In March 1998, I was a very lucky person, getting a bursary to sail on Sir Winston Churchill in the Canaries for 10 days. At the time I was doing a HND Leadership course when this opportunity arose, and through the fabulous hard work of my tutor I managed to get substantial funding to enable me to participate in this trip of a lifetime. It was this trip that lead to my love of tall ships.
Sir Winston Churchill is a three masted schooner, 37 metres in length, that was launched in 1966 by the Sail Training Association (now known as The Tall Ships Youth Trust). Her sister ship Malcom Miller was launched two years later – with the only real difference being that Sir Winston Churchill had round topped doors whereas Malcolm Miller had square topped. Sir Winston Churchill was built to take part in the Tall Ships Race at a time there was no other English vessel to enter the race. She was built using public funding with half being raised by the Sail Training Association. She has taken part in many races worldwide and won many awards.
Both ships, during their service with the Sail Training Association, have provided over 60,000 people, young and old, with the thrill and experience of sailing on a tall ship – giving them opportunities to develop skills such as team work, leadership, life, and citizen skills, all whilst increasing self-esteem and confidence. I was one of those 60,000 people and will never forget my experience on board Sir Winston Churchill.
She would sail with a crew of 55, who were split into 3 watches who had to work as a team to handle the ship 24/7 whether she was at sea or in port, taking part in watches where you were on watch for 4 hours and then had 8 hours off – this happened around the clock. The three watches were named after the three masts – Fore, Main and Mizzen – I was part of Fore Watch. The total crew was made up of –
- 5 qualified permanent crew – such as the Captain
- 11 volunteer afterguard that included watch leaders and officers
- 39 trainee/voyage crew (I was one of the 39)
The trainee/voyage crew had their living accommodation on the half-deck which is where we ate, slept, socialised and attended briefings. This was not divided into sections, it was a case of all in together – boys and girls, young and old, sleep and eat – all in the same room basically. There was no privacy on board apart from the male and female heads (toilets)!
The picture above shows the cramped conditions in the half deck with the table where we ate at in the foreground and then the bunks behind stacked three high throughout most of the half-deck. I was lucky my birth was right at the fore of the ship and was only stacked two high – certainly felt more spacious than further back on the vessel.
Her rigging consists of –
- Foremast – with one set of spreaders
- Mainmast – with one set of spreaders
- Mizzen mast – with two sets of spreaders
- Crows nest on main mast
To read about my experience of going aloft to the crows nest and taking part in the ‘up and over’ then click here
Until I was doing some research about Sir Winston Churchill, I never realised that she has had some accidents in her history of sailing the seas including one before she was even launched! Her accidents have included –
- Toppling over onto her starboard side whilst being fitted out – breaking all three masts [1]
- Sinking in January 1967 at Southampton [1]
- Running aground in July 1967 at Holyhead [1]
- and running aground again in July 1981 off Great Yarmouth [1] – at the time she had 60 female trainees on board! No female driving jokes please.
Sadly she was sold in 2000 to company based in the Isle of Man, when she was replaced by her owners, Sail Training Association, with the brig, Prince William. After she was sold she was refitted to create luxurious air-conditioned accommodation that had a capacity of 20 crew instead of the 55 she sailed with in the hands of the Sail Training Association.
Sir Winston Churchill Stats [2]
Built Hessle 1966 Official Number 308536 Call Sign GRZZ Max Draft 4.9 metres Overall Length 45.67 metres Overall Beam 8.31 metres Gross Tonnage 218 Nett Tonnage 61 Loaded Displacement 332.6 tonnes Air Draft With Topmast 35 metres Air draft Without Topmast 31.5 metres Total Sail Area 811.8 square metres Engines Ford Mermaid x2 202kw Radars Racal Decca Gyro Sperry Echo Sounder Kelvin Hughes Satcom C Thrane and Thrane MF / HF Radio Marconi Weatherfax Furuno VHF Sailor and Furuno Fire Detection Thorn Minerva [1] Source – Wikipedia
[2] Source – Tall Ships Youth Trust History
Please let me know by leaving a comment if anything is incorrect or needs changing – or maybe you have some more information or photos that I can add.
Have you sailed on board Sir Winston Churchill – then why not share your story by commenting below, I would love to hear of your experiences.
At the request of Chris from Australia who sailed on Sir Winston Churchill in 1966 I tried tracking down some old footage and here are some fascinating old films of Sir Winston Churchill you may like to view
46 Comments
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1 sailed on the sir winston churchill from southhampton i think in 1966 we sailed to la-harve in france and had a camera crew on board they made a short documentry which was shown in cinamas as a short news real i tried to track it down with no success i live in australia so it makes it a bit hard have u heard off such a movie i think the crew were from the bbc yours sincerly–chris
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I have seen old footage of an all male crew I will try a track it down.
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Hi Chris
Here are some links that may help – these are the only ones I could find, I don’t know if they are what you are looking for.
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/winston-churchill-sailing-boat
I have also added some old footage to my Sir Winston Churchill page https://sailingpenguin.wordpress.com/sailing/three-masted-topsail-schooner-sir-winston-churchill/.
I hope you find what you are looking for. All the best Nicky
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thanks very much for all feedback still no luck i know we went to la-harve in france and i we had a camera crew on board i am not 100% sure we sailed from southampton might have been in 1967 thanks again————chris
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You are welcome Chris. Good luck in your search. Have you contacted the BBC to see if they can find it in their archives? Might be worth a try. All the best to you.
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Hello Chris do have a look at the facebook group and leave a message. There are some other folk who sailed in the late 1960’s including an Engineer who now lives in Australia https://www.facebook.com/groups/30680956784/
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Hello Chris,
Your post was over a year ago I see, so you may not pick this up. However, I too have just started some research into the Churchill, as at the tender age of 69, I think I’m becoming a little nostalgic. My trip was in 1966 over the Easter period, but I believe we sailed from Chatham to Dunkirk (I think), then to Dartmouth. We were becalmed off the Needles, so were able to jump in over the side for a swim. We had two camera crews on board – one I believe was a Players cigarette crew (we got free cigarettes) and the other was from the BBC. The latter was filming a documentary which was aired twice on the BBC. Apparently I was interviewed, but sadly never saw the documentary as by that time I was a Midshipman with the Elder Dempster Line. I’m now looking on line at the BBC archives. Typically though, one page I found on Google regarding the archives is now archived! I continue to look.
Regards. David.
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Hi David,
Interested in your comments – the print i have described is for sale if you are interested – let me know & i can e-mail you full details
RegardIan
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Hello David. Do have a look at the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/30680956784. THere are also some interesting videos on you tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk-Y_eeRc42xm5uu023PmhA/videos . The videos are from an oral history project that I am co-ordinating. Best Regards Wing Chan wing@chinasta.org
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Seven days of my life that I will never forget. I lost nine pound in weight even on six meals a day…..Three down and three up ! A terrific crew, from all over the World, a Vet from New Zealand, a professor from Tokyo Fumiaki Yoshiwara…we exchanged Xmas cards for twenty years…A retired Police Super from Coventry Peter McCloed, who has finished up in Rhonda SpainSome lovely ladies, two nurses, Susan, a Barrister.The retired Captain of the Canberra Liner…… What has happened to everyone..We used to call ourselves the Chain Gang ! A fantastic last night in Shoreham at the Yacht Club, where I sang the other version of Frere Jacques….How time has flown by.
is anyone still out there ?
Best wishes Alan Clark now in Leek Wootton Warwickshire, mile from the sea..
C4clark@btinternet.com
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Such a vast assortment of people you met on board your voyage. I fully understand the three down and three up!
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Hi Alan,
The print i described is for sale – if you are interested drop me a line & i will send you full details
Regards
Ian
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Hello Alan. Do have a look at the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/30680956784. THere are also some interesting videos on you tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk-Y_eeRc42xm5uu023PmhA/videos . The videos are from an oral history project that I am co-ordinating. Best Regards Wing Chan wing@chinasta.org
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I sailed on the Sir Winston Churchill, in 1999 from Shoreham for 7 days, the weather was very bad,and we had to go in to the harbour Cher bourg ,we had a lady captain but I’m afraid I can not remember her name.I do remember having an experience I will never forget. Rosemary Richardson
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Sounds like you had a bit of a challenge with bad weather. In the Canaries I was out in a storm, took us nearly a day to go what should have been half a day because we had to skirt around the storm. Fantastic experience and such an adrenaline rush. I even wish for rough ferry crossings when I travel home across the Irish Sea! I am hooked.
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Hi Rosemary,
The picture i have described is for sale, if you are interested please let me know and i will send you full details
Regards
Ian
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Hello Rosemary. Do have a look at the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/30680956784. THere are also some interesting videos on you tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk-Y_eeRc42xm5uu023PmhA/videos . The Lady Captain was Barbara Campbell. I had a beer with her two weeks ago. The videos are from an oral history project that I am co-ordinating. Best Regards Wing Chan wing@chinasta.org
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I was on the Churchill in September 1983 . It was paid for by the rotary club and I had a wonderful time. Visited Jersey and Monte St Michael in France. The girls were on the Churchill and the boys the Malcom Miller. Have lots of photos to share one day .
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A wonderful experience I am sure you had Julia. Would love to see some photos some day. Wishing you all the best
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Hello Julia. Do post the photos to facebook when you have time. I am calculatring that I was on the voyage before you in 1983, on the MM. THere are also some interesting videos on you tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk-Y_eeRc42xm5uu023PmhA/videos . The videos are from an oral history project that I am co-ordinating. Best Regards Wing Chan wing@chinasta.org
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CAN ANYONE LET ME KNOW WHO IS THE CURRENT OWNER OF THE SHIP< NAME ADDRESS ETC AS I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HUGE PRINT OF HER BY VICTOR ELFORD CALLED DISTANT ISLES WHICH REALLY SHOULD BE WITH CURRENT OWNER
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Hi Ian
Thank you for taking the time to comment on my blog. I don’t know the details you are looking for however someone on this Facebook group might be able to help https://www.facebook.com/groups/30680956784/
Wishing you all the best and hope you find the information you are looking for
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My father Captain Bob Rowe was Captain of the sir Winston Churchill and sir Malcolm miller for a number of years, possibly during mid to late seventies. In fact I was christened on the the sir Winston Churchill in 1976. I was also lucky enough to sail on the sir Winston in the mid nineties, on a trip from great Yarmouth to Amsterdam and then on to Weymouth. A wonderful trip with rough seas across the North sea, but fairer weather for the rest of the trip
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Wow. What a place to be christened.
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Hello Mr Rowe! There are many schooner folk who remember your father. Do have a look on the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/30680956784 . And he also appears in this video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTrBDcHFnDs . Best Regards Wing Chan wing@chinasta.org
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Hi Mr Rowe,
The reason i wanted to find out who the present owner of the ship is than many years ago i was in the printing business producing large reproduction prints many of which i kept a copy of. Having just moved home after 36 years i discovered in the loft i have a beautiful picture of the ship called Distant Isles painted by Victor Elford and printed in 1970 – the size is 40″ Inches wide X 29″ inches deep – would you be interested in it if so please e-mail me, and i can send you an e-mail of the picture.
Ian
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I was on the sir winston Churchill in 1989 we sailed from Southampton to Amsterdam and then to Cherbourg.there was a documentary made by BBC .any information would be greatly appreciated.thanks
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Hello Alwyn. Do have a look at the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/30680956784. THere are also some interesting videos on you tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk-Y_eeRc42xm5uu023PmhA/videos . The videos are from an oral history project that I am co-ordinating. Best Regards Wing Chan wing@chinasta.org
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I joined the RAF as a pilot officer in October 1969 and the first thing they did to me was to send me on a 3 week stint aboard the ‘Winston’. We set sail from MiIlford Haven on the early morning tide, straight into the teeth of a howling English Channel gale! It took us 5 days and nights of sailing to get to Alderney. I was so sea sick I couldn’t get out of my bunk for 3 days and I didn’t eat or drink at all until we got to the pub on Alderney. I’m told we broke the ship’s record for speed under sail and maximum angle on the deck. It was terrifying. After that we had some respite as we sailed on to St Malo where we found a pub with a Watney’s Red Barrel sign outside and a pretty blonde barmaid called Sylvia inside. We returned without stopping, to Southampton making the most of the good weather to ‘holystone’ the decks. Oh joy! we ‘manned the mast’ for our arrival but since the ship tied up in the timber yard nobody was there to see the display. I could bore you with the many minor adventures that are encrusted on my mind like sunbaked coral but in truth it was a hard, scary and pointless experience which I would not subject my sons to or volunteer to undertake again.
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Hi Alf,
I read with interest your story, I have a very large print in full color of the ship which if you are interested i would be prepared to sell you. If interested let me know with your e-mail address and i will send you a copy with full details.
As far as I can find out she is now owned by a consortium based somewhere in Greece and rented out as a holiday ship.
Regards
Ian
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Hi Alf,
Read with interest your story, the print i describe of the ship is for sale, if you are interested please let me know & i can send you full details
Regards
Ian
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Hi all, I served as captain of the “guard of honour “ at the launch of the Winston in 1966, I was a cadet at the boulevard nautical school and a group of cadets were volunteered to be a guard of honour, I have searched and searched for any footage of the event hopefully so I could see myself as a 16 yr old ,but with no luck, does anyone out there remember the event and any photos would be good. They were happy times back then, I went on to serve with Canadian Pacific but left the sea after a few years ( regrettably now” ) I will keep searching, someone out there will remember the day.
Keith H
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How amazing to have been there at the launch. If I find any footage I will let you know.
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I sailed on Cruise 46 (November 1968) Birkenhead to Portsmouth, via Brest. Baptism of fire up aloft first night in Force 10 in the Irish Sea! Great crowd especially “Brum/Matelot” – are you still there, Brum?
Then two stints on the Miler as Watch Leader, Cruise 16 (March 1969)London to Portsmouth via St. Malo. Another great bunch, especially Jethro and Bosun Jim; Are you out there JIm?
And Cruise 28 (Oct/Nov 1969) Gosport to Port Talbot via Brest, Waterford, Newlyn. Another baptism (literally) on the bowsprit with Jim stowing wayward headsails – DRENCHED! Round Lands End in a big blow and sea, then bare poles up the Bristol Channel.
Anyone else on those cruises? PLEASE, get in touch.
I can honestly say that they taught me more about how to get on with my fellow humans than anything before or since.
Happy days (well, not when seasick…..)
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My father Sydney Barrow who lived in Gosport was quite an accomplished artist in his retirement from his job as a photographer in the Admiralty. He was active with the Gosport Art Club in Alverstoke in the 1980s. In 1982 he produced a large watercolour painting framed of the Sir Winston Churchill in Southampton Water in the Tall Ships Race. I have this painting at my home in Bollington, Macclesfield and would be willing to sell it to someone who wanted it. I have a large number of my late father’s paintings and feel that some of them should return to their native Hampshire.
Do get in touch if you are interested.
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Dear Sir, in July 1983 or was it in 1982, I was trainee in the Winston Churchill. I was French and it was a marvelous experience, and all the crew was incredible. Britannia rules the wave.
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I was a sea cadet in 1967 and our unit had a place on the Sir Winston for October. The oldest member of the unit backed out and I was the only other member to have reached the minimum age of 16. (My mate’s mother was on the committee but his birthday wasn’t until Nov otherwise I’d have had no chance. ) My parents accompanied me on the train to Portsmouth, it was my first time away from home without them. I have a memory of over-indulging on greasy burgers and as we headed down the Solent en route for France, the swell inducing a feeling of nausea. Out in the channel, the weather worsened. I was in the mizzen watch with a bunk next to the heads which proved fortuitous. An awful night and weakly returning to my bunk, I could not fight against the cant of the deck and fell into the vacant bunk opposite. When I emerged, we were in Brixham, having abandoned the attempt to cross the channel. That night we sampled the delights of Brixham, the streets rising up to meet us and we hadn’t even had a drink. Four of us went into a pub and we all ordered lager and lime, assuring the landlord we were all over 18. We left for Brest the following day and the weather was kinder to us. By the time we arrived I was well enough to pose on deck as locals came to gaze in awe at our vessel. The return trip wasn’t so pleasurable and I
positioned myself at the stern, looking down as the sea disappeared below me as we crested a wave. Captain Griffiths sent someone back to see me, not to inquire of my wellbeing but to give me a harness to make sure I didn’t fall overboard. I left home a boy – and returned a slightly slimmer one.
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Oh yes the feeling of being drunk without having a drink is certainly something. I loved reading about your experience, thank you for sharing with me
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I sailed on it around the Canary Islands in partnership with merseyside police it was such an amazing experience I was in MIZZEN and recall all your experiences thank you for reminding me of such an amazing experience
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That’s where I sailed in the late 90s. Amazing experience that fed my first love for sailing tall ships. Glad I was able to remind you of your experience.
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Privelidged to have an end of season week in November be 1988 losing nine pounds in weight..Froggy the cook, boasted six meals per day…three down and three up…ha! Met some great people and still in touch with Peter McCloed, now in Spain..I settled near to Warwick, on my own, next to the village pub, no we retired.
Best wishes to any Chain Gang survivors…Alan Clark…ha
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Sir Winston Churchill was a participant in the 1976 Bicentennial parade of sail in New York Harbor USA. She was the last boat in class “B” on the starboard end of the line (three abreast if I remember right). I was Captain of the Chief Aptakisic and was assigned the position of first row starboard end for class “C” boats which put us right behind the Churchill. Later that week I was accused of firing on the Churchill with our Lyle Cannon. That story is related in the Book “The Chief and I, A Concrete Dream” which will be released around the first of September this year,
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Sounds an interesting book I will have to keep a look out for it.
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I was a trainee on the Malcolm Miller on her third voyage from Liverpool to the Clyde. Some few years later I joined the Sir Winston Churchill as Purser – I understand the first ex-trainee to do so, when we sailed from, I think, Harwich, to St Malo.
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Wow, that is amazing to return as Purser. They were two amazing ships
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