David Henry, Spokesperson, Aberdeen Line 200 Committee
Aberdeen has been a seafaring city for centuries and there are two reasons to celebrate this proud history in 2025.
The return of The Tall Ships Races to Aberdeen for the first time since 1997 coincides with the bicentenary of the founding of the famous ‘Aberdeen Line’.
In its heyday, the Aberdeen Line was a globe-spanning shipping company, carrying goods and people to and from far flung destinations such as Australia, China and South Africa. Founded by George Thompson Jnr 1825 the Aberdeen Line had a reputation for excellence, not just in the speed and efficiency of their service but also in the elegance of the design of their vessels.
Built in 1868 by Walter Hood & Co of Aberdeen, the tea clipper Thermopylae proved a winner from the start, making a record-breaking maiden voyage to Melbourne in just 63 days - a journey that took traditional sailing up to 6 months to complete.
This greyhound of the seas went on to triumph as well in the Great Tea Race of 1872, beating her rival, the Dumbarton built Cutty Sark home from Shanghai to London by nearly a week. A commemorative plaque celebrating this historic victory was installed at Pocra Quay, Aberdeen, by the Aberdeen Line Committee in 2022.
The legacy of these great ships is still echoed today in the graceful shape of many of the current generation of Tall Ships. Their distinctive sharp, forward raked bows owe much to the innovative ‘Aberdeen Bow.’
This was first seen on the Scottish Maid, built at Alexander Hall and Sons' boatyard in 1839 for the Aberdeen Line. She has been described by some as the first true clipper vessel to be built in Britain. With her narrow hull, and sleek lines, she was designed to meet the Aberdeen Lines highest standards of mercantile efficiency. Her innovative shape meant that she could cut through the water more cleanly, improving her speed significantly. It was a design that would revolutionise fast sailing ships for decades to come and is a profile still to be found in many ship designs to this day.
The founders of the Aberdeen Line, George Thompson Junior and his business partner William Henderson, were not just visionaries – they were also astute businessmen and generous philanthropists.
To honour their legacies, the Aberdeen Line 200 Committee will be contributing to the Tall Ships festival with historical and educational activities that profile that glorias era of sail and Aberdeen’s role in Tall Ship building.
The committee are hosting a marquee with an historical display, organising a maritime and tea heritage trail and supporting a formal dinner with Clipper and Tea history talks. They are also involved with fundraising events to support Sea Cadets - Aberdeen including a tea party featuring Scottish grown tea on the deck of the Cadets own training ship, TS Royalist.
The committee recognise that being part of Sea Cadets is an opportunity for young people aged 10-18 to learn vital life skills such as leadership, communication and team working. As cadets, they can also earn extra qualifications to help boost confidence and give them a head start in life that may lead to a maritime career.
The Committee is drawn from family members of the original founding families Thompson and Henderson; local historians, teachers, tea experts and Sea Cadets - Aberdeen's Commanding Officer, to name but a few.
Tim Holmes, Chairman, Aberdeen Line 200 Committee, said: “We are delighted to be able to contribute to this amazing event. We’ll give visitors a glimpse of what the port looked like in that glorious era of wind and sail, highlight the innovation of the sleek Aberdeen Bow which revolutionised the speed of journeys, and to profile Aberdeen Line’s lead in the transition to steam power.”
Members of the Committee are pictured here recently with the Aberdeen Line Flag at the plaque on Pocra Quay which was installed in 2022 as part of a celebration marking 150 years since Aberdeen clipper “Thermopylæ's” victory against “Cutty Sark” in the Last Great Tea Race of 1872.
Further information can be obtained from www.aberdeenline200.org
