Mayflower II Sets Sail For New England

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28258, 22 April 1957, Page 11

Mayflower II Sets Sail For New England

(Rec. 7 p.m.) PLYMOUTH (Devon), April 20. The Mayflower 11, replica of the vessel that carried the Pilgrim Fathers to America more than 300 years ago, sailed from Plymouth harbour for New England today. The 183-ton wooden ship, a £lOO.OOO gift from the people of Britain to the United States, headed for open water under tow and unfurled her sails as thousands of Easter holiday trippers cheered from the shore.

Commander Alan Villiers, skipper of the Mayflower 11. hopes to make the Atlantic crossing to Plymouth Rock. Massachusetts, in six weeks, half the time the original Mayflower took for the trip.

The vessel, towed by a tug, moved out into Plymouth Sound in bright sunshine and calm. At sunset the Mayflower 11, flying the Red Ensign, was making good, though slow, progress. Crowds pressed round the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Mr J. Oats, at a farewell ceremony this morning for the 30 crew members of the Mayflower 11. The Mayflower has a crew of 30 highly-experienced sailors and a cargo of seventeenth-century style treasure chests full of the work of British craftsmen.

The ship’s stores include six York hams; six cases of stewed steak, barrels of salt pork and beef, 801 b of tea. 801 b of coffee, a ton of flour, three tons pf potatoes, and 1500 eggs.