22 Jan 2015

Discover how Cutty Sark entered the Australian wool trade and became one of the fastest clippers of the time

Shipowner John Willis built Cutty Sark in 1869 specifically to exploit the booming tea trade in Britain at the time. In fact, the report of her launch in the Dumbarton Herald in November 1869 notes “The Cutty Sark is intended for the China tea trade, and is expected by her owners to be one of the fastest ships engaged in that traffic”.

However, clipper ship Cutty Sark was never able to realise her owner’s aspirations of being the fastest ship on the tea run. The Suez Canal opened just five days before the ship’s launch which meant the steamers entered and later dominated the tea trade. Sailing ships like Cutty Sark were forced to find alternative cargoes.

Black and white photograph of Cutty Sark in Sydney harbour
Circular Quay, Sydney, with the 'Cutty Sark' loading wool

In 1883, the ship entered the regular Australian wool trade and quickly established herself as one of the fastest of the clippers. Cutty Sark loaded around 5,000 bales of wool from Sydney, Newcastle NSW and Brisbane, making 12 voyages in the wool trade in total. The voyage was a challenging one, heading out to Australia via Cape of Good Hope, before braving the Roaring Forties and Cape Horn on the return leg. Cutty Sark regularly made the best passage of the season and under her last master, Captain Richard Woodget, her name became synonymous with fast passages. Captain Woodget commanded Cutty Sark 1885-1895, and with Woodget at the helm, Cutty Sark set record passages back from Australia – her fastest being 73 days from Sydney to London.  Cicely Fox Smith described the partnership as follows: “[Woodget] had the coolness, the seamanship, the iron nerve requisite to bring out the best in such as ship as the Cutty Sark; and she for her part was just such a staunch, trustworthy little ship as his heart desired”[1].

Advert for sailors to sail from Sydney on Cutty Sark
Advert for homeward journey from Australia to London

Owner John Willis took every opportunity to celebrate his ship’s successes (as can be seen in his advertising), and Australian newspapers regularly reported on Cutty Sark’s fast passages which helped secure her fame across the world: “The Cutty Sark – Another Splendid Performance For a ship of 20 years of age, the composite-built little ship Cutty Sark has a record as a sailer not eclipsed by any sailing vessel afloat. She can sail rings round quite half the ships of more recent build and there are few steel or iron clippers capable of showing their heels today. This time she is from London again, 75 days from the Lizard to Sydney, or 80 days from London Docks” The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday 4 August 1890 --- [1] The Return of the Cutty Sark, 1924

What’s On

See what's on at Cutty Sark.

Cutty Sark Characters
Family fun

Cutty Sark Characters

Meet colourful characters from Cutty Sark’s past and hear astonishing stories about life at sea in the age of sail
Weekends and Fri-Mon in school holidays
Included with entry to Cutty Sark
Cutty Sark
Shipkeeping in action
Talks and tours

Shipkeeping in action

This is your chance to meet the team who care for and conserve Cutty Sark
Every Wednesday | 11am-3pm | Drop-in
Free for Cutty Sark ticket holders
Cutty Sark
Sea shanty singers
Family fun

Sea shanty singers

Join our resident sea shanty groups at Cutty Sark on the first weekend of every month as they sing traditional maritime songs
First weekend of every month
Included with entry to Cutty Sark: £20 Adult | £10 Child
Cutty Sark
70 years of Cutty Sark in Greenwich
Exhibitions

70 years of Cutty Sark in Greenwich

A new display explores how the ship made its final voyage to its Thames-side location
Open daily | 10am-5pm
Included with Cutty Sark entry
Cutty Sark
Christmas decoration gilding workshops
Family fun | Christmas

Christmas decoration gilding workshops

Give gilding a go and create your very own Christmas decoration to add a golden sparkle to your Christmas tree!
Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December 2024 | 11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm
Free with entry to the ship
Cutty Sark
Talk: 70 years of Cutty Sark at Greenwich
Talks and tours

Talk: 70 years of Cutty Sark at Greenwich

Curators Louise Macfarlane and Hannah Stockton reveal how the ship came to its Thames-side location
Tuesday 10 December | 11am, 1pm and 3pm
Free with entry to the ship
Cutty Sark
In The Dark
Events and festivals | Museum Lates

In The Dark

This Burns Night, join us at Cutty Sark for a completely unique auditory experience in the dark
Saturday 25 January 2025 | 7.15pm and 9.15pm
£40 – General admission | £36 – Members
Cutty Sark
Cutty Sark Comedy
Events and festivals | Museum Lates

Cutty Sark Comedy

Join us in the Lower Hold of the famous tea clipper for a fantastic evening of stand-up comedy
Sunday 26 January 2025 | 6.30pm-8.30pm (Doors open at 6pm)
Adult: £20 | Members: £18
Cutty Sark