide Limited, Adelaide, Australia.

"The proposal has been accepted as being technically feasible and the organisation has made a planning application to North Ayrshire Council to remove the vessel.

"Clipper Ship City of Adelaide Limited have not provided evidence that they have the funds to complete the project.

"But, after receiving assurances from the Scottish Government, the museum has temporarily halted the deconstruction plan to give the group time to put funding in place.

"The museum will not extend the halt in the deconstruction beyond the end of May 2010.

"The museum has not received any other detailed proposals for the preservation of the complete vessel."

Last year a Sunderland councillor staged an occupation on board the vessel to highlight a campaign by the Sunderland City of Adelaide Recovery Foundation (Scarf) to bring it back to the city.

Press letter: City of Adelaide

2010-03-08T11:33:00.000Z

I LIVE in South-East England, but was born and bred in Sunderland. I was able, via satellite TV, to watch the BBC Inside Out programme which featured Sunderland city councillor Peter Maddison’s efforts to bring the remains of the City of Adelaide clipper back to its birthplace.

This ship is a piece of local history which, given time and funding, could become a huge tourist attraction and would look magnificent berthed on the River Wear.

I found it heart-warming to hear Coun Maddison talk of his aspirations for the ship, but for the life of me I cannot understand why the rest of Sunderland City Council is not backing his scheme.

The City of Adelaide should not be allowed to rot in Scotland, and it should not be allowed to go anywhere else in the world but Sunderland. It was built in our town by our ancestors and – in memory of their skills and hard work – that is where it should return.

Councillors and people of Sunderland, give Peter Maddison your full support before it is too late. You’ll regret it if you don’t.

David Young, Southend, Essex

Press release: Minister considers options for the SV Carrick

2010-03-05T14:14:00.000Z

Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop today (Friday) clarified the options for the future of the SV Carrick.

The Carrick, also known as the City of Adelaide, is an A-listed ship berthed in Irvine at the Scottish Maritime Museum.

In answer to questions from Irene Oldfather MSP the Minister said:

“The Scottish Government has been working closely with a number of stakeholders to explore what realistic options exist for securing the future of this category A listed ship. Historic Scotland has recently commenced a detailed evaluation of possible options in order to help support the eventual decision-making process.

“These options are:

Removal to Sunderland;
Removal to Adelaide in South Australia;
Retention in an a different location in Scotland; and
Managed Deconstruction of the vessel.

“None of these options is straightforward, but by undertaking this exercise we will be able to take a fully informed and open decision as to the best outcome for the vessel.

“Officials from the Scottish Government and from Historic Scotland have held a wide range of discussions with a number of bodies and individuals regarding this Category A listed ship.

“These have included the Scottish Maritime Museum, the Advisory Committee of National Historic Ships (the UK wide body with a remit for historic vessels), North Ayrshire Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, groups from Sunderland (SCARF) and from Australia (The Clipper Ship, City of Adelaide Ltd) and the UK Government’s Department for Culture Media and Sport. I have personally met with a delegation from the Australian group and have subsequently spoken to the South Australian Minister for Transport. “

Youtube: SCARF City of Adelaide Documentary - Inside Out

2010-03-04T14:31:00.000Z

BBC Inside Out documentary now available on YouTube!

Get an insight into SCARF's efforts to recover the historic clipper ship, City of Adelaide. As shown on Inside Out, February 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH3QYILDmDg

Nil desperandum shipmates.

Press article: Rival CDs launched as fund-raisers for the Adelaide

2010-02-26T09:06:00.001Z

The fight to bring Wearside's most historic ship home has now become a battle of the bands.

Renowned musicians Pete Dodds and Paul Jackson have penned an ode to the 150-year-old City of Adelaide clipper ship.

The Sunderland City of Adelaide Recovery Foundation (Scarf) plans to sell a CD of the song to raise funds.

But a rival crew from Australia has produced their own song to cheer on their efforts to take the Wear-built clipper Down Under.

Read more

YouTube: Peter Maddison (SCARF) interview with Gary Brown (Island 92)

2010-02-24T23:08:00.001Z

Peter Maddison of the Sunderland City of Adelaide Recovery Foundation (SCARF) speaks to Gary Brown of Island 92. The interview was part of Gary's 'Yachtblast' show which was broadcast in January.

Click here to view

Press letter: Time is running out

2010-02-24T21:46:00.000Z

I READ with interest recently how the City of Nottingham is to benefit from a new Art Gallery costing £20million, a significant amount of which, I understand, has been paid for by the local authority.

Come on City of Sunderland have you not heard of the Bilbao effect? The Glass Centre, despite its attributes, has not succeeded in giving Sunderland the Bilbao effect. Everybody except the local authority seems to think the City of Adelaide has such a capability.

We are told a mere £5000,000 loan by the local authority would enable the ship to be brought to the Wear. I have personally pledged £250. I will double my pledge if the City of Sunderland provides a loan. Come on, time is running out.

Geoff Pearson, Sunderland

Press letter: Buy Adelaide CD

2010-02-24T21:44:00.001Z

I HAD the pleasure of being at the first official airing of the Adelaide song at Paddy Whacks pub in Sunderland City Centre recently.

What a tremendous night it was and all for a very good cause. I really hope this song galvanises the Adelaide campaign, and having talked to Scarf leader and Sunderland Independent Councillor Peter Maddison on that memorable night in Green Terrace, I was left in no doubt as to the importance of the Wearside icon coming home.

What I fail to understand is why other local politicians do not back this historic campaign. Why are there question not being asked at a higher level about the massive funding of the Cutty Sark ship while the Adelaide is completely neglected or maybe as the Cutty Sark is London based then the north-south divide rears its ugly head once again?

Fair play to the Echo for putting the Adelaide song on the Echo website and I look forward to seeing the performance of the song again on the forthcoming BBC documentary about the Adelaide.

I would urge everyone who cares about Sunderland to buy the Adelaide CD and by doing so play a part in bringing the Adelaide ship back to its rightful place on the Wear.

Tom Harvey, Sunderland

Press letter: Give Sunderland back its soul

2010-02-24T21:42:00.000Z

I AM Sunderland born and bred, and have only just become aware of the sad plight of the City of Adelaide, a clipper built in Sunderland in 1864 and which in 1992 was declared part of the UK National Historic Ships Core Collection.

My family has roots going back many generations in Sunderland, and I lived there until 1985.

My heart goes out to the group Scarf, Sunderland City of Adelaide Rescue Foundation, and in particular Peter Maddison and his supporters who are trying so hard to prevent the destruction of part of Great Britain's heritage which was born out of Sunderland – the greatest shipbuilding town the world has seen.

I sadly, am one of thousands of people who witnessed part of Sunderland dying as a result of the shipbuilding industry disappearing from the Wear. I am passionately heartbroken about the effect this had on a city which was built around, and gained worldwide acclaim for the ships which were built in the shipyards on the Wear.

I have a particular interest and passion, as I spent time working in the Doxford shipbuilding yards at Pallion, Deptford and North Sands. I worked for almost 20 years as a PA in the industry.

When I first began work at Pallion, the offices were a picture of Victorian elegance, with the scaled models of past ships standing in ornate glass cabinets, one, a model of the HMS Victory, had been made by prisoners of war, and every piece had been honed and sculpted from pieces of bone. I remained there until I was made redundant.

I have eerily poignant pictures in my mind of the first launch I attended in 1971, hearing the chocks being knocked away, the noise of the chains being dragged, and the clouds of rusted dust billowing as the ship slipped into its new home, the beckoning river.

I am sure that I will be only one of an army of Sunderland people, who felt the heart was cut out of Sunderland with the shipyard closures and the effect this had.
Surely now is the time to put the soul back into Sunderland – the return of the City of Adelaide to its birthplace would achieve this.

I believe March 31 is the deadline. The City of Adelaide is the oldest clipper in the world – what an accolade – this clipper, once restored, could be the "Cutty Sark of the North". The revenue and tourism this would bring would be permanent and lucrative.

Margaret Snowdon

Press letter: Let's bring the City of Adelaide home

2010-02-24T21:40:00.001Z

I WAS lucky enough to be present at a heaving paddywacks pub in Sunderland city centre to witness the lauch of the City of Adelaide campaign song and a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable night it was.

The emotional Adelaide song was performed superbly by local musicans Paul Jackson and Pete Dodds and an excellent backing band which was being filmed as part of a BBC documentary on the Adelaide.

Talking to Paul Jackson a co-writer of the Adelaide song, I was able to gain an insight into the man's passion for the Adelaide campaign and this passion was was shared by the entusiastic gathering of proud Wearsiders at the special event.

It was interesting looking around the audience and seeing such a cross-section of the Wearside community united as one and together in such a hugely worthwhile cause for Sunderland. A cause, if successful, could help today's families and their children experience the pride of Sunderland's rich shipbuilding history.

To my knowledge there was no local politicans present at this important event other than the staunch passionate Adelaide campaigner Councillor Peter Maddison, and here lies the crux of the matter.

In the main, Sunderland City Council have been very quiet in relation to the Adelaide issue. The silence from the Civic Centre has been deafening about this masively important local debate.

The Australians are also interested in the Adelaide and their local politicans have supported their bid, eg. two local mayors have spoken out in favour of their Adelaide iniative.

If the Sunderland City of Adelaide Recovery Foundation (Scarf) campaign does not achieve its ultimate aim in bringing the Adelaide home to the river Wear then certain Sunderalnd councillors should hold their heads in shame. Let's bring our beauty home despite council indifference.

Tony Ratton, Sunderland

Press letter: Help us bring City of Adelaide back home

2010-02-24T20:29:00.004Z

I FOUND an old photograph of me steering the Anna Kristina up the coast of Norway to the Lofoten Islands and beyond. Happy days!

I'm looking forward to "steering" the City of Adelaide around Cape Wrath and back home to Sunderland.

March the 31st, break up or recovery day is looming.

Scarf is frantically working on completing our recovery/business/sustainability plan to present to the Scottish Government and to others. We all need deadlines to work to or nothing gets done. But we wouldn't mind some help.

If you have a business or an engineering or a creative head please get in touch with me.

The greatest shipbuilding town in the world has got an opportunity to recover one of its own. The Adelaide will bring great pride and meaning back to an empty river.

The Adelaide will create hundreds of training and apprenticeship and business opportunities.

We don't need a great deal of money to recover the ship. We do need to be able to prove that we have the support of the city.

The future of the ship must be sustainable. We have to prove that the ship will be in safe and capable hands when she is back here.

If you have some fire in your belly and love for your home town, please contact me. Let's bring Adelaide home together and prove to the world that we are still capable of doing great things.

Coun Peter Maddison

email: Cllr.peter.maddison@sunderland.gov.uk

Press letter: I'm proud and sad

2010-02-24T20:00:00.000Z

AFTER reading in the Echo recently and seeing the City of Adelaide song on You Tube it made me both proud to be from Sunderland and disappointed.

As a former shipyard worker, the whole Adelaide idea, to me, is a genuine effort by people with a love of Sunderland, campaigning for the city that they love and support with passion.

On the other hand, the sad lack of support from the majority of those in the comfortable set-up that is Sunderland Civic Centre is a complete disgrace, likewise with the city's MPs and candidates for the forthcoming election.

I have made a pledge to the Adelaide campaign and intend to buy several copies of the Adelaide song CD, some of which I will send to exiled Sunderland shipyard workers who also care passionately about Sunderland's City of Adelaide ship.

Ken Thompson, Sunderland

"...If only there was a way to shake the apathy out of people..."

2010-02-24T14:25:00.003Z

Dear Sir, first off can i just say that never have I felt the need to put pen to paper (not literally in this case) about any subject, hence this letter may not make much sense. As I have no family ties to shipbuilding, or any connections to shipbuilding for that matter, its not a shipbuilding reason for wanting to see Adelaide back home, although thats a very worthy cause on its own. For me its about the City where im from and all things Sunderland.

If only some more of our elected representatives had the vision and fight that you seem to possess. Or if it belonged to that City which thinks and acts like a City should, you know the one, its not far from where we are and begins with an `N`. Im sure the Adelaide would have been home and sitting proudly on its Quayside.

Why or how cant they see what a great addition this would be to our port, it really does beggar belief that nothing seems to be being done to get her home, surely they can see the potential growth in investment just through tourism alone. How great would it look sitting opposite maybe the Glass Centre.

I could really go on forever about the Council's lack of support, but I
dont want to spoil my day.

Can I just say thanks and all the best in your endeavours, and you have my full support and im sure the majority of Sunderland would echo that. If only there was a way to shake the apathy out of people, that includes me. It has taken me this long to show my support, having read
the numerous letters in `the echo` and complained about nothing being done, which my wife is sick of hearing by the way.

Many thanks for your superb efforts and heres to your success.

Mr.William Young

"Nil Desperandum shipmates..."

2010-02-24T14:00:00.000Z

According to Chris Mullin MP there is only 20% of the ship left intact. Other MPs, MEPs are no better informed; or they chose not to be informed. I’ve been pursuing the ship for more than ten years now. In the early days I believed once our elected members were informed of the true condition of the ship and her massive importance to Sunderland, they would leap at the chance to help. They didn’t and they won’t. I do not despair at their lack of involvement. They will have their arses kicked soon enough.

The recovery of the Adelaide is down to people like you and I and the rest of the town. In spite of all the obstacles and lack of assistance from Council we can pull it off. We have the town behind us. Our campaign has now got national as well as international attention. I know the media can be a double edged sword but at the moment they are full behind us:

We are a nation of shipbuilders and seafarers not a nation of landlubbers; they love a great David and Goliath story.

I’m in talks now with three separate film companies who want the job, and the exclusivity, of filming the recovery.

NIL DESPERANDUM shipmates...

Everyday now more and more people are coming onboard. We’ve now got a great campaign song. The CD will be available soon. The City of Adelaide song is going to be heard in all the bars and clubs of Sunderland, and sadly for the Australians, in Adelaide too. The ship is coming home to the Wear and not to South Australia. SCARF is not going to let anybody down. We are working day and night to complete our business/recovery/sustainability plan to present to the Scottish government and others.

We are never going to give up the fight to recover the ship for Sunderland. We do need all the help we can get.

Thank you again to you and your friends for supporting the great cause to recover the clipper.

Daughter Adelaide and dad in front of the Red Duster...

2010-02-23T22:55:00.003Z

Daughter Adelaide and dad in front of the Red Duster. A great night in Sunderland on the occasion of the first live performance of our campaign song ‘City of Adelaide’. Many thanks to singer, songwriters Pete Dodds and Paul Jackson and all supporting musicians. Thanks also to Tony Griffiths and the management of Paddy Whacks Pub. We are going to be performing this song on the deck of the Adelaide when we bring her home to the River Wear!

CD’s of the song will be available soon. Please be patient.

Press letter: Adelaide rescue bid

2010-02-22T23:00:00.000Z

THE campaign to bring the historic City of Adelaide clipper ship home to Wearside has now reached a critical stage.

As part of the campaign, a song by Sunderland musicians Paul Jackson and Pete Dodds, called City of Adelaide, was launched in a Sunderland city centre pub and I had the pleasure of being there. The night was a resounding success.

Inside Out documentary available on BBC iPlayer

2010-02-22T20:56:00.002Z

If you missed tonight's episode of Inside Out featuring the City of Adelaide, or are out of the North East & Cumbria Region, the episode is available on BBC iPlayer for UK users:

Click here to view

City of Adelaide YouTube Channel

2010-02-21T23:03:00.000Z

Please see the YouTube channel containing all of the City of Adelaide videos so far, including interviews with Peter Maddison on board the beautiful ship herself and live performances of the City of Adelaide song in Paddywhacks bar.

Click here

Musical melee for City of Adelaide: dueling duo of tunes make noise

2010-02-21T21:06:00.000Z

Everyone in Fyddeye's global operations center in Seattle smirked with pride yesterday when the mainstream media picked up what we first reported January 8, that the two groups competing for the future of the clipper City of Adelaide were working on producing a campaign song.

BBC Inside Out - City of Adelaide documentary

2010-02-21T20:32:00.001Z

Chris Jackson reports on the race to save the Adelaide, a major part of Britain's maritime heritage.

Monday 22nd February, 19:30 on BBC One (North East & Cumbria only)

SCARF Facebook Group

2010-02-21T20:21:00.003Z

Please join the Official SCARF Facebook group, and spread the word to your friends, family and colleagues to join!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=255907220167&v=info

Many thanks!

SCARF are on Twitter!

2010-02-17T20:30:00.001Z

SCARF now have a Twitter page!

Visit https://twitter.com/SunderlandSCARF

Youtube: First recording of City of Adelaide song

2010-02-17T20:26:00.001Z

Arne Sneddon introduces a fine debut performance of 'City of Adelaide' by Sunderland musicians Paul Jackson and Pete Dodds and their band at Paddywhacks.

Click here to hear the song

Press letter: City of Adelaide rescue bid

2010-02-16T20:06:00.000Z

HAVING recently attended a campaign event in aid of bringing the historic City of Adelaide clipper back to its home city of Sunderland – which involved the launch of the excellent moving song, City of Adelaide, by Sunderland musicians Paul Jackson and Pete Dodds – it struck me what an emotive thing the issue has become.

Click here to read more

Press article: Song to help steer the Adelaide home

2010-02-12T20:10:00.000Z

"City of Adelaide set sail for home."

That was the message that rang out loudly in Sunderland as campaigners fighting to save Wearside's most historic ship launched their campaign song.

Click here to read more, and to hear the Adelaide song

Press article: Is the clipper, The City of Adelaide, set for the breaker´s yard?

2009-12-15T19:59:00.000Z

The City of Adelaide, a clipper as iconic in Australia’s history as the Mayflower is in America’s, faces demolition

By tonight the fate of one of Britain’s finest ships will be sealed. That fate, to be determined at a meeting involving the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland and National Historic Ships, may well be demolition.

Click here to read more

City of Adelaide debate - Live in Scottish Parliament

2009-11-13T19:57:00.001Z

See the debate live as Adelaide was discussed in Parliament 11th November. Simply click the link to view highlights:

http://www.holyrood.tv/highlights.asp

Cllr Maddison on-board the Adelaide

2009-10-19T16:00:00.000+01:00

A DETERMINED campaigner who has fought for ten years to save the Carrick has moved aboard the historic clipper in a last ditch bid to save it from certain destruction.

Councillor Peter Maddison travelled up from Sunderland on Monday and has began living on the 150-year-old-ship in an effort to bring wider attention to the plight of the 150-year-old boat, which now faces demolition after the task of dismantling it was put out to tender last week.

The persistant politician and chair of the Sunderland City of Adelaide Recovery Foundation told the Times he had brought a sleeping bag and enough food and water for a week for his fight to rescue the boat. As police officers approached him, he said:

"After ten years of persevering and ten years of talking with all these people and agencies it hasn't worked.

"All this talking hasn't worked and the ship will be destroyed. In just six or seven weeks it will be taken to pieces.

"The ship is far, far too important and that cannot be allowed to
happen."

Meanwhile, in recent months the City of Sunderland councillor had been making headway with his plans to have the boat returned to the Wearside where it was originally constructed.

He had won the backing of his council leader and had gleamed several high-profile business backers and celebrity endorsements.

Councillor Maddison, who named his daughter Adeliade after the boat, said: "We have to think long and hard about this. The ship isn't just very dear to me but also very, very dear to the people of Sunderland."

The Carrick was previously the responsibilty of the Scottish Maritime Museum and sits on a Harboursde mooring owned by Ayrshire Metals, who now want the area vacated.

Youtube: Peter Maddison interview aboard the City of Adelaide

2009-10-14T20:41:00.001+01:00

Peter Maddison behalf of SCARF, takes a stand against the brutal destruction of the our heritage the City of Adelaide (formerly HMS Carrick) 12 October 2009

Click here to view the clip

See the latest footage of Peter on-board

2009-10-14T19:50:00.000+01:00

See Peter on board by clicking here.

Please don't forget to see the pledge page, where you can donate to this fantastic historic project.

Make a Pledge Today!

2009-10-13T19:47:00.000+01:00

Please pledge to help save the Adelaide, Peter Maddison is on-board and needs your help.

Click here to see the pictures of Peter on board!

To pledge and help save this historic ship, click here

Press article: Race For Survival

2009-05-19T19:43:00.000+01:00

SOME claim the City of Adelaide — a once illustrious 19th century British clipper — is of even greater historical significance than the Cutty Sark. Yet the vessel is rotting away on a slipway leased by the Scottish Maritime Museum, and the museum has given up on any possibility of raising the funds to preserve and eventually restore her.

To view the article please download the PDF version by clicking here.