The Raising of the Mary Rose

[Austin Maxi]

I remember being at primary school in 1982, when we were all ushered into a classroom to watch the raising of the Mary Rose (on a 1970s TV/video combo in a formica cabinet with doors on a large frame with wheels, naturally), from the bottom of the Solent.

Having been shown illustrations of what the ship looked like in it's prime, my young mind was expecting to see an entire ship, complete with masts (but probably without the sails - I was being realistic about it!) emerging from the water, only to see what looked like a pile of soggy firewood being winched up inside the yellow cradle. There was the tense moment when a bolt sheared and brought part of the cradle down on the remains of the ship, but it all worked out in the end, and I remember later producing a drawing of the scene - still looking like a load of soggy firewood, of the raising of the ship.

Years later, I visited the Mary Rose exhibition in Portsmouth and realised that it was a quarter of the hull of the ship which had been brought to the surface back then.

What I remember most about the scene from 1982 was the small details, such as the words 'Howard Doris' (the name of the ship builders) on the crane ship which raised the Mary Rose, and 'Babcock Power Construction Division' on the cradle.

[FLYING SAUCER]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

I was at College in 82, and seem to remember it being featured on Breakfast TV at around 8.30 am? My friend had called round for us to go to college together and seem to remember we didn't want to be late but would have loved to have watched it all.

I seem to remember the cradle being yellow, quite a bespoke construction to cradle the hull of the Mary Rose as it was in a fragile state.

[maxmix]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

Was at Secondary School, our whole form was allowed to watch it, wasn't exactly riveting TV, but better than regular classes

[Trickyvee]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

I was only 6 at the time but definitely remember this being shown in the mornings, perhaps daily, before the days of breakfast TV.

I got the general gist - big old ship in a river getting pulled up, but it seemed to take ages and be on for weeks with nothing much happening (it probably wasn't that long but that's what it felt like) and every day it was Mary Rose this and Mary Rose that. I guess I too wanted to see a huge galleon emerging from the depths, not bits of rotting wood. I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about.

[battyrat]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

I remember skipping the day off to watch the raising of the mary rose.My heart jumped into my mouth when the top part of the protective frame holding it suddenly collapsed.

[themilkman]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

Yeah I remember watching the highlights that evening on either South Today or Coast To Coast, really interesting.

[Back to the Eighties]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

I was only 6 at the time but definitely remember this being shown in the mornings, perhaps daily, before the days of breakfast TV.

I got the general gist - big old ship in a river getting pulled up, but it seemed to take ages and be on for weeks with nothing much happening (it probably wasn't that long but that's what it felt like) and every day it was Mary Rose this and Mary Rose that. I guess I too wanted to see a huge galleon emerging from the depths, not bits of rotting wood. I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about.

This. A million times this. I was about the same age, we were all told that this was very important and we would be talking about this for years. We didn't. It's not exactly the same as watching the Space Shuttle launches now, is it.

[steve242526]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

Funny how people have the same memories. I can remember having to come home from school ill in the morning and was told to lay down on the settee and can remember watching this. The main memory I have is the yellow cradle and to be honest I'd never heard of the Mary Rose. I'd have been 7 at the time but it looked like it was really important.

[Roxxy]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

It happened when I was very poorly with glandular fever- I'd recently got a Mary Rose mug from a visit to Ironbridge Gorge and can remember sitting in front of the TV sipping hot Ribena in my dressing gown, watching as she came up inch by inch.
The project was overseen by marine archaeologist Dr. Margaret Rule, who directed operations from a vessel called the 'Slypner' which was subsequently scrapped. The crane barge 'Togmore', which lifted the old ship, was subsequently sold to New Zealand.

[Shado66]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

My family used to go on holiday to Pompey regularly so it was a big event in my life. I remember rushing home from school and watching the highlights on John Cravens Newsround. When the frame shifted and partially collapsed....all I could think was...I wonder how much can you get for a pile of Tudor toothpicks?

[Trickyvee]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

They were talking about the Mary Rose this morning on the news, something about a new museum being built. I'd never heard anything about the ship since 1982 and I thought straight back to the discussions in this thread!

[Richard1978]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

There's a feature on the BBC website.

I think Blue Peter visited the original display at some time in the mid 1980s.

[escorteclipse1990]

Re: The Raising of the Mary Rose

Seen the Mary Rose on a school trip in 1988. They sprayed it with water 24/7.