You are here: Home > Music > Gilbert and Sullivan > H.M.S. Queen

W.S. Gilbert's model of H.M.S Queen - and my grandfather

During the 1930s my grandfather worked in London for the Science Museum. His naval background must have helped him, because was involved with the Museum's large collection of ship models, and worked on their rigging.

sciencemuseumships.jpg (23599 bytes)

In December 1936, Dame Lucy Gilbert died at Grim's Dyke in Harrow, Middlesex. Amongst the beneficiaries of her will was the Science Museum:

"To the Science Museum South Kensington, the model ship "Queen", the Museum to be responsible for its removal."

And it was to my grandfather - with a lifelong interest in Gilbert-and-Sullivan - that fell some of the responsibility for the ship's removal to the Science Museum in March 1937.

Here, from The Sphere, is a picture of the ship being removed. In order to get the model through the main doorway at Grim's Dyke, much of the rigging had to be removed so that the masts could be dismantled.

While at Grim's Dyke, my grandfather met the Gilbert's adopted daughter Nancy McIntosh. He spoke to her of his admiration of Gilbert's work, and she gave him a photograph to take away, which he always treasured.

Once safely in the Science Museum, the masts and rigging had to be put back. Here is my grandfather doing just that.

Sadly, Gilbert's model did not last long. It was severely damaged by enemy action on 3rd July 1944, and subsequently an official Board of Survey was carried out on 31st October 1953. On their recommendation the model was destroyed.