The Cutty Sark, a historic British clipper ship, is one of the most iconic attractions in Greenwich, London.
Built in 1869, it was one of the fastest ships of its time, built primarily for the tea trade between Britain and China. Over the years, the Cutty Sark has weathered many storms, survived disasters, and captured the imagination of people worldwide. However, it’s not just the ship’s rich maritime history that fascinates people today.
Beyond her celebrated voyages and record-breaking speeds, the Cutty Sark has darker, more sinister stories that are lesser-known tales of murder, mutiny, and betrayal aboard this iconic ship.
Once the pride of the British merchant fleet (and still the pride of Greenwich, especially for those of us who live here), she now creaks and groans under the weight of her history. Her wooden deck, worn smooth by countless footsteps, bore silent witness to the many dramas that unfolded.
But before we get to the gruesome stuff (just in time for Hallowe’en), here’s a brief timeline of her history, just in case you want to know it.
Setting the Skullduggery Scene
The world in which the Cutty Sark sailed was harsh and unforgiving, and the sea it sailed upon was a dangerous yet endless opportunity for trade and exploration.
Life aboard a nineteenth-century sailing ship was brutal, with cramped quarters, unpredictable weather, and the constant threat of disease, accidents, and violent confrontations. Crews were often composed of men from diverse backgrounds, many of whom had little choice but to take on life at sea, facing gruelling conditions for meagre pay, inadequate diets, and unwanted diseases.
For ships like the Cutty Sark, designed to carry tea from China and later wool from Australia, there was also pressure to deliver goods quickly, adding to the volatile environment. Captains demanded discipline, efficiency, and speed, often pushing their crew to the limits.
In such a high-stress environment, it’s no wonder that tempers could flare, leading to conflict, violence, and, in extreme cases, murder and mutiny. Mental health was also a big issue of the day, with the Royal Navy’s ‘Physician of the Fleet’ concluding that sailors were seven times more likely to go mad than the rest of the population (an acceptable phrase at the time that might cause offence today).
Discipline and Hardship
The Cutty Sark’s early voyages were known for their demanding nature. Crews worked around the clock, climbing the ship’s towering masts and operating its vast sails to ensure the vessel could move as quickly as possible. These men faced constant danger, whether from the treacherous seas, where storms could throw them overboard in an instant, or from their own shipmates, with whom tensions could easily boil over in such confined spaces.
Life at sea was hierarchical, and discipline was maintained through strict rules and harsh punishments. Ship captains wielded absolute authority, and any breach of discipline could result in severe penalties, including flogging or confinement in the ship’s brig. Given this harsh reality, it is unsurprising that conflicts sometimes turned rather deadly.
The culture aboard the Cutty Sark was no different. With the ship pushing for speed and efficiency, the crew often faced long hours of exhausting work. Captains of clippers were known to push hard, especially during races with other ships. Speed was of the essence if the captains wanted to be the best in delivering the freshest supply of tea.
So... the stress of these voyages and the rough nature of nineteenth-century maritime life set the stage for violence to erupt.
The Murder of John Francis: A Grisly Tale
(Those who know the story of Francis believe that his spirit remains aboard the ship, seeking justice for the murder that went somewhat unpunished.)
One of the most infamously dark chapters in the Cutty Sark’s history involves the tragic death of a crew member named John Francis. Francis was a young seaman barely in his twenties who had signed on to the Cutty Sark for what he believed would be a routine voyage. However, his time aboard the ship would come to a grisly and mysterious end.
In 1877, tensions between the crew and officers aboard the Clipper ran high during a voyage from Shanghai to London. One night, after an altercation with a senior officer, John Francis was found dead in his bunk. Rumours quickly spread among the crew that Francis had been murdered.
Francis was known for being incompetent: a shirker, slacker, loafer, lounger, malingerer, ne'er-do-well, piker, and dodger. In modern terms, unqualified, and somewhat unfit for his job. He wasn't overly liked by the crew, and despite such qualities not deserving a battering, he got one.
Francis was not able to do his duty as an able seaman, and I often heard the mate say to him, "Go out of my sight; jump overboard"—he would stand looking at the mate and would do no work—about the middle of July I saw the mate striking him, and the blood was running out of his nose and ear. (Old Bailey Records)
According to the crew's later evidence, Francis had been involved in a heated argument with the ship’s first mate, John Anderson, known for his violent temper. To digress slightly, there is a discrepancy here as to the alleged murderer’s name – between John Anderson and Sidney Smith – but the report from the Old Bailey may clear this up ( a little).
Some sailors claimed that the first mate, Anderson, had beaten Francis so severely during the altercation that it caused him fatal injuries. Others believed that Francis had died from illness earlier in the voyage. The truth, however, was bound to come out, and it eventually did when the murder case went to the Old Bailey.
With such clear testimony given, we'd be forgiven for thinking that Anderson would be convicted of murder, but he wasn't.
Unsurprisingly, the jury took into account the circumstances of the incident – an interpretation of the circumstances that represents much of the era's approach to class, race, and hierarchy.
The jury has traditionally been a somewhat exclusive group, with the requirement that members own land of specific value. Until 1919, women were typically excluded from serving on trial juries, and even after that, local biases often kept many women from being included. (It wasn't until the Married Women's Property Act of 1870 and the Married Women's Property Rights Act of 1882 that married women gained the legal right to own land).
So, Anderson’s fate versus justice for Francis, who was a lower-class, non-landowning young man of colour, was sealed by a white male land-owning bunch of jury-goers who only convicted Anderson on a charge of manslaughter. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment at HMP Brixton and spent much of his time in hard labour, working on the breakwater at Dover.
One of the most common ghostly apparitions on the Cutty Sark is said to be that of John Francis. Visitors and staff alike have reported seeing a young man dressed in nineteenth-century sailor’s clothing, walking the ship’s lower decks or standing by the crew’s quarters. Some say they have heard his footsteps, while others claim to have felt a cold breeze pass by them, even when no windows or doors were open.
Mutiny-ish Behaviour and Suicide
Continuing the story of Anderson killing Francis – when the ship reached Angier for orders, Anderson persuaded Captain James Wallace to allow him to sneak away quietly onto an American steamer called Colorado. It is also rumoured that Wallace got rid of the murder weapon overboard, although why he did these things, we do not know.
Once the ship departed for Yokohama and the crew learned of the missing murderer, they went on strike, even though Francis had not been well-liked. Despite confrontations, violent outbursts, and manning up to each other in chest-puffing conflict, there was an honour and superstition amongst the crew, and they were not best pleased by their captain's actions. Sailing the Cutty Sark was left to the officers and apprentices, which was not a situation any ship or captain wanted when out on the treacherous seas.
Riddled with guilt, Captain Wallace became increasingly moody three days into the journey to Yokohama. The crew’s mutiny and his involvement in colluding with Anderson played heavily on Wallace’s mind. In a pit of despair, he came to the conclusion that his career as a ship’s captain was likely over. The oppressive heat and stillness of the sea also deepened his dark mood.
In the early morning, Wallace exited his cabin, whispered to the helmsman, and quietly stepped over the taffrail into the calm water at the ship’s stern. Despite the crew’s prompt lowering of a search boat, they found no trace of him; he had sunk swiftly down into the depths, presumed drowned. The Cutty Sark fell under the command of the second mate, who nearly crashed it while slowly making their way back to Angier, where a new captain and mate were eventually assigned. This voyage would not be counted among Cutty Sark’s finest moments.
Mutiny Myths
There's a bit of a misconception about mutinies on the Cutty Sark. Many websites and blogs claim quite a few, but she never experienced a full-blown mutiny during her operational years unless the Francis murder strikes can be classified as one.
The confusion might arise from a few incidents that occurred:
Crew disputes: There were occasional disagreements and conflicts among crew members, which is common on long sea voyages.
The 'Sydney Riot': In 1868, before the Cutty Sark was launched, there was an incident known as the 'Sydney Riot' involving Chinese crew members on another ship (the Thermopylae), a rival of the Cutty Sark.
Fictional accounts: Some novels and stories may have dramatised events on clipper ships, including fictional mutinies, which could have been mistakenly associated with the Cutty Sark.
The Ghost of Nannie Dee: A Mythical Connection?
One of the most intriguing aspects of Cutty Sark’s history is the story behind her name and its link to a character from Robert Burns’ famous poem Tam o’ Shanter.
In the poem, the character of Nannie Dee, a witch, wears a short shift (a ‘cutty sark’), which she is famously depicted as wearing while running after Tam. The ship’s figurehead – a carved wooden sculpture of a woman holding a piece of her shift – is based on Nannie Dee.
The name of the ship is quite unusual, especially considering that, according to legend and Robert Burns’ poem, witches cannot cross water! The ship’s original owner, Jock Willis, chose the name, although it was reportedly suggested by the designer, Hercules Linton. The exact reason for Jock’s choice remains unclear, but it may reflect his patriotism, as he drew inspiration from Scotland’s renowned poet. Notably, another ship in his fleet was named Halloween, which is also the title of a poem by Burns.
Some say Nannie’s mischievous spirit has become linked with the ship over the years.
Although the figurehead is not a ghost in the traditional sense, there have been reports of strange occurrences surrounding it. According to some, the figurehead has been known to change position slightly, as though it were coming to life. Others claim that the figurehead’s eyes sometimes appear to follow them as they walk past or that they have heard faint whispers near the bow of the ship, where Nannie’s likeness stands guard.
Shiver Me Timbers
Many visitors have reported seeing the apparition of a young boy, usually near the crew’s quarters or around the ship’s deck, where he supposedly met his untimely end. Although official records of the incident are sparse, it is said that an apprentice’s spirit never left the ship.
This ghostly presence is not the only one to haunt the decks of the Cutty Sark. Numerous visitors and staff members have seen another figure, often described as an old sailor. Witnesses describe a man wearing nineteenth-century seaman’s attire who roams the ship’s lower decks. Some say they have felt a cold gust of wind as the figure passes by, while others claim they have heard footsteps when no one else was around.
In addition to these apparitions, there have been reports of disembodied voices, strange shadows, and objects moving on their own. Some visitors have heard the unmistakable sound of the ship’s rigging being pulled or sails flapping in the wind – even though the ship has been in dry dock for decades and has no sails or rigging in use.
These incidents have led many to believe that the Cutty Sark is haunted by more than just one or two restless souls.
It is no surprise that a ship as old as the Cutty Sark, which sailed across treacherous waters and lived through various calamities, would attract ghost stories. Like many vessels of her time, the Cutty Sark was no stranger to death and disaster, and these incidents have contributed to the eerie legends that surround her.
The 2007 Fire: An Event that Stirred the Spirits?
In May 2007, tragedy struck again when a massive fire broke out on the Cutty Sark while she was undergoing restoration work.
The fire caused significant damage to the ship, although much of her structure had fortunately been removed for preservation at the time. Investigators later determined that the fire was caused by an industrial vacuum cleaner left running over the weekend. However, some believe the fire was not merely an accident but the result of supernatural forces.
In the years following the fire, reports of ghostly activity aboard the Cutty Sark increased dramatically. Some visitors have felt overwhelming dread or sadness upon entering the ship, while others have experienced unexplained physical sensations like being touched or pushed. Staff members have also reported strange occurrences, including electrical malfunctions, tools mysteriously disappearing, and the inexplicable appearance of fog or mist inside the ship’s interior.
The fire itself and the uptick in ghost sightings have fuelled speculation that the spirits aboard the Cutty Sark were disturbed by the restoration work – or perhaps even by the damage caused by the fire. Some paranormal investigators believe the fire might have ‘awakened’ spirits that had long been dormant, leading to increased supernatural activity on the ship.
Paranormal Investigations on the Cutty Sark
Over the years, several paranormal investigation groups have visited the Cutty Sark to explore her ghostly legends. One of the most famous investigations took place in 2010 when a team of ghost hunters spent the night aboard the ship. Using various equipment, including electromagnetic field (EMF) detectors, thermal cameras, and audio recorders, the team set out to capture evidence of the supernatural.
Although their findings were inconclusive, the investigators did report several strange occurrences. One investigator claimed to have seen the shadowy figure of a man near the ship’s stern, while another reported hearing the sound of footsteps on the deck when no one was there. The team also captured several EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) recordings, which they believed to be voices from beyond the grave. In one recording, a faint voice seemed to say, ‘Help me,’ while another captured what sounded like a child’s laughter.
While some sceptics dismiss these findings as mere coincidence or the result of environmental factors, others believe they provide compelling evidence that the Cutty Sark is indeed haunted.
Final Thoughts
The Cutty Sark is not just a marvel of maritime history but also a place where the past seems to linger in ways that defy explanation.
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, it’s hard to deny that there is something eerie about this historic vessel. From the tragic stories of those who lost their lives aboard the ship to the mysterious apparitions and strange occurrences that continue to this day, the Cutty Sark remains a focal point for paranormal enthusiasts and ghost hunters alike.
As the ship continues to draw visitors from around the world, one thing is certain: the Cutty Sark’s legacy as both a symbol of British naval excellence and a haunted relic of the past will endure for many years to come. So, the next time you find yourself in Greenwich, why not visit the Cutty Sark? Just be sure to watch for any unexpected visitors from beyond the grave.
As long as she stands, her ghosts will continue to captivate, intrigue, and sometimes frighten those who dare to explore her haunted history.
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The website is a continuous work in progress as everything is checked against the primary sources (as far as possible) rather than relying on Google, so thank you for sticking with me while I do the research.
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