The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Plea to bring historic ship model home
Two Dundee ship enthusiasts say it’s “deplorable” that Leisure and Culture Dundee cannot provide suitable accommodation for a model of one of the “most significant ships ever built on the Tay”.
John “Jack” Reilly, who is a former manager at Dundee’s Caledon shipyard, and Dundee historian Dr Andrew Jeffrey, say a spectacular shipyard model of Alfred Holt’s Caledonbuilt cargo and passenger liner TSMV Glenearn represents a “jewel in the crown” of Dundee’s industrial heritage.
They have been campaigning for the model to be brought back to Dundee to help promote the history and heritage of Dundee’s Caledon yard, which closed in 1981, and to show case the remarkable history of these vessels.
However, having raised concerns with Dundee East MSP Shona Robison, a response sent to Ms Robison’s office from Leisure and Culture Dundee has stated that The McManus museum “is not in a position to provide suitable accommodation for the model”.
Measuring more than 12ft long and built in Dundee by Caledon model
maker William Gateshill, the model was loaned to the National Maritime Museum in 1947 and has been in storage at the Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent for decades.
The model represents the Dundee-built Glenearn (1938) and her sister Glengyle (1939) which were requisitioned by the Admiralty on the outbreak of war in 1939.
It’s been made clear to the enthusiasts that the model could be made available to an “accredited institution” in Dundee on a free 30-year lease, as recently featured in The Courier’s Weekend magazine.
However, in her correspondence with Ms Robison, Judy Dobbie, managing director at Leisure and Culture
Dundee, poured cold water on the suggestion.
She said: “The McManus already has a permanent exhibition, the Maritime Quarter, which features a number of models from the city’s collections including eight DP&L Shipping Company models which were acquired in 2015.
“I fully appreciate Mr Reilly’s view of the historical relevance of this model, however the size of the model means that a significant number of existing exhibits would need to be removed to accommodate it.”
Reacting to Leisure and Culture Dundee’s position, Jack and Andrew told The Courier that to refuse their suggestion on the basis there is no space in The McManus’ maritime sector is “deplorable”, and they do not intend to give up.