'Endeavour' Traditional Cache
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‘Endeavour’ - a new sculpture by Malcolm Robertson from Fife, located in Port Glasgow, was ‘launched’ in March 2012. It is one of 4 new sculptures commissioned by Inverclyde Council & Riverside Inverclyde to be placed around Inverclyde.
‘Endeavour’ is a reminder of Port Glasgow’s shipbuilding heritage, and also its connections with the famous Cunard cruise liners. It is 6m tall and is made from curved steel painted in colours to reflect the association with Cunard, the design is that of a ships bow ploughing through water. I think it is stunning and very fitting!
The ‘launch’ ceremony featured singing by children from Port Glasgow primary schools, led by musician Kenny Wilson, and speeches, including one by the sculptor, Malcolm Robertson who said he hoped his work would inspire people.
This is part of the speech by former Gourock Ropeworks director Henry Birkmyre Semple at the ceremony:
“This sculpture is particularly appropriate because there is an association between Port Glasgow and large ships that goes back many years. In 1667, when the Glasgow merchant adventurers discovered that the River Clyde was too shallow for their ocean going sailing ships, they created a deep water port in Port Glasgow. The sculpture’s location at this spot is very significant as their international trading and commerce took place in the West Harbour right here behind me in what is now the Coronation Park.
By 1736 there were 47 square-rigged ships sailing from here to the West Indies and the Americas, transporting cargoes of sugar, tobacco, and most of all timber -- 20,000 tons of logs were imported from Norway, Canada and the Baltic States every year and were floated in rafts to the timber ponds between Port Glasgow and Langbank until required by the various shipyards and sawmills in Port Glasgow making such beautiful sea going full-masted sailing ships as the Glenlee, the Falls of Clyde and the windjammer Pommern.
Gradually industry followed in the wake of this trade, sugar refining being established, followed by ship-building and in 1797 the Gourock Ropework Company where I worked, moved from its original site in Gourock, to the large brick building over to my left, which had been built as a sugar refinery. We supplied ropes and canvas for the ships being built in the Clyde area, including the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth. The town, however, became dominated by shipbuilding, the most important yard being Lithgows, originally known as Russells. In the 1920s Lithgows employed 8,000 men and by 1931 Port Glasgow had a population of 21,000. By the 1950s the Lithgow group was the largest privately owned shipbuilding firm in the world. We are honoured to have Sir William Lithgow with us today.
As well as supplying ropes and canvas for ships, we supplied the largest circuses in the country, which came about when Bertram Mills Circus in Bellahouston Park was hit by a storm. On making enquiries as to where to get the big top repaired, they were advised to contact us, which then led to us also making all the tents for Billy Smart and Chipperfield’s circuses.”
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Tb vafvqr. Ng gur sebag. Ba n erq ovg.
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