CHILDREN will be acting the part of the ship’s captain in a bid to officially open –and be the first to climb – the new Flying Bridge on the ss Great Britain’s Weather Deck.
Brunel’s ss Great Britain is asking children to draw pictures or have photographs taken of themselves pretending to be the ship’s captain.
The child who best represents the characteristics of the ss Great Britain’s Victorian captain – authority, charm and good sea legs – will play a part in the ship’s history. Whiskers, sideburns and beards are optional!
The Flying Bridge is the raised area on the Weather Deck, which the captain used to climb for a better view especially when steering the ship in and out of harbour.
There were a total of five ship’s captains, with the most famous being Captain Gray. Arguably, the least successful was Captain Hosken who was in command of the ship when she went aground at Dundrum Bay in Ireland.
Victorian commentators were split in their condemnation, with some blaming Captain Hosken and others claiming that the navigational charts were inaccurate.
The previous Flying Bridge has not been open to the public in recent years and was removed in early March as part of the Trust’s ongoing maintenance programme.
Visitors will be able to climb the steps and walk around the new Flying Bridge once it is completed and opened during the Easter holidays.
The winner, accompanied by their family, will receive a VIP private tour and refreshments in the Dockyard Café, after opening the Flying Bridge, plus a family ticket allowing them unlimited free return visits for one year, and a goodie bag.
Claire Champion, the ss Great Britain Trust’s Education and Interpretation Officer, commented: “This competition is about having fun and getting in to the character of the ship’s captain. The winning child and their family will have the chance to play a part in history, as they will be the first to step foot on the Flying Bridge.
“The previous Flying Bridge could only be accessed by the ship’s crew, but the new one will be open for all visitors.”
She added: “For me the best thing about the Flying Bridge is how it makes you feel as though you are up amongst the rigging. The view over the ship is great, it is quite easy to get that sense of 'lording it' over people on the deck below!”
In ‘becoming’ ship’s captain Claire took inspiration from one passenger’s diary entry.
In 1852 Olcher Feddon wrote: ‘The waves were truly grand and the ship, under full sail, was bravely cutting over them at 14 knots per hour, braving the billows most gallantly. I went for a few minutes on the bridge to enjoy the grand scene’.
The winning child will be able to see the brightly coloured houses on Clifton Wood and the Floating Harbour, in the heart of Bristol.
Removing and replacing the flying bridge cost a total of £12,000. The Flying Bridge is made up of 16 main timbers, 6.5 metres in length and weighing about a quarter of a ton each.
There will be three runners-up prizes of family tickets to Brunel’s ss Great Britain.
The best entries will be uploaded to the visitor review section of the ss Great Britain Trust’s website www.ssgreatbritain.org.
- Please send pictures to Captain’s Bridge Competition, Brunel’s ss Great Britain, Great Western Dockyard, Bristol BS1 6TY or by email to clairec@ssgreatbritain.org. Please enclose the child’s name and age, parents’ names, address, daytime and mobile contact numbers. The deadline is April 7 2009. Families must be available to open the Flying Bridge during the Easter break (see below for competition rules).
- See what's on to find out more about future events including Crimean Troopers and the Victorian Surgeon, rat and cat mask-making.
COMPETITION RULES
The judges’ decision will be final, and they will not enter into any correspondence. The winning child and family will have to be available to open the Flying Bridge during the Easter break and will be available for publicity. No cash alternative will be offered. The winning entry and runners-up (full name and town or city or residence) will be announced on the Trust’s website www.ssgreatbritain.org which will also feature some of the competition entries. Good luck!
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