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Long to rain over us – crowds brave weather for Queen’s visit

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Queen visits Greenwich

HUNDREDS of people turned out this morning to witness the Queen’s visit to Greenwich.

Despite the down-pouring of rain which has become a characteristic of this drought, a large crowd gathered in Cutty Sark Gardens over an hour before the monarch’s arrival.

With no choice but to literally soak up the atmosphere, those gathered waved their flags while stirring tunes were played by Trinity Laban’s Symphony Orchestra

Trumpets sounded to announce the imminent arrival and as if by royal arrangement, the rain seemed to stop. Those reluctant to take down their umbrellas were quickly urged to do so by crowd members keen to catch sight of the Queen who had minutes earlier officially named the royal barge Gloriana at Greenland Pier.

At 11.26, a Range Rover pulled up, bearing the Royal Standard, from which HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh emerged to be greeted by the mayor of Greenwich, Jim Gillman, the Leader of the Council, Chris Roberts, and the Council’s Chief Executive, Mary Ney.

They were seated on a stage near the bow of the Cutty Sark where Councillor Roberts gave a short speech and Her Majesty was presented with a gift by the mayor. Prince Philip was given a framed certificate confirming the Freedom of the Royal Borough that he was awarded in March.

The Queen then unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of the newly re-landscaped Cutty Sark Gardens.

After listening to a suite of music, composed for the Queen’s Jubilee and performed by children from across the borough, the royal guests received a bouquet (pictured top) and made their way in to the Cutty Sark as the crowd cheered. “Hello Queenie” was shouted from somewhere deep in the crowd.

Queen visits Greenwich

The royal couple were then shown around the restored Cutty Sark. Prince Philip is the President of the Cutty Sark Trust and was instrumental in bringing the iconic tea clipper to Greenwich in the 1950s. The Queen unveiled a plaque to officially declare the Cutty Sark open, just as she first did in 1957.


The Queen is shown around the Cutty Sark by Lord Stirling. Photo: Tim Keeler

The Queen was then taken through the Old Royal Naval College, where she knighted Sir Francis Chichester in 1967, for an inspection of the King’s Troop which moved from St John’s Wood to Woolwich in February.

While the Queen was en route to the National Maritime Museum, a number of savvy onlookers lined the northern tip of the Greenwich Park, opposite the museum for a sighting that hadn’t been publicised before. The crowd was entertained by music from the Royal Hospital School marching band as they waited for Her Majesty to arrive.

Once inside the museum, almost seventy-five years to the day since she attended its opening ceremony, the Queen was shown around the new Royal River exhibition by guest curator, David Starkey.

After about twenty-five minutes, the couple emerged, smiling, to find sunlight had started to break out. Passing the newly-installed Ship in a Bottle, they returned to their car and left as the line of onlookers cheered, clapped and waved flags.

Queen visits Greenwich

Queen visits Greenwich

More photos from the Queen’s visit to Greenwich

Did you take any photos of the Queen? Tomorrow’s Daily Photo will be dedicated to your pictures of Her Majesty’s visit to Greenwich. Please send any contributions to rob@greenwich.co.uk

Ship in a Bottle arrives in Greenwich

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Ship in a Bottle

NELSON’S Ship in a Bottle has arrived at its new permanent home at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.

The piece of contemporary art by Yinka Shonibare MBE was commissioned by the Mayor of London and spent almost two years on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square.

A public appeal was started by the Art Fund to raise enough funds to buy the 4.7 metre long bottle containing a scaled down replica of HMS Victory and bring it to Greenwich. The campaign raised over £250,000 and the ArtFund provided a £50,000 grant.

Stephen Deuchar, Director of the Art Fund, said:

“We are delighted that the Art Fund’s first fundraising appeal for a contemporary work of art has been successful. It is not an easy environment in which to run a campaign but the campaign’s success is testimony to the popularity of Yinka’s work.”

Ship in a Bottle

Daily Photo: 20/03/2012 – Greenwich Daffodils

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Thanks very much to Warren King for this photo of daffodils in front of the National Maritime Museum. Coincidentally I too went looking for daffodils around Greenwich yesterday…

Daffodils in Greenwich
In Greenwich Park

Daffodils in Greenwich

Daffodils in Greenwich
In St Alfege Park

Daffodils in Greenwich
In Stockwell Street

Daffodils in Greenwich

In other news, the leader of the ruling group on Greenwich Council was re-elected by his colleagues on Monday night.

MBE for Pieter van der Merwe in New Year Honours

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THE NATIONAL Maritime Museum’s Pieter van der Merwe has been awarded an MBE.

The recognition for the museum’s General Editor was announced in the New Year Honours list.

He has been given the award for his “services to heritage and the local community of Greenwich.”

Pieter told Greenwich.co.uk: “It was an unexpected shock but as Sir Thomas Beecham used to say ‘one should try everything once except incest and folk dancing’ so, unaccountable as it is, I’m getting used to it and mainly enjoying the pleasure it is giving to others: and at least it put Greenwich in the Jubilee New Year list!”

Pieter has worked at the National Maritime Museum since 1974.

NMM’s new Sammy Ofer Wing opens to the public

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THE National Maritime Museum’s new £35 million  Sammy Ofer Wing has opened to the public.

The major development, the largest in the NMM’s history, was made possible thanks to a £20 million donation from shipping magnate and philanthropist, Sammy Ofer.

The new building, which creates a new main entrance to the NMM from Greenwich Park, was officially opened by the HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (pictured below) on Tuesday.

It includes a special exhibitions gallery, a permanent gallery called Voyagers which introduces the story of Britain and the sea, a new state of the art library and a new café and brasserie with views over Greenwich Park.

The Sammy Ofer Wing opens with a new six-month special exhibition called ‘High Arctic‘ – an immersive experience set in the Arctic 0f 2100 AD.

Lord Sterling, Chairman of the National Maritime Museum, said: “In the Sammy Ofer Wing, our new exhibition space will introduce new generations of visitors to the many rich narratives bound up in our maritime story. This visionary transformation would not have been possible without the support of Sammy Ofer and the Heritage Lottery Fund.”

Kevin Fewster, National Maritime Museum Director, said: “The Sammy Ofer Wing creates a spectacular, contemporary environment in which more people can appreciate the wonders of our world-class collections and their stories of human endeavour and discovery.”

Sammy Ofer died just a few weeks before the completion of the project.

Royal Observatory to introduce £10 charge

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Royal Observatory

Accessing parts of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park will cost visitors £10 from March, it has emerged.

The new charge is being introduced from March 8th this year and applies to Flamsteed House and the Meridian Line. Adults will pay £10 and those that qualify for a concession will pay £7.50. Once paid, the pass will enable free returns for 12 months. Children aged 15 and under will continue to get free access.

The Astronomy Centre with its three interactive galleries will remain free.

Charging was abolished at the museum in 2001, when free entry was introduced at national museums in England, Scotland and Wales, but a spokesperson for the National Maritime Museum says it “needs to look at generating more of its own revenue” after a “a prolonged period of limited investment”.

Lord Sterling, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Maritime Museum said, “After thorough deliberation, Trustees have taken the decision that the only responsible and practical course of action we can adopt is to return to charging for the Meridian Line and Flamsteed House at the Royal Observatory.”

When asked if the Royal Observatory would be considering discounted entry for holders of the council’s “Greenwich Card” scheme, the NMM spokesperson commented, “It is something we are looking into.”

Additional coverage at the Greenwich Gazette, Greenwich Phantom and 853.

Greenwich Strikes Gold At Visit London Awards

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Greenwich was the star of the show at last night’s BT Visit London Awards 2009 ceremony.

The National Maritime Musuem picked up Gold in the prestigious Visitor Attraction of the Year category. It was Gold again in the Best Tourism Experience category for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, and the Greenwich+Docklands International Festival took first place in the Best Consumer Event category.

It has also just been announced that Greenwich has been named as the “New Capital of Industry” representing Tourism in a new list produced by the Association of Colleges (AoC) ahead of Colleges Week (9-15 November), a national celebration of the role colleges play in providing opportunities for communities, businesses and individuals.