THE terrible sight of flames sweeping the historic decks of Cutty Sark was especially upsetting for one Southampton man, as his grandfather once served on board the famous clipper.

While researching the life and times of his grandfather, John Carlow has unearthed a fascinating story of determination and courage, all for a wage of just one shilling (5p) a month.

John's grandfather, Henry A Craymer had travelled out to Australia during the 1800s hoping to make a living, together with his two brothers, from sheep farming.

However, the scheme failed. Henry found himself penniless and keen to travel back to Britain, but he had no money to book a berth on a ship home.

John said: "He decided to try and find a vessel and work his passage back to England and in 1890 he signed on as a crew member of the clipper, Cutty Sark.'' She was one of the fatest ships in service, designed by Hercules Linton, who once lived in Obelisk Road, Woolston, to race other ships over the lucrative trading routes.

"The design was revolutionary but Lloyd's surveyors thought she needed more weight forward and would therefore lack power,'' said John "They were wrong and with the ship only requiring a crew of 26-32 in number was ideally engaged from 1885 to 1895 in the Australian wool trade where the first ship home to the auctions, held every year in March, commanded the strongest prices for the cargo.

"In 1890 the cargo of wool was late being brought down the coast due to a strike in Australia and so Cutty Sark had to wait longer in Sydney harbour, which was where Henry signed on. On December 9, 1890 he was a steward, a working passenger on a wage of one shilling a month. Said John: "The captain was a Richard Woodget, who grandfather described a devil' because he had a mighty tough time on board."

Cutty Sark left Sydney at 6am December 14, 1890 with 4,617 bales of wool and 1,576 bags of chrome ore. She arrived in London on March 17 1891.

"The journey of 93 days was the longest journey back from Australia and due to unfavourable weather, grandfather reportedly used the word atrocious' and would have surely said that the log did not give justice to the difficulties encountered.'' It started with an electric storm just out from Sydney, with the whole ship vibrating from the peals of thunder. From there to Auckland Island, 250 miles south of New Zealand, there was a strong headwind.

Icebergs and thick fog with freezing temperatures followed before the only straight run of 300 miles in one day. Headwinds and calms then alternated so that the Diego Ramirez rocks, south of Cape Horn, were not sighted until January 15.

"My grandfather's ship then passed the modern four-master, West Lothian, on January 30, which had actually overtaken Cutty Sark and passed Cape Horn on January 11, despite leaving Sydney, also with a woollen cargo three days later than Cutty Sark on December 17,'' said John.

"After crossing the equator on February 13, gales and squalls set in around the Azores making the clipper's run past the Caskets rocks very hazardous. Cutty Sark was still the first ship to arrive for the March 1891 wool sales, having overtaken all her rivals enroute. West Lothian could have given Cutty Sark a really good race home but she caught fire off the coast of Brazil and had to put in for repairs.

"It is sad now that Cutty Sark has suffered a similar setback, but repairs are part of a wooden ship's life.'' Henry was discharged on March 17, 1891 when she docked in London. He subsequently became editor of the Electrical Review a trade journal still published today." The recent fire on the Cutty Sark is devastating, as it removes some of the live ambiance still existing from the days of my grandfather,'' said David.

"Knowing the ship was designed and built in Scotland we have also visited Inverbervie south of Aberdeen, to see the memorial at the birthplace of designer, Hercules Linton."