PEGGOTTY IS HALFWAY HOME Peggotty was in danger and this summer Historical Society supporters have been saving it! • Peggotty is the boat-bottomed, thatched-roofed artist’s studio of Little Compton artist Sydney Burleigh. Burleigh named Peggotty after David Copperfield’s nursemaid who lived in an overturned boat. • In 1906 Burleigh found an abandoned Cat Boat on Taylor’s Lane. It was originally part of the ferry system between Little Compton and Aquidneck Island. He took the boat to his home on West Main Road, built the studio on top of it and thatched the roof himself. Peggotty served as Burleigh’s Little Compton studio for the last 30 years of his life. • The American Catboat Association believes that Peggotty’s base is the oldest cat boat still in existence. • In 1962 Mr. and Mrs. Roy Kimmell donated Peggotty to the Historical Society where it was displayed and re-thatched under the direction of Carlton Brownell. In the 1980s it was moved into a shed on the property for protection from the elements. • Today Peggotty is a gem in the Historical Society’s collection and is on permanent public display. Peggotty was in danger of collapse. • Peggotty’s previous storage building was damaged during Hurricane Sandy and needed replacement. • The building is located in an out-of-the-way spot. Many Historical Society visitors never saw Peggotty • The building’s small size did not allow visitors to fully see and enjoy Peggotty and did not provide the air flow necessary to prevent mildew and rot. Its low ceiling prevented the proper re-thatching of the Peggotty’s roof in 2006. • The new, larger, timber-framed building will be equipped with hurricane screens rated for Category 5 hurricanes. • Recent inspections indicated that Peggotty was in urgent need of preservation. The Little Compton Historical Society made the preservation of Peggotty its top priority in 2014. • Peggotty’s boat cradle was failing and had to be replaced immediately in order to prevent a structural collapse. The boat’s keel and portions of its ribs were lost at some point in Peggotty’s history and must be replaced/reinforced to lend strength to the structure. • The weight of the studio and its thatched roof would have eventually crushed the boat underneath. Their weight is now being supported by a specially designed cradle that ties into the studio and the roof. Saving Peggotty The LC Historical Society began a major fundraising campaign in May to provide the funds necessary to save Peggotty. To date we have raised just over $52,000. An additional $38,000 is necessary to complete the project. Donations of any amount are most welcome and can be mailed to LCHS PO Box 577 Little Compton, RI. Normally, the Historical Society waits until all of the necessary funds are in hand before starting a major project. In this case the risk of waiting was too great, and work had to begin before fundraising was complete. The Historical Society took a leap of faith that the community would help save this one-of-a-kind historic structure, and they are very pleased with fundraising efforts to date. Peggotty will be saved thanks to the continuing support of the Little Compton community, the members of the Providence Art Club, and wooden-boat enthusiasts across the country. Master Shipwright Herman Hinrichsen of Scandia Marine is using his extensive wooden boat building experience to preserve and strengthen Peggotty and to custom build its new supportive cradle. With the new cradle safely in place, the studio will be slowly rolled into its new display building. One-hundred-year-old Peggotty is unique in all the world and is extremely delicate. Every precaution has been taken to make this a successful move, but it will be a very delicate operation. The display building is being constructed by Michael Kinnane Carpentry and will be completed once the studio is safely inside. The public is invited to visit Peggotty in its new home during our Annual Cider Social on Columbus Day.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 18:29:03 +0000
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