Good, if rather bittersweet, news for those of us around New York harbor. The windjammer Peking, a fixture of New York’s South Street Seaport for over 40 years, will be returning to its original home port in Hamburg, Germany for restoration and display. The steel-hulled four-masted barque built in 1911 will be the centerpiece of a new Hamburg harbor museum for which the German government has allocated 120 million euros. A reported 30 million euros are allocated to transport and restore the Peking.
Peking was one of the last generation of the great windjammers — iron and steel ships built as bulk carriers to sail the long windy passages around Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope where steamships could not economically operate. Peking was one of the Flying-P Line, owned and operated by the German shipping company F. Laeisz of Hamburg. They continued building steel sailing ships into the mid-1920s. Peking carried wheat and nitrates around Cape Horn between 1911 and 1932, when she was converted to a children’s home and training school. In 1975, the ship was acquired by New York’s South Street Seaport Museum and brought to New York.
In recent years, the South Street Seaport Museum has faced a series of financial and management crises. The museum also suffered major damage from flooding during Hurricane Sandy. While the Peking and the museum’s other ships successfully rode out the hurricane, the museum found itself with more ships than it could care for. As we posted recently, the Seaport Museum is now undertaking a $10.6 million restoration of the 1885 built iron-hulled windjammer Wavertree. Sadly for the Peking, the museum has lacked the money to maintain the ship and lacks the dock space to display both it and the Wavertree. There were suggestions that the Peking might be sold for scrap if an alternate home could not be found for the historic ship. The funding for the new Hamburg harbor museum appears to have saved the ship from the scrap yard. The Peking is expected to be transported across the Atlantic to Hamburg in the spring, probably as deck cargo aboard a heavy-lift ship.
Including Peking, four of the original Flying-P Liners survive today. The Pommern is a museum ship in Mariehamn, Finland. The Passat is a museum ship in Lübeck’s sea resort Travemünde, Germany and the Padua, renamed Kruzenshtern, is still sailing as a school ship under the Russian flag.
This is very good news. She will be in her home Port, where she is fully appreciated.
Funds and a plan for her future are now in place.
Good Watch.
Excellent news – Bravo!
We heard the news of Peking’s leaving on Sunday afternoon during the Shanty Session at The Noble Maritime Collection, Snug Harbor.
I first sang aboard her in the late ’70s when our group, Watercolor, came down from the Mid-Hudson Valley to give a performance on her deck. At that time I thought singing on the deck of this legendary Cape Horner would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Little did I know that when I moved to New York I’d be singing on her many more times over the years, sharing songs with dear friends in The New York Packet and other great folks, helping to carry forward the rich traditions and music of the sea. The first Shanty Session, that began as the Monthly Chantey Sing, was held on the deck of Peking in September 1995.
Now she will be leaving us and with a tear in my eye, I wish her well. I hope that back in her old/new home of Hamburg she’ll cause more young eyes to sparkle the way mine did when I first stepped aboard her. I hope that the great chanteys will still ring out across her decks and inspire new generations with the history, and love, of the sea. She’s a proud old ship and she deserves only the best.
Yes its good news but it is just another “New York” story. Can’t save Peking, still dithering over SS United States, while the rest of the maritime nations recognize and save their history(and ours) for posterity.
It is encouraging that the fine old ship may finally get the attention that she deserves. Sadly, New York City has a deep and rich maritime history but most of it is buried beneath concrete and steel and completely lost to future generations.
The departure of the steel barque Peking to the waters of her birth is not a loss but a reprieve for both the Peking and the other historic vessels at South Street. Historic ships are exponentially expensive. The tonnage represented by Peking in regards to preservation – let alone maintenance dollars is huge. With the departure of Peking, the other vessels at South Street will benefit and most especially in my estimation – the full –rigged ship Wavertree will have her place in the Sun as is deserved by this iconic sailing ship. All museum engage in a sort of conservationist triage regarding limited resources and South Street is no different.
The paradigm of how to choose between Peking and Wavertree is really quite simple in my opinion. On the practical side, there are at least five other large historic steel four masted barques afloat in the world – some still sailing as in the case of Sedov and Kruzenshtern with several others magnificent museum ships and even one restaurant. The Falls of Clyde is afloat…barely, and shorn of her glorious spars and rigging with a future uncertain. This leaves South Street Seaport’s other square-rigger and queen of their fleet Wavertree as the last wrought iron full-rigged ship in the world today not a hulk or a wreck on the shores of Patagonia.
South Street Seaport should be commended in being a good steward of the four masted barque Peking and finding her a new home where she will receive the infusion of funding needed to properly maintain and preserve her. I am looking forward to continuing to assist in the rigging restoration of Wavertree and seeing her once again grace the waterfront of New York’s South Street.
Bravo Zulu Jonathan Boulware and the South Street Seaport Museum staff and volunteers.
I agree that the rescue of the Peking by Hamburg is a good thing. Nevertheless, many of us in New York will be deeply saddened to see the Peking go. There is no contradiction between these two sentiments. In addition to all the other incredibly daunting problems facing the museum, the South Street Seaport had one windjammer too many. They lacked the funds, and almost as important, the dock space for two large ships. I think a reasonable case could be made for preserving either Peking or Wavertree, but not for both.
Jonathan Boulware and the South Street Seaport Museum staff and volunteers deserve a huge amount of credit for simply surviving the terribly difficult years since Hurricane Sandy. That they have not only kept the lights on but also undertaken a major restoration of the Wavertree is an impressive accomplishment.
Oh I am so happy to hear that “Peking” will return back to Hamburg. I had been on board of “Peking” in 2010 and was shocked in what condition the ship was. I had feared that New York has scrapped the ship for reasons of cost. All the more, I am pleased to hear that she comes back home.
Michael (Kiel Germany)
Please watch my blogs:
http://www.sss-gorch-fock-bildergalerie.blogspot.de/
and:
http://windjammer-tall-ship.blogspot.de/
Having served on the ‘Arethusa’ training ship in 1973 and never having been able to get to NY to visit the old ship, I am excited by the prospect of being able to visit her in a restored state in Hamburg. Thank-you to those in Germany who have seen fit to rescue this terrific ship.
It is great to hear the old lady is returning to her birth place where she will be loved and cherished like all old ladies should be.
I did my training on her when she was the training ship ARETHUSA at Upnor for two years in 1956-8.Ifeel I have a close affinity with her.
BON YOYAGE
it is good to see the old Arethusa returning home to her birth place alan Symons (238) living in new Zealand.
Great to hear that the Peking is going to move to Hamburg and restored to her former self.I was on her when she was the Training Ship ‘Arethusa’,during 1958/59.I have many happy memories during my time on her and it will be great to have the opportunity to visit her in Hamburg.
Hi. Has the move happened? It seems such a long time since I first heard the news that Peking{Arethusa} was to be returned to her birthplace, Having served aboard 1952/1954 CPO Boy) I was so please to hear she may be returned to her former glory. I visited her in New York a few years ago and was extremely saddened to see the state she was in and it was not difficult also to see that as an attraction she had little going for her.Please Please tell me there will be a chance to see her again in Hamburg. and when. Michael Greene (157)
She is still in New York. I do not know just when she is to be moved.
I was born in Upnor Kent UK in the late 40s and the Peking (Arethusa) was a big part of our daily lives back then, I delivered newspapers to the ship in the 50s and sadly watched with my wife and children as she left for NY in the 70s, my wife and I visited her on a trip to NY early 2016 and was saddened to see the state she was in and look forward to the day she will return to her birth place in Hamburg and back closer to her true home in Upnor.
Thank you to all at the South Street Seaport Museum for looking after her and keeping her afloat for so long and thank you to Germany for taking her back to be restored to her former glory, future generations will now be able to enjoy and remember her with as much affection as those whose lives this great old lady has touched in the past.
Like a few of the entry authors above,I too served on the then T.S.Arethusa.
I was 231 Stratford,quarterdeck starboard,one of Tiny Fullers boys in 1953 to 1956.
In memory of so many ex Arethusas who alas are no longer with us, I truly hope this great ship can be returned to her former glory and be displayed with pride on behalf of so many of us who served in her.
Rick any further news when the old lady in leaving New York. Terry
Nothing I have heard. I’ll send up a flare if I hear anything.
My family claims that my grandfather served on the Peking as a kitchen boy at the age of 14. This would have been around 1928. Personally I think its very unlikely .Does anyone know whether this can be confirmed. Are there any records of those that served on the ship. Thanks for any tips.
Sorry , this is a bit off topic, but does anyone, Rick Spilman, or anyone else know anything about a b&w film of or containig footage of a working dog (i believe it was a white or light pit bull terrier) on board a sailing ship, i thought i saw the film some years ago in a display on board the Pekin
that was supposed to read …on board the Peking
I remember footage shot by Alan Villiers on the Grace Harwar. Here is a photo.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/524880531542089811/
Request the dog information from Mystic Seaport through their website.
They are currently showing a clip from the 1929 film “Around Cape Horn” with narration by Irving Johnson in the Stillman building and footage of the dog is in the clip. The Peking’s dog was featured in the Seaport’s Sea Dogs Exhibit about 10 years ago. I can’t remember its name but the dogs hair is not as sleeked down as a pit bull. (Maybe some terrier blood and appears smaller than the pit bulls I’ve known.) Hope this helps.
My father, Lt Cdr Arthur Hague was Chief Officer of the ‘Arethusa’ in the 1940s and I was christened on board using the ship’s bell in 1946. I have visited ‘the Peking’ in the 90s on his suggestion and his behalf and he would be glad to know, as am I, that she is going home to Hamburg where she will be well looked after.
You people are so nice, it was very interesting to read all the memories on time you have spent on this beautiful ship. As being an old German Brooklyner, I’m sure she will be treated well in Hamburg and the city is a perfect travel destination (if the weather’s good).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur0NeKH0NRg
As a lad I sailed around the Upnor area in the early 60s and knew several lads who were training on the Arethusa. She was the centre of the riverscape – wherever you went your eyes kept coming back to her! I am so happy that she will be coming back to Hamburg, her home city. I’ll be one of the first to visit her.
Couldn’t she be converted into warship? USS Peking? I think the spars and masts would be great missile launchers if they are hollow and if sufficient diameter. In fact, the bow sprit could also launch howitzer type ballistics for shore landing support. With all the billions of dollars spent on defense, the global warming issue and nuclear dangers, I think the US navy is missing out on a bargain here. A genuine wind-powered limitless endurance guided missile barque.
I was on the Arethusa 1945 to 1946 and remember
lt commander Hague very well he gave me six
across backside twice,he was very handy with the cane.