Youngsters praised for Cutty Sark research

Pupils play part in memorial event for Hercules Linton

Mearns youngsters have been praised for their contribution to the celebration of local heritage at a memorial for one of the area’s famous sons.

At a graveside ceremony in Inverbervie’s Old Kirkyard, Kincardineshire Lord Lieutenant Carol Kinghorn laid flowers on the 117th anniversary of the death of Cutty Sark designer Hercules Linton, and paid tribute to the efforts of youngsters from three local schools whose research has put the wind in the sails of a virtual museum project for the famous clipper.

Bervie, Auchenblae and Glenbervie schools have been working on the Cutty Sark project since last August, an initiative that will also highlight Robert Burns’ ties to the area.

After plans fell through to site a museum in the Bervie building, Mearns Heritage Services, under director Dave Ramsay, took on the idea of creating the virtual Cutty Sark museum, which is now in the final stages of development and scheduled for launch on November 22, to coincide with the date the Cutty Sark was launched in Dumbarton in 1869.

The project received backing from Fotheringham Property Developments and the youngsters were assisted by Aberdeenshire Council museum services, local historian Nigel Simpson and Arbroath researcher David Fyffe.

Picture: Andy Thompson. Lord Lieutenant Carol Kinghorn and project director Dave Ramsay with some of the pupils.