There will never be another Swan

The Shetland Times responded (to news that the Swan was available for purchase) with enthusiasm, describing this as "a rare opportunity to retrieve part of Shetland's maritime heritage." This suggestion was taken up the following week by Thomas Moncrieff of Lerwick, a retired technical and navigation teacher and keen yachtsman, as well as an enthusiast for all things pertaining to Shetland's maritime heritage. In a letter to the editor of the newspaper he wrote:

A Mr Keith Parkes has had the Swan lifted from the bottom of Hartlepool dock restored so as to be fit to go to sea again. Most ports all round Britain now have maritime museums of some kind, but Shetland is lagging sadly behind. A few weeks ago the Shetland Amenity Trust was willing to spend nearly £10,000 to break up the controversial remains of the Jessie Sinclair in Effirth. If three and a half times that sum cannot be obtained to buy the Swan, then Shetlanders need not talk of boat museums and maritime heritages. There will never be another Swan.

His reference to the Jessie Sinclair recalled another failure on the part of Shetlanders to preserve a historic fishing vessel. She was one of the MFV class, built for Admirality duties during World War Two with fishing in mind when peace should be restored. On one memorable trip to the fishing grounds at East Anglia she won the Prunier Trophy for the top catch of the season - the only Shetland boat ever to win this coveted prize.

The Swan Steering Group

Mr Moncrieff's letter caused a great deal of interest in Lerwick, the town where the Swan had been built, and in Whalsay, the island where she had spent most of her working life. The man who brought all the interested parties together was James Moncrieff - Tom Moncrieff's son - who was then the chief executive of Shetland Salmon Farmers' Association. He called those interested to a meeting in the association's offices at 80 Commercial Street, Lerwick. It was attended by eleven people who formed themselves into the Swan Steering Group with James Moncrieff as chairman/treasurer and Vaila Wishart as secretary. The others were Eileen Anderson, William Anderson, Alistair Hamilton, Dave Hammond, Tom Moncrieff, John Ratter, Allan Wishart, Brian Wishart and Robert Wishart.

It was pointed out that the Swan had been on the market for two months at an asking price of £36,000 exclusive of VAT and it was agreed that unless some action was taken fairly quickly the opportunity to purchase the Swan might be lost.

The general feeling was that if it proved feasible to bring the Swan back to Shetland she should become a "working boat" and not simply a static "museum piece."

It was agreed that a professional survey should be undertaken...

...The steering group appointed Laurence Irvine to carry out an inspection on their behalf. This was done at Jackson Dock, Hartlepool on 27th and 28th November, 1990. Mr Irvine was then retired after a long career as a carpenter, then surveyor, with Malakoff and Moore Ltd and had an unrivalled knowledge of wooden fishing vessels.

In his report Mr Irvine... ...noted some decay and softening of the timber along the base of the existing wheelhouse and added "otherwise the structure generally appears satisfactory with the windows intact and undamaged."

He concluded:

The examination of the structure has not brought to light any significant defects on the original parts which were seen, apart from the fore deck beams. The decay found does not appear to have reached the stage where all the forward beams would have to be discarded in a restoration project. The deck planking (not original) would require 100 per cent renewal but with care and coating it could serve for some time yet.

The underwater hull, which was not seen, was reported by Capt. Elliott to have been refastened and a total of 688 linear.feet of strakes renewed. On this basis I assume the underwater parts to be in satisfactory condition and I can see no reason providing the vessel is regularly maintained why Swan should not serve as an example of Shetland's,fishing and boatbuilding heritage for many years to come.

The Swan Trust

On the basis of (the information now obtained,) it was agreed to form the Swan Trust. At a meeting of the Swan Steering Group on Thursday 13th December, 1990, it was agreed to write a letter to Mr Parkes confirming the group's interest in the Swan and its intention to proceed with the purchase of the vessel. Robert Wishart agreed to produce a brochure with photographs of the Swan for fund raising purposes. It was anticipated that the work of restoration would cost a total of £150,000, being divided into three stages - purchase and travel, initial restoration and restoration to her original rig as a sailing smack. It was assumed that each phase would cost around £50,000.

The final meeting of the Swan Steering Group was held on Thursday, 15th December, 1990, followed later that evening by the inaugural meeting of The Swan Trust.

The membership of this body included several of those who had been involved in the project ever since discussion began on the possibility of bringing the vessel back to Shetland. They included Robert Wishart, Vaila Wishart and Thomas Moncrieff, all of Lerwick, William Simpson and William Anderson of Whalsay and Brian Wishart of Sandwick.

To restore and re-rig the Swan

Under the trust deed the trustees were given wide ranging power to appeal for and receive donations, grants and legacies and to raise money "by any other means which they may consider appropriate for the purpose of accumulating and maintaining funds for the purpose of the trust."
...

The objects and purposes for which the trust was established were described as "generally of an educational nature", the aim being to:

... acquire the hull of the Shetland Fifie Swan (LK 243): to restore and re-rig the Swan as a working and sea-going sail-.fishing boat using as far as reasonably practicable similar materials and techniques to those used in her original construction and design; to ensure the continued maintenance of the Swan in her restored and re-rigged condition as aforesaid so that she may be presereved and open to the public as part of Shetland's maritime and fishing heritage.for future generations; and to encourage and facilitate interested parties and particularly young people to sail on the Swan, thereby teaching and keeping alive the techniques of sailing and working a traditional sail Fifie such as the Swan.

Negotiations to purchase the vessel were concluded fairly quickly. She cost £41,525 including VAT - a considerable sum for a vessel of her age, but then she was no ordinary vessel. All those involved in the project realised that this was the last chance to acquire a Shetland-built sail fishing vessel.

Swan Made Seaworthy Once More

From the membership of the trust a "Swan Return Group" was formed to make arrangements for bringing the vessel back to Lerwick. This involved a great deal of careful planning, since the vessel had to be seaworthy and had to satisfy the requirements of the insurers through Captain Elliott before she was allowed to undertake the long journey north.

A lengthy list of equipment was prepared...[and]...was taken south free of charge on Hay & Company's vessel Shetland Trader - an appropriate gesture from the firm which had built the Swan ...

The delivery crew left Lerwick on Friday 5th April, 1991. They were fortunate in having as skipper William Simpson who, many years before, had served on the Swan and whose family had owned her for most of her career as a fishing vessel. Engineer was George Sinclair of Trondra, loaned to the trust by his employers Malakoff & Moore because of his skill with engines. His knowledge was to be tested to the full on the way north. The other two crew were Tom Moncrieff and Dennis Geldard.

On arrival at Hartlepool they began to prepare the Swan for her journey. The electronic equipment which they installed included a radar, an echosounder and a Decca navigational system - instruments which hadn't even been dreamed of when the Swan was fishing, and which demonstrated the enormouos technological advances of the 1950s.

The hull was entirely empty and the first task undertaken by her crew was to lay temporary flooring to accommodate 17.5 tonnes of ballast considered necessary for stability. There was no sleeping accommodation, so a temporary bunk, big enough for three, was constructed for'ard of the hold. George Sinclair tested the engine for several hours and pronounced it fit for the journey.

After four days work the Swan was ready for her journey. The surveyor was satisfied that she was fit for the trip and Tom Moncrieff had completed the delicate job of swinging and adjusting the compass. With full fuel tanks the Swan left Hartlepool at 12.15pm on Wednesday, 10th April and by 12.30 she was clear of the outer buoy. By 8.00pm she had the Longstone Light abeam. The wind was fresh and from the south~west, making ideal conditions for the journey. The Swan was retracing a journey which she had last made more than 80 years before.

Small Boat Harbour, Lerwick

...Two more crew members, Robert Wishart and Allister Rendall, joined the Swan at Aberdeen. They left there at 10.25 on Friday morning, heading into a fresh northerly wind. Next morning at 2.30am they had their first connection with home when they met the Aberdeen - Lerwick ferry heading south three miles to port. At 9.50am the Swan was abreast of Sumburgh Head and from there the engine was put on full speed for Lerwick.

Enthusiasts gathered at the Knab, a headland at the entrance to Lerwick harbour, and video cameras whirred as she came in past the Bressay lighthouse. The film company Cinecosse, who had filmed her departure from Hartlepool, captured the memorable last stage of the journey for their video which was then used to promote the Swan's restoration. At 12.30 the Swan tied up in the small boat harbour, after an absence from Lerwick of more than 30 years.