An heirloom of the Cutty Sark has gone on permanent loan to a Mearns museum.
The Maggie Law Maritime Museum in Gourdon has taken delivery of a model of the famous clipper and a new gallery celebrates ship designer Hercules Linton, from nearby Inverbervie.
Captain Richard Woodget was the ship’s longest-serving master, being captain for its last 10 voyages before it was sold.
His son, Richard J Woodget, rose from apprentice to first mate and became a captain in his own right with the Blue Funnel Line. The model was presented to him in Australia in 1929, possibly on his retirement.
His grandson, Martin Woodget, has now loaned the model to the museum.
Mr Woodget has also donated two porthole-mounted photographs, of his grandfather and great-grandfather, and assisted in financing their transport.
The model had been exhibited in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.
The Gourdon museum’s project director, Dave Ramsay, said the Cutty Sark ties together a number of Mearns maritime stories.
He said: “This is a major exhibit for the museum and means that the links between Hercules Linton and the Maggie Law can now be seen together.
“When Linton came back to Inverbervie he commissioned Jeems Mowatt (Maggie Law boat builder) to build two boats for him at his Gourdon yard and Linton personally supervised the construction of the boats.”
The Maggie Law was built by commission for the fishermen of Gourdon by James Mowatt in 1890 and saved 36 lives in a period of service stretching more than 40 years.
Mr Ramsay added: “We now have a tremendous circle of heritage thanks to the donation of the Cutty Sark model by Martin Woodget, linking Inverbervie and Gourdon, Linton and Mowatt.
“With the father of Robert Burns, William Burness, being born at Clochnahill, just outside Stonehaven, the Cutty Sark provides the link to our national bard and together this makes a tremendous contribution to the rich maritime heritage of Kincardineshire. Thanks are also due to George Strang of the Tolbooth Museum in Stonehaven for his assistance in securing the model.”
The attraction is open every afternoon, except Tuesday, between 1 and 4.30pm until the end of September and thereafter on Saturday and Sunday.