SS Robin is one of London's secret treasures. She's
the world’s oldest complete steamship, built on London's River Lea in
Bow in 1890. She's a symbol of an extraordinary period in British history when merchant shipping was the core of a determined spirit of
entrepreneurship, turning Britain into the workshop of the world. She's been under wraps for the past three years undergoing extensive restoration work, and now this irreplaceable historic ship sits proudly on a new floating pontoon - like a precious sculpture. She's the only ship in the world to be displayed in this way - an amazing sight.
With a life spanning three centuries, she represents an incredible story of risk, enterprise and endurance, and now she's all set to take her place as a symbol of East London's transformation in the run up to London 2012.
SS Robin is one of only three 'Core Collection'
vessels of the National Historic Fleet in London - the other two being Cutty Sark and HMS Belfast, and the only one of these three to have been built in London.
She's a unique and precious example of the 'dirty British Coaster' immortalised in John Masefield's famous poem, and represents an extraordinary opportunity to trace the story of
industrialisation and growth in Britain across three centuries, including the technological
innovations and social changes that have taken place over this time.
SS Robin’s life began in
1890, at a time when industrial development and engineering expertise dominated
the British landscape. Invention,
expansion, enterprise were at their height, and Britain led and dominated the
buoyant markets of shipbuilding, trade and manufacturing.
In July 2011 she made a historic homecoming to within a mile of her original construction site, and is temporarily moored at London's Royal Victoria Dock while final funding and fit-out works are completed to turn her into a new cultural landmark for London.
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