OK, well the name Cutty Sark is down to Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns. One of his great creations was Tam O’Shanter. In the tale told by Burns in verse, Tam was on his way back home after a convivial evening, when he witnessed witches dancing in a graveyard (the way they did, y’know.) They were scantily clad, with their shirts barely covering what, ahem, should be covered. After watching this stimulating sight for a while, Tam’s “creamy ales” got the better of him, and he cried out “Weel done, Cutty-sark!” At which the witches stopped their dance and ran screeching towards him. Tam spurrred away his horse Maggie and made his escape, but not before one of the witches managed to tear the end off poor Maggie’s tail. Which is what (picture) the figurehead witch has in her hand!
SO… SHORT SHIRT?
01 October 2017
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About Rob
Rob is a TV producer, reporter and camera operator with 30 years’ experience at the BBC, Channel 4 and ITN, in news, factual and documentary production. He is a four times award winner, whose awards include a coveted Royal Television Society award for his work on Channel 4 News. His association with The Maritime Foundation goes back to 1995, when he won the first Desmond Wettern Maritime Media Award for a series of reports that led to a major documentary on the loss of the bulk carrier Derbyshire.