Latest News - Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Rare opportunity to step on board a Viking longship at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

A Viking longship is to make a special appearance at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard from Saturday 12 Sunday 13 July as it makes its only mainland UK stopover on its voyage around the south of England, from Denmark.

The Sea Stallion Glenadlough, which is a reconstruction of the 30 metre long warship, Skuldelev 2 wreck, found on the bottom of Roskilde Fjord in 1962, was built using replica Viking Age tools and the same materials and techniques as found in the original ship. It will be on display for visitors to the Historic Dockyard throughout the weekend. For those wishing to step on board, there will be a small charge.

The worlds biggest Viking ship, the Sea Stallion is manned by a 62 strong crew who have rowed across the Irish Sea under extreme conditions in an open boat with little or no privacy or comfort. The aim of the whole voyage is to test the reconstruction itself and to provide new knowledge on Viking longships and society.

Drusilla Moody, Tourism and Visitor Services Manager for Portsmouth City Council, who have helped to make the stopover possible, said:" We are very pleased to support the Viking ship's visit to the city as part of Archaelogy Week. This is another great attraction to pull in the crowds and make visiting the city a must for tourists."

A special free exhibition will also be provided by the Viking Ship Museum,

(where the boat was built between 2000 and 2004). It will be on display in Boathouse 4, at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard from Saturday 29 June until Sunday 20 July, giving visitors an insight into the history of the Vikings.

The Sea Stallions visit is perfectly timed with Archaeology Week and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard will be hosting a number of activities to mark this national initiative. The Mary Rose Museum will be running Archaeology in Action on 12 and 13 July and 19 and 20 July at 12noon and 2pm 4pm, where visitors will meet the original divers that worked on the Mary Rose. In addition on 19 July at 12noon, there will also be a free talk on the Mary Rose Galley, covering its excavation and the latest research surrounding it. There will also be commemorations for the anniversary of the sinking of the Mary Rose with 'A survivor's story' where Geoff Pye from the Royal Armouries will interpret the sinking of the ship on 19 and 20 July 11am, 1.30pm, 3pm & 4pm, free with a valid attraction ticket.

HMS Victory will be providing special talks on How archaeology has helped to Restore HMS Victory, on 14 18 July at 2pm. Peter Goodwin the Keeper and Curator of HMS Victory, will explain how he has used archaeological techniques and research to restore Victory to her 1805 glory and this will be a free with valid attraction ticket.

There will also be a chance for children to explore archaeology on board the ship as part of Young Victory Archaeologists on 19 July between 10.30am 12.30pm, where they can try their hand at archaeological drawing, have a go at solving some maritime mysteries and learn all about what can be discovered by using archaeology. This activity costs �5 per child (includes all materials and refreshments an all children must be accompanied by an adult). Places for both activities at HMS Victory must be booked in advance. Ring 023 9272 3137 for booking.

Falkland Heroes inspires radio broadcasting win for UK Journalist

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

Last year's 25th anniversary of the Falklands War has inspired an international radio broadcast win for Kim Michaels, formerly of the souths radio station Wave 105.

Kim has picked up the Silver World award in the Best documentary category at the prestigious New York Festivals Radio Broadcasting Awards. Hundreds turned up from across the globe to a glittering ceremony at the Tribeca Rooftop, Downtown Manhattan earlier this month.

43 year old Kim, who lives in Copnor, Portsmouth and now works for the BBC in London, won the award for her compelling news documentary In Their Own Words, dedicated to the war veterans who fought in the Falklands. Wave 105 gave an hours worth of air time to the programme to show its support and to honour the 25th anniversary of the conflict last year. Kim had special access to many of the veterans featured in the Royal Naval Museum's Falklands 25 exhibition which ran during the year.

On winning the award, Kim says; "This is such an honour for me. I spent many long hours on the programme to get it right, and that was after Id completed my news reading duties! So its fantastic its been recognised by such a prestigious worldwide broadcasting award. In 1982 I clearly remember watching the taskforce leave Portsmouth when I was a teenager. So for me to have been able to give the Veterans a chance to tell their stories 25 years on is fantastic. I guess sometimes we forget, or at least we don't often think about, their side of the story and the sacrifices they make even now with our forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. I think one of the most disturbing things I found during the research was how its thought more sailors and soldiers have taken their own lives since the conflict, as died during it. The Falklands Veterans Foundations in the process of raising funds to build and maintain a house on the islands. This aims to allow them to try and lay their demons to rest. I hope my programme honours what they did, and that this award acts as a tribute to our Falklands heroes."

Lights of Historic Dockyard guide charity walkers on their way.

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

The Historic Dockyard is lighting up especially for a charity walk this weekend as The Rowans Hospice holds its inaugural 12 mile Moonlit Memories walk through the city starting at midnight on June 21st.

Those walking the route and their supporters will have the rare opportunity of seeing HMS Victory, the Porters Garden, the Georgian Storehouses No. 9, 10 and 11 and the Victorian boathouses 6 and 7 illuminated as hundreds of lights are switched on to guide the walkers on their way. There is no charge to enter the Historic Dockyard on the night.

Amongst the 2000 signed up to support the walk are three members of staff from the Historic Dockyard who are looking forward to seeing their workplace in a completely different way.

Visitor Services Manager Adele Brocklebank is joined by Visitor Centre Supervisors Mandy Hull and Beverley Rumsey on the walk. Adele comments: "We are used to welcoming visitors during daylight so it will be very strange for us not to be working and it being the middle of the night. We are really looking forward to it and cant think of a better cause to walk for."

Peter Goodship, Chief Executive of Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust will also be joining the walkers.

The Historic Dockyards family restaurant in Boathouse 7 run by Convex Leisure has agreed to open for the walks supporters, friends and families who will be on hand to cheer their loved ones on. Walkers will also be entertained by Denmead Brass Band who will be performing in Boathouse 7 to entertain the crowds. The Historic Dockyard car park on Queens Street will also be open for supporters.

The Rowans Hospice aim to raise �100,000 from the walk and all places are now filled. They are, however, urging as many people to come and support the walkers at the Historic Dockyard, once they have travelled from Southeas seafront, through Old Portsmouth, via the Spinnaker Tower.

Director of Finance and Operations Anne Yendell at Waterlooville based Rowans Hospice said: "We have been overwhelmed by peoples generosity. There will be a great atmosphere on the walk. It will be a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the night time magic of Portsmouth and to make a significant contribution to the essential work of the hospice."

Volunteering to be topic of free talk at the Mary Rose Museum

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

The Mary Rose Museum will be hosting a free and informal talk on the role of their volunteers on Thursday 19 June at 12 noon at the Mary Rose Museum theatre.

The talk will show the varied and interesting roles that a volunteer plays at the museum and is the perfect opportunity for all those thinking of becoming a volunteer to get an insight into what is involved and how to become part of the team.

The talk is one of many taking place every third Thursday of the month at 12 noon until October 2008. Information on further talks taking place can be found at www.historicdockyard.co.uk/events.

Booking is not necessary and the talk is free. For more information telephone 023 9283 9766.

Mary Rose Museum receives nationally recognised Family Friendly Award

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

The Mary Rose Museum has been nationally recognised as a Family Friendly Museum, which acknowledges those museums offering a combination of culture, education and something for the children.

The museum, which attracts thousands of families each year, was commended by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, South East for its warm welcome and safe environment as well as activities, events and customer service with family groups in mind. These include their range of hands on activities such as dressing up and artefact handling, their contribution to national initiatives, such as Family Learning Week and for the staff and volunteers, who are on hand to answer any questions.

The Mary Rose Shop was also recognised for a having a good range of items including pocket money items relevant to the museum and the Tudor period.

Model boat displays at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard embody Britains maritime history

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

Following the success of the inaugural Model Boat Weekend last year, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard will once again play host to a fasinating display of model boats.

Dating from the days of the nineteenth century West African Squadron to the Falklands Conflict, model boats will be on display on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 August from 10am 4.30pm.

This year will see the addition of exhibitors trading model boat making supplies and traders include Model Power, SHG Marine and Max Mouldings. There will also be a new display of a fascinating matchstick fleet display, consisting of two hundred model warships made from only matchsticks and wooden matchboxes representing almost every major class of warship in service with the World Navies since 1945.

Throughout the weekend there will be performances on the historical Mast Pond by Portsmouth Powerboat Club, the Surface Warship Association and Portsmouth Model Boat Club. Adjacent to the Mast Pond in Boathouse 4 there will be a small display pool for smaller model boat demonstrations.

The Mast Pond, a key archaeological feature of the dockyard dating back to 1665, is a perfect setting for a display of this kind as it carries its own history, having played many roles in the working dockyard at a time when it was the world centre for mast making.

The Model Boat Weekend will take place on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 August from 10am 4.30pm and is a free event.

Rare Mary Rose sword goes on display

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

Twenty five years after it was retrieved from the bed of the Solent from the Mary Rose, a rare 16th century basket hilted sword has been put on display for the first time.

The Right Worshipful The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Councillor Mike Blake officially opened the display of the basket hilted sword, arguably one of the most important in the world because it can be dated precisely to the sinking of the ship, on July 19th 1545. It pre dates by a hundred years the only other two with firm dates attached to them. Curator of Ordnance Alex Hildred and former Research Director Dr Margaret Rule were on hand to pay testimony to the importance of the find.

The sword, which measures 105cm in length, was recovered in September 1982, just one month before the momentous lifting of the hull of the Mary Rose. The sword had fallen through a gun port as the ship sank and then was buried beneath the hull as it settled into the seabed.

Although the sword has never been on display before, photographs and drawings of it have excited military historians worldwide. Guy Wilson, ex Master of the Royal Armouries, has written of the sword "It is one of a very important type that may be called the first British Military pattern sword as it appears to have been used extensively by the elite troops and personal guard of King Henry VIII."

Of the many thousands of Tudor artefacts retrieved from the wreck, the sword is unique as every other metal edged weapon was almost completely destroyed underwater leaving only the wooden parts or just a few fragments of metal trapped within concretions. The handle is wood, either beech or alder; the blade is made of iron with steel cutting edges and the basket hilt is made from quarter inch iron rods hammer welded together.

John Lippiett, Chief Executive of The Mary Rose Trust explains: "Even after 437 years in the sea, the sword is still wonderfully balanced and the edge of the blade near the hilt is sharp enough to cut. Once again the Mary Rose has yielded another unique Tudor treasure."

Conservation of the sword started in 1983 with initial removal of chlorides present in the sea water. Removal of the remaining chlorides by electrolysis was commenced under the supervision of Dr Mark Jones, Head of Collections at the Mary Rose Trust. The final stage of conservation was the dehydration of the sword and treatment of the wooden hilt.

The display of the sword is the first event to mark the 25th anniversary of the raising of the Mary Rose on October 11th.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard invites visitors to join in a programme of family entertainment ...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is hosting a full programme of activities throughout the summer holidays to ensure that visitors of all ages get the most out of their visit.

There will be a puppet show, storytelling, childrens workshops, street performance and live music in and around the world famous warships, HMS Victory, HMS Warrior 1860 and the Mary Rose, as well as the Royal Naval Museum and Action Stations.

Among this years free events, will be a rare opportunity to listen to the Army Medical Services Band as they perform in the shadow of HMS Victory on Friday 27 July from 2pm 4.30pm. The Historic Dockyard will also be introducing a variety of lunch time concerts to suit all tastes, including jazz, classical, Irish and folk music.

The popular Ryde Extreme Performers will be making a welcome return to the Historic Dockyard from Wednesday 15 to Sunday 19 August from 10.30am 3pm. They will perform impressive circus skills, including fire breathing and stilt walking. Visitors will also be given the opportunity to join in and learn skills such as Diablo, plate spinning and juggling.

Kidsrome Mobile Farm will be giving visitors the chance to meet and learn about the animals that would have lived on board HMS Victory or HMS Warrior, such as cows, sheep, goats and chickens. The farm will be available from Monday 31 July to Wednesday 1 August from 10.30am 5pm.

HMS Warrior 1860 will be hosting its annual Victorian Navy Days and this year is a special year with celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the ships return to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard after being restored. Visitors to the ship can enjoy gun drills, guards of honour, piping parties, idlers and Victorian messing authentically re created, complete with Peppers Ghost Magic Lantern Show, family favourite Punch and Judy and rip roaring storytelling. Victorian Navy Days will be taking place on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th July from 10am 4.30pm and is free with a valid attraction ticket.

Following the success of the inaugural Model Boat Weekend last year, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard will once again play host to displays of model boats from the days of the nineteenth century West African Squadron to the Falklands Conflict. The event will take place on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 August from 10am 4.30pm and will include model boat performances on the Historic Dockyards historical Mast Pond.

Dancers from Chance to Dance the only adult integrated dance group in Portsmouth will be performing in the portside arena of HMS Victory on Monday 13th August at 2pm and 2.30pm. The group is for both able bodied dancers and people with disabilities.

Family and childrens activities taking place throughout the attractions include:
Daily:
� Tudor Fun at the Mary Rose Museum Every Saturday & Thursday: Tudor Dressing Up Every Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday: Make Your Own Mary Rose Object. Every Monday: Family Gun Drills Every Friday: The Mary Rose Variety Show .11am 12noon & 2pm 4pm. FREE with a valid Museum ticket.
� Silhouette Trail on board HMS Warrior 1860 From 10am 4.30pm. FREE with a valid attraction ticket.
� Traditional Punch and Judy Shows Edwardian, Victorian, Georgian and modern day from Monday 20 to Friday 24 August at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.

Weekly:
� Pirate Week interactive street theatre and pirate circus skills. Monday 6th Sunday 12th August. From 11am. FREE
� Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside! on board HMS Warrior 1860. Each Monday in August 11am 1pm & 1.30pm 4pm. FREE drop in activity with a valid attraction ticket all ages welcome.
� Victorian Storytelling aboard HMS Warrior Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 July and every weekend in August 11am. FREE with a valid attraction ticket.
� Knots & Ropes Workshop on board HMS Warrior 1860 Each Monday from 11am. FREE with a valid attraction ticket.
� Ghostly Galleons & Skeleton Crews at the Royal Naval Museum Wednesday 25 July 11am 1pm & 2pm 4pm. FREE drop in workshop, all ages welcome.
� Egyptian Adventures at the Royal Naval Museum Wednesday 1 August 11am 1pm & 2pm 4pm. FREE drop in workshop, all ages welcome.
� Pompey Pirates! at the Royal Naval Museum . Wednesday 8 August 11am 1pm & 2pm 4pm. FREE drop in workshop, all ages welcome.
� Fearsome Fins & Flying Fish at the Royal Naval Museum Wednesday 15 August 11am 1pm & 2pm 4pm. FREE drop in workshop, all ages welcome.
� Macram� Workshop on board HMS Warrior 1860 Every Thursday in August 11am 4.30pm. Free with a valid attraction ticket.
� Marine Mosaics at the Royal Naval Museum Wednesday 22 August 11am 1pm & 2pm 4pm. FREE drop in workshop, all ages welcome.
� Barmy Boat races at the Royal Naval Museum Wednesday 29 August 11am 1pm & 2pm 4pm. FREE drop in workshop, all ages welcome.

Visitors can also see HMS Victory at their leisure as the ship is operating a free flow system, when guides are positioned throughout the ship until 30th September 2007.

Joint statement on proposed Portsmouth Football Club development

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY PORTSMOUTH NAVAL BASE PROPERTY TRUST AND PORTSMOUTH HISTORIC DOCKYARD LTD

The Portsmouth Historic Dockyard ship and museum trusts welcome the concept of some sort of development to regenerate the area between Gunwharf Quays and the Dockyard, which is at present a run down and neglected part of the existing urban landscape. The Property Trust in particular has long been campaigning for a direct waterside link between Gunwharf and the Dockyard to help cross the barrier created by Portsmouth Harbour railway station and the Hard Interchange.

The Trusts are not convinced that PFCs proposal addresses this need, although they recognize that it is a bold initiative. Any development needs to retain views of the harbour from the Hard and allow sufficient elbow room between it and the Historic Dockyard entrance.

Sir Colin Stansfield Smith, RIBA Gold Medal winner, former Hampshire County Architect and now a trustee of Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust, said: The coastline becomes increasingly precious for a city like Portsmouth which has, through its unique history and heritage, found a pride in itself. The Romans always built their stadia outside the city walls, invariably because of the problems of having huge numbers people in one place, and in Portsmouth the coastline is our city wall.

At present there is significant concern about accessibility to this part of the city, particularly on match days. Traffic congestion is already a challenge for both the Historic Dockyard and Gunwharf Quays, the needs of whose visitors must be considered on match days, as well as those of the football supporters. Reassurance is also required that the proposed scale and massing of the development will not dwarf or overshadow the Historic Dockyard.

PFCs developer, Sellar Property Group, has not yet suggested a viable alternative location for HMS Warrior, which could not occupy the space currently proposed for technical reasons. She needs to be positioned where she can continue to mark the entrance to the Historic Dockyard with the status and dignity she deserves.

The trusts now need to evaluate the economic, social and environmental impact of the stadium proposal on the Historic Dockyard as a whole. The Property Trusts plans for Boathouse 4, the large 1930s building just inside Victory Gate, depended on maximizing panoramic views of the harbour but these have now had to be shelved as a result of the stadium announcement just two weeks before those plans were due to be marketed. While it might be possible for Boathouse 4 and surrounding buildings to be developed as part of the stadium proposal, it remains to be seen whether this would have any beneficial effect on the future economy of the Historic Dockyard.

The Property Trust and Warrior Preservation Trust have attended initial briefings by PFC and Sellar Property Group. Sellar has agreed to fund economic, social and environmental studies to assess the impact of the residential and stadium development on the Historic Dockyard. Meanwhile, it has been suggested that the developer should address the issues of berthing HMS Warrior and moving the entire development further south to incorporate the railway station as well as the Hard Interchange.

A response to these suggestions from PFC and Sellar Property Group is currently awaited, along with confirmation that the economic, social and environmental studies (terms of reference for which have been agreed) will be commissioned as soon as possible. The studies will be undertaken by the University of Portsmouth and tourism consultants Britton McGrath Associates.

Mary Rose Trust submits new bid to Heritage Lottery Fund

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

Staff from the Mary Rose Trust have completed their detailed work on a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a major grant of �21 million to complete the conservation of the ship and her contents, and to build a new museum to house them. The application was delivered to the HLF at the end of June.

The bid is the result of a huge amount of work which went back to the basics of why the Mary Rose is so significant and what it is the Trust must do to display the ship and its collection to the full advantage of the public.

Since the disappointing news a year ago that their earlier bid did not fully satisfy the HLF Trustees, the Mary Rose team have heeded all the constructive advice they have received from the HLF and have considerably improved the planned exhibition and enlarged the learning facilities that will be at the heart of the Trusts activities. The vision has been refined and is now: To create a sensational and sustainable museum in which the Mary Rose and her artefacts tell their unique stories. The Trust firmly believes that the resulting plans are exceptionally exciting.

The design of the museum building, to be built over the dry dock in which the ship sits, remains largely the same as before, but the concept for interpretation of the exhibition has changed considerably.

The display will be based on the moment in time just before the ship sank in 1545. This unique time capsule will show some 14,000 stunning objects close to the position where they were found in the ship. They will be displayed to tell the stories of the individuals who owned them; the admiral, the sailor, the cook, the pilot, the barber surgeon, the archer, the carpenter. Their personal and professional belongings will be brought together for the first time for us to understand how they lived and worked onboard. As the eminent Tudor historian, Dr David Starkey recently said: "The Mary Rose is the English Pompeii, preserved by water not fire. All Tudor life is there; it is like stepping inside a Holbein painting".

The new museum is at the forefront of the plans to improve Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (PHD) as a large visitor attraction. The Historic Dockyard already attracts around half a million visitors a year to its celebrated collection of historic ships and museums including HMS Victory, HMS Warrior 1860 and the Royal Naval Museum. It is expected that not only will this number increase but new audiences will come for the first time. Much work has been done to research how this can be achieved and the new museum will engage with members of the local community far more closely.

Learning and education is at the heart of the Mary Rose Trusts activities and all ages will be catered for. The space for accommodating schools and groups will be quadrupled to meet the ever growing demand to join the highly popular programmes that cover both heritage and science. At long last the Trust will have the necessary facilities to look after their visitors.

The overall project covers the completion of the conservation, the building and fitting out of the museum, the repair of the dry dock and the landscaping of the arena between HMS Victory and the museum. It will cost �35 million and building work is expected to commence in 2009. The aim is to open the new museum by the end of 2011, which is the 500th anniversary of the ships maiden voyage.

John Lippiett, the Chief Executive of the Trust said: "We have been working very closely with the Heritage Lottery Fund over the last year to address all the issues they raised last time. We are confident we have a first class bid that will provide a museum of national and international importance. Furthermore, the end of the conservation programme will at last be reached."

The HLF is currently assisting the funding of the second phase of conservation and has contributed to both research and the costs of the preparation of this new bid. John Lippiett added: "Without HLF support in the past, there would be no Mary Rose today. We receive no core government funding so we are very dependent on this fund. The new museum will make the Trust fully self sustaining, so it is vital that we complete our project in this timescale".

The Mary Rose Trust will hear in mid January 2008 whether or not the first stage pass has been approved by HLF Trustees. They will then have a year to develop the plans still further before final approval is forthcoming. Meanwhile the Trust is pressing ahead with its plans to raise �14 million as its expected share of the costs.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard celebrates cultural legacy of Africa

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

In the year of the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, African Legacy Weekend highlights the cultural legacy of Africa.

The event takes place on Saturday 14 Sunday 15 July 10.00am 4.30pm. The rich and diverse cultural legacy of Africa will be represented with music, food, art and dance outside HMS Victory. The event will include free entry to a special exhibition at the Royal Naval Museum. "Chasing Freedom: The Royal Navy and the Suppression of the Atlantic Slave Trade (1807 2007) highlights the key role played by the Royal Navys West Africa Squadron in helping to combat slavery free with a valid museum ticket or event ticket.

The weekend will include lively and authentic traditional African and Caribbean dance, drum and song performances from Nzinga Dance who will bring the history, culture and legends of Africa to life with a mass dance workshop to finish.

There will be a street performance of HMS Black Joke. The production will be rumbustious, energetic and fun with giant puppets, a replica slave ship and lots of water. The African Womens Forum singers will begin the performance with songs relating to the slave trade and freedom.

Other highlights include:

Colourful African farm animals made from recycled materials.
African activity area includes dressing up.

Tickets to the event are priced at adult �4, senior/child �3, family, �14 (up to 5 members of the same family, maximum 2 adults/seniors) and include entry to the Royal Naval Museum. However, the event is free with a single attraction or all inclusive ticket. All inclusive tickets give entry to HMS Victory, HMS Warrior 1860, Mary Rose Museum and Ship Hall, Royal Naval Museum, Action Stations and Harbour Tours. All inclusive tickets are priced at adult �16.50, senior �14, child �12 and family �48.

25th Anniversary of the Raising of the Mary Rose celebrated with battefield tours

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

The Mary Rose Trust will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the raising of the Mary Rose in July and the day will include a memorial service, tour on foot and a tour on water, commemorating the story of the Mary Roses final moments before sinking off Portsmouth in 1545.

The commemorations will begin with a poignant memorial service taking place at St Thomas's Cathedral, Old Portsmouth on 15th July 2007 from 11.00am 12.15pm. The Purbrook Archers will be holding a vigil in costume over the grave stone of one of the sailors from the Mary Rose during the service. No ticket is required.

Following the service there will be a walking tour departing from St Thomas's Cathedral. Battlefield Tour by Foot will be a themed walk around Henry VIIIs Portsea to see scenes of the sinking of the Mary Rose, including a tour of Southsea Castle where there will be an archery display by the Purbrook Archers. Tickets cost �10.00 person.

A rare opportunity to view the wreck site up close is also available in a Battlefield Tour by Sea on Tuesday 19th July from 5.00pm 7.15pm. This boat cruise will be leaving from a jetty at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, visiting the sights of the Battle of the Solent. There will be a commentary about the 1545 battle as the boat sails out to the wreck site. A wreath will then be laid on the site to commemorate the sinking, followed by the Purbrook Archers firing arrows. In addition, a new book, The Warship Mary Rose will be launched and the author David Childs will be signing copies.

Cost of the ticket for the boat cruise includes a glass of wine to toast the site, there is also a bar available on board to purchase drinks. Tickets cost �15.00 per person and all proceeds to this and the Battlefield Tour by Foot go to The Mary Rose Trust.

Participants to these events will have the opportunity to enter a draw for a full size colour tinted reproduction of the panoramic Cowdray engraving depicting the scene of the sinking in 1545.

Tickets for both tours are available from The Mary Rose Trust direct. To book telephone 023 9275 0521.

BIRTHDAY LUNCH FOR VETERAN IN HMS VICTORY

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

The oldest Royal Navy veteran and member of the WW1 Royal Naval Air Service(RNAS) Mr Henry Allingham is to celebrate his 111th birthday on board HMS Victory at Portsmouth on Wednesday, June 6.

Mr Allingham was present at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and became a founder member of the Royal Air Force when it was formed from the RNAS and the Armys Royal Flying Corps in 1918.

It is planned that at HMS Victory Mr Allingham will be serenaded by a Royal Marines Band before witnessing a flypast by aircraft of the Royal Navys Historic Flight as well as by current aircraft of the RAF.

HMS Victory is the flagship of Vice Admiral Adrian Johns, Commander in Chief Naval Home Command and Second Sea Lord, and Mr Allingham will join the admiral and a small number of friends and guests including MOD Veterans Minister Mr Derek Twigg for lunch in the ships Great Cabin.

Mr Allingham was born in 1896, seven years before the Wright Brothers flew their flimsy aircraft at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. And another historical quirk is that Mr Allinghams lifetime so far is twenty years longer than the time span between his date of birth and Vice Admiral Nelsons last meal in the Great Cabin of HMS Victory before the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

German Navy collect historic ships bell on anniversary of Battle of Jutland

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0100

The bell of a First World War German battleship that has been housed in a Portsmouth museum for 80 years was returned to the German Navy in a ceremony onboard a German Naval ship in Portsmouth Naval Base on the 91st anniversary of the Battle of Jutland.

The bell is from SMS Oldenburg, a Helgoland battleship that was launched in 1910. She had twelve 12 inch guns, a displacement of 25,000 tons and a crew of 1,069. She fought at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, where she took one hit which killed 8 men. She was scrapped after the war and in 1927 the bell was presented to the Royal Naval Museum, now part of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

The return of the bell also coincides with the launch of a new Oldenburg, a German Navy corvette, in June 2007. The bell will be displayed at the German Naval Museum in Wilhelmshaven.

A special ceremony took place on the flight deck of the 20,000 ton German auxiliary vessel Berlin. The Berlin is visiting the UK to take part in operational training with the Royal Navy.

Taking part in the ceremony, watched by sailors from both Navies, were

Commander Hans Gunter Struck, Commanding Officer of the Berlin

Captain Iain Greenlees, Captain of the Base, Portsmouth Naval Base

Dr Colin White, Director, Royal Naval Museum

Captain Uwe Horvorka, German Naval Attach�

Commander Eddie Grenfell RN (retd)

Dr Colin White, who presented the bell on behalf of the Museum, said, When the request came for the bell to be returned to Germany, the Museum staff and Trustees were happy that it should return home as a symbol of reconciliation and of the friendship that now exists between our two nations and above all, between our two navies.