OLD HULK TO POSE AS-EARLY PILGRIMS' SHIP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23436, 15 December 1950, Page 7

OLD HULK TO POSE AS-EARLY PILGRIMS' SHIP

ciiRiSTCUURcrr, Dec. u.~ Eighty-five years old, hut rejuvenated at a cost of £2OOO to play tlie part of the Charlotte Jane in. Saturday’s re-enactment of the landing of the pilgrims at Lyttelton, the old hulk Darra will enjoy the bright blaze of publicity before returning to retirement.

On Saturday the Darra, now to all intents and purposes a full-rigged ship, will be moored in the inner harbour and the “pilgrims'’ will land from her in longboats. _ Built in Aberdeen in 1865 for the Orient Line the Darra was a smart tea clipper in her day. once doing the run from London to Adelaide in the record time of 70 days. After a spell as an immigrant ship she was re-rigged as a barque and carried coal and timber between England and America. In 1899 she caught fire at Sydney and remained there for some time, a burnt-out travesty of a fine vessel, and was brought to Lyttelton for use as a coal hulk. To change the Darra into the Charlotte Jane her decks were altered, three masts were stepped, yards were slung and more than 7000yds. of rope were used for the rigging. Coat of Paint

Her old timbers were freshly painted in the Charlotte Jane’s colours, black and white, and dummy gun ports run along her bulwarks. The Darra. however, could not be compressed to the dimensions of the Charlotte Jane so those watching the re-enactment will have to diminish the Darra by about one-third to get a true picture. The Darra is 119 ft. long and 33ft. in the beam, displacing 999 tons. The Charlotte Jane was a vessel of 730 tons. 131 ft. long and 32ft. in the beam. Into these cramped quarters went her 125 passengers, who must have been heartily glad the 14 weeks’ voyage had ended.—P.A,