Photo: DNAinfo/Julie Shapiro
The Peking, a steel-hulled four-masted barque built in 1911, which has been a largely neglected fixture at New York’s South Street Seaport for almost the last 40 years, is now in desperate need of a new home.
The South Street Seaport Museum thought that they had an agreement with the city of Hamburg to take the grand old ship. That deal apparently fell through and the future of the old ship is again in doubt. Susan Henshaw Jones, president of the South Street Seaport Museum, said she will hear proposals from anyone with a berth for the old ship. “The ultimate alternative, which is to scrap her, it’s unthinkable,” she said.
The Seaport has been trying to get rid of the Peking since at least 2008. Other events, however, have distracted from that effort. The Seaport collapsed financially in early 2011. In September of 2011, the South Street Seaport Museum was taken over by the Museum of the City of New York. The City of New York also provided $2 million dollars in operating funds but imposed an 18 month deadline to determine whether the seaport museum could be made viable again. The return of the Peking to Germany was part to the plan to lower the operating costs of the museum.
The continued presence of the Peking creates logistical as well as financial problems. The Seaport’s other windjammer, the iron three masted, Wavertree, is losing her berth on Pier 15 to a new retail development and was supposed to move Pier 16 where the Peking is now berthed.
The Peking is one of the Flying-P liners, built for F. Laeisz. She was one of the last generation of great sailing ships, the windjammers, who kept to the seas, paying their way carrying bulk cargoes long after most thought that the “age of sail” was over. The Peking carried nitrates around Cape Horn for over twenty years, then served as a school ship for forty more before being brought to the South Street Seaport in 1975.
Thanks to Irwin Bryan for contributing to the post.
In my beginnings as a sea music performer in the ’70s, one of my greatest thrills was singing on the deck of ‘Peking’ for the first time. There have been many times since, and each has been special in its own way. Our William Main Doerflinger Memorial Sea Shanty Sessions, now at the Noble Maritime Collection, began as the Monthly Chanty Sing on ‘Peking’ in September 1995. There are many of us for whom this great old ship holds deep, warm, and abiding memories, and for New York to lose the familiar form of her masts against the skyline would not simply be tragic, but something akin to criminal negligence.
It would be sad if the Peking was scrapped. I knew it as the TS Arethusa, a training ship/boarding school, in the early 1970s. A lot of tough inner city kids got put on the right road by attending that school. It went bankrupt due to the headmaster buying the boys normal beds, and building dormitories etc. up til then we had slept in hammocks. It was an extremely tough environment, but it worked. It was while watching the news about the weather, that I thought I’d try to see how she was doing. Still, probably better to be bashed by the sea then gutted by oxy-acetylene eh.
The Peking known by me as the Arethusa was a great positive influence on my life,I trained on her from 1956 with a great bunch of lads who like me I’m sure,have a lot to thank her and her Officers for. I find it very sad that this great old ship has found itself in this position,and I hope some solution can be found,good luck old girl and many thanks.
Brian Sewrey (Sew.)145 Top Stardboard 1956/1958
I was on the ship when it was the TS ARETHUSA around 1958/59 it was good grounding for the RN. The most outstanding teacher I remember was the “WIZZ” a some what large fella by the name of Fullerton, he smoked about 60 fags a day but at least he know his seamanship we also had somewhat sadistic teachers one by the name of ‘Shacks’ he seemed to enjoy hitting children, as we all were then. The other teachers were very mediocre and I found schooling hard and have had to teach myself for the rest of my adult life. The ship itself was great and I enjoyed climbing the fore mast but never worked up the courage to make the last Jacobs Ladder to touch the “Button”.
I was sad to hear about the ship going to the USA but thought then it would at least be looked after. Sadly that appears not to be the case. I still remember most of the brainwashing spiel on the ship being a four masted steel barque, fore, 180′ main, 180′ mizzen175′ and jigger, 145′. Built in Hamburg, Germany in May 1911, the rest I forget!
What can really be done with an old girl like that and who has the money to maintain it let alone restore it, perhaps some one could persuade Sir Richard Branson to have a look, could go well with his airline!
I hope others will remember the ship with as much affection as I have for her.
Bob – Ships Number 34 Mess Number 4
How great would it be if enough money were raised to return her to upnor, I myself served on her drom 70 to 74 and have missed her ever since. Great memories I’ll never forget.
I was aboard TS Arethusa from 1967 to 1970 when I left to join the Royal Tank Reginent. Many happy but tough days aboard the old girl. Surely someone can rescue her?
T.S.Arethusa, 1961-63. No.62 Foc’sle Port.
What a sad predicament for such a great ‘old lady’.
To thousands of boys who were lucky enough to ‘serve’ on board the ‘Arry’, the experience was life changing. I personally was able to travel the world for a few years, as a navigating apprentice and then 3rd Mate, in the Merchant Navy.
I feel very sad that she may end her days at the scrapyard. She has had a wonderful historic life.
I sincerely hope that a ‘saviour’ can be found.
I served aboard TS Arethusa From January 1950 to October 1951 and this training became the commencement of my naval career of 30 years.
The strict discipline was difficult to handle initially but it eventually made my time in the navy very easy to handle
I remember that our Captain (ICommander LeMaire RN Rtd) and his wife had a baby daughter, I think in early/mid 1951, I am sure she was named Petra
We used to take her around the upper deck in her pram, she was spoiled by the boys and will now be well into her 60′s.
Sorting through my memorabillia and observed that I received my ARETHUSA Sword in June 1970, it is a special item of interest in our house and my grandchildren call it our burgular protection.