War of words flares up over tragic Bluebird
Row on 100th anniversary of hero Campbell’s birth
Afurious row has broken out overshadowing this week’s celebrations to mark what would have been the 100th birthday of the land-and-water speed hero Donald Campbell.
As two rAf jets flew over Coniston Water and dipped their wings in tribute, his family was engulfed in a turbulent war of words over the ownership of his famous Bluebird boat.
Campbell powered his hydroplane over Coniston Water in the Lake District 54 years ago in an attempt to break the world water-speed record — but he died after the boat flipped while travelling at 300mph and nosedived into the water.
The wreckage of Bluebird was retrieved in 2001 by diver Bill smith, who spent 15 years restoring it, but he is now refusing to give it to the ruskin Museum in Coniston to put on display without guarantees he can operate and maintain it.
Don Wales, the nephew of Donald Campbell, is hoping smith can be persuaded to change his mind.
‘it’s tragic that the iconic treasure in which my hero uncle lost his life has been imprisoned by someone who wants only to profit from it — rather than let it be put on public display,’ he tells me.
smith explains why he is reluctant to hand over Bluebird. ‘ We put together a deal with the museum in 2013 that we would have exclusive rights to maintain and operate the boat, then got a bunch of lawyers’ letters from the museum ignoring that and saying they wanted it,’ smith tells me.
The restored Bluebird was last seen being lowered onto Loch fad on the isle of Bute two years ago, since when smith has kept it locked up in his workshop in North shields.
‘i want to inspire the next generation,’ he adds. ‘i’m not going to give up a life’s work and see it locked away in a museum.’
Jeff Carroll, vice-chair of the ruskin Museum board of Trustees, won’t be drawn on reports that the museum is about to mount a legal challenge demanding Bluebird’s return.
‘Mr smith refers to a 2013 agreement — yet the boat was brought up in 2001 and gifted to us by the Campbell family in 2006. Make of that what you will,’ he says.
‘Hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, we will see it in the museum — where everyone will be able to visit it.’
But smith isn’t relenting. ‘What i will never let happen is for Bluebird to end up in a museum without knowing what the future holds. i want to ensure it remains a living machine.’