Polly Woodside facts for kids
The Polly Woodside is an amazing old ship from Belfast, Ireland. It has three masts and a strong iron body. Today, you can visit it in Melbourne, Australia, where it's a popular museum ship. This ship was built in 1885 by William J. Woodside. The Polly Woodside is like many other iron sailing ships from that time. These ships were made to carry goods all over the world, sailing across deep oceans as cheaply as possible.
Polly Woodside is an iron-hulled, three-masted barque currently forming the major attraction of the Melbourne Maritime Museum.
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Owner |
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| Builder | Workman, Clark & Co, Belfast |
| Launched | 7 November 1885 |
| In service | 7 December 1885 |
| Renamed | Rona, 1904 |
| Reclassified | Coal lighter 1922 |
| Homeport | Belfast, Northern Ireland (1885–1904), Lyttelton, New Zealand (1904–1912), Auckland, New Zealand (1912–1923), Sydney, Australia (1923–1925), Melbourne, Australia (1925–current) |
| Identification | KDCN |
| Status | Museum ship since 1968 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Cargo |
| Type | Iron hull, Barque rig |
| Tonnage | 678 gross |
| Length | Hull:192.2 ft (58.6 m)LOA:230 ft (70 m) |
| Beam | 30.15 ft (9.19 m) |
| Height | 108 ft (33 m) (mainmast) |
| Draught | 14 ft (4.3 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Speed | 14 kt |
| Capacity | 1,100 tons |
| Complement | less than 15 |
Contents
Early Voyages: 1885-1904
The Polly Woodside was built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1885. The ship was named by Mrs. Marian Woodside, the owner's wife. She was often called "Polly." The ship was launched on November 7, 1885.
Under Captain Gilbert Yeates, Polly Woodside carried cargo like coal, nitrate, and wheat. It sailed between British ports and cities in South America. These included Montevideo, Valparaiso, and Buenos Aires. Between 1885 and 1903, the ship made 16 trips. Many of these involved difficult journeys around Cape Horn. The ship usually had a small crew of fewer than 20 people.
New Name, New Journeys: 1904-1922
In 1904, the Polly Woodside was sold to a company in New Zealand. They renamed the ship Rona, after Miss Rona Monro. The Rona mostly sailed between New Zealand and Australia. It carried goods such as timber, salt, cement, grain, and coal.
The ship changed owners a few times. In 1916, the George H. Scales Company bought it. During World War I (1914-1918), many ships were lost. So, the Rona also sailed between New Zealand and San Francisco. It carried oil and copra (dried coconut).
The Rona had two small accidents during these years. In March 1920, another ship hit the Rona in San Francisco harbor. This damaged its front rigging. Then, in June 1921, the Rona ran aground near Wellington, New Zealand. It was carrying coal. The ship was not badly damaged and was towed to safety.
Life as a Coal Hulk: 1922-1962
By the early 1920s, many sailing ships were no longer used for trade. It became too expensive to operate them. So, in 1922, the Rona was sold to the Adelaide Steamship Company. It was turned into a coal hulk in Australia. A coal hulk is an old ship used to store and move coal.
The Rona arrived in Sydney in 1922 and was stripped down. In 1925, it was moved to Melbourne. For the next 40 years, it helped refuel coal-burning ships in Melbourne's port.
During World War II (1939-1945), the Rona was used by the Royal Australian Navy. It served as a "dumb lighter" (a ship without its own engine) in New Guinea. It helped supply, unload, and store goods for other ships. The Rona was an important part of the navy's support fleet. After the war, in 1946, it returned to Melbourne as a coal hulk.
Saving a Piece of History: Since 1968
In the mid-1900s, many old sailing ships were disappearing from Australian ports. By the early 1960s, the Rona was one of the last of its kind still floating.
A man named Karl Kortum inspired Dr. Graeme Robertson to save the ship. Dr. Robertson was from the National Trust of Australia. In 1962, he suggested a plan to rescue the Rona. This was a very big and challenging idea. The National Trust relied on volunteers and had no experience restoring a ship.
After a long campaign, the National Trust bought the ship for just one cent in 1968. It was a huge project to restore the Rona and bring it back to its original state.
Thousands of hours of volunteer work went into fixing the ship. Many businesses, unions, and former crew members helped. Captain G.H. Heyen, a master sailor, led the restoration. Tor Lindqvist, a skilled sailor, was the chief rigger for 27 years.
In 1978, the ship opened to the public under its original name, Polly Woodside. It is now permanently docked at the old Duke and Orr's Dry Dock in Melbourne. A nearby road bridge means it cannot sail the seas anymore.
In 1988, the World Ship Trust gave the Polly Woodside a special award. It was for "supreme achievement in the preservation of maritime heritage." This was the first time a restored merchant ship received this honor. In 2007, Polly Woodside was added to the Victorian Heritage Register. This means it is a very important historical site.
Dry Dock and Reopening: After 2006
The Polly Woodside closed to visitors on April 30, 2006. This was because of a big building project nearby. A new convention center was being built next to the ship.
On August 26, 2008, the ship was moved about 50 meters away. This was its first move in 33 years! It was moved so its dry dock home could be repaired and updated. The dry dock is a special area where the water can be pumped out. This allows workers to fix the bottom of the ship.
Between 2008 and 2009, the water was pumped out of the dry dock. New supports were built for the Polly Woodside to sit on. On May 19, 2009, the dry dock was refilled with water. The Polly Woodside was then moved back to its home. The ship reopened to the public on December 23, 2010.
