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Image Credit: The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Shipbuilding in Aberdeen
Once, many beautiful ships were built in Aberdeen. These ships were used for fishing, trading, and exploring new places. During this time, the shipyards of Aberdeen were busy with workers cutting wood, shaping metal, and putting everything together.
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In 1825, George Thompson Jr. founded the Aberdeen Line at the age of just 21. This was one of the most respected shipping lines in the world which sent ships across the seas, including to North America, China, and Australia.
The Aberdeen Line's 200 Year Anniversary
will be celebrated in 2025.
Many Aberdeen Line Ships were built at Water Hood's shipyard. The shipyard had high standards of design and innovation.
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Walter Hood's ships were famous for being strong and fast.
Clipper Ships
In the 19th century, ships called 'barques' were being used to sail all around the world. They were good for carrying cargo because they were wide, but they were heavy and they sailed slowly.
Due to the opening of ports and trade routes, we needed ships that sailed as fast as possible to transport things - especially to bring tea from China to England.
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Aberdonian shipbuilders worked hard to design faster ships.
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The Aberdeen Bow
Alexander Hall and Sons designed 'The Aberdeen Bow'. This was a pointed, streamlined bow that would help the clipper ship cut through waves to sail accross oceans speedily. You can still see on the Aberdeen Bow on ships today.
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In Aberdeen, new ships called 'clippers' were designed and built from a wood and iron composite. Many had an Aberdeen Bow. These clippers were narrow, strong and faster than barques; perfect for transporting cargo around the world. It used to take 6 months to sail from Australia to Britain but sailing by clipper only took 2 months.
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More clippers were built in Aberdeen than anywhere else in the world. The Aberdeen bow was important for boosting trade and giving Aberdeen shipbuilders a reputation for excellence.
The Tea Races
What were the Tea Races?
The Tea Races were nineteenth century events where clippers raced to bring the first tea of the season from China to England. The winning ship fetched the highest prices for its cargo. Aberdeen-built clippers were some of the fastest, often winning Tea Races.
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These races weren't just about speed or even tea! They were also about prestige and profit for Aberdeen shipbuilders, the ship owners and the ship's crew.
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This painting shows two ships neck-a-neck in a Tea Race.
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People enjoyed following the Tea Races and placed bets
on the ship they thought would win.
In June 1872, two rival ships set sail from Shanghai in China from London in the 'Great Tea Race'.
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One ship was the clipper Thermopylae (built by Walter Hood & Co in Aberdeen), and the other was the Dumbarton-built Cutty Sark.​
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The Thermopylae won.
