Family joy as Malcolm Miller ship built in Aberdeen returns to the city for Tall Ships Races

A city steeped in maritime history, Aberdeen has built more than 3,000 vessels from its port at the mouth of the River Dee, ranging from fishing boats to ferries and sailing vessels.

Fast forward to 2025, and you’d be hard pressed to see such a vessel in its port, the harbour mainly hosting vessels which support the energy industry. Not many boats are built there anymore and certainly not sailing boats.

But this weekend, as part of the Tall Ships Races, one of the last sail training boats of its kind to be built in the Granite City has returned.

The Malcolm Miller was built by the John Lewis and Son’s shipyard in 1967, to help train hundreds of young trainees before she was bought over to be converted into a pleasure cruiser.

Although she’s not racing in the event, she’s been brough back as a “festival ship” and crowds have gathered to welcome her back at her home port including Keith Grimmer and his family.

His late father, Benjamin, worked as a welder at the John Lewis and Son’s Shipyard in Aberdeen.

In 1994, Keith, along with his then-wife Linda and father Benjamin, travelled aboard from Oban through the Sound of Mull and alongside the Isle of Lewis.

Now 65, Keith has fond memories of the trip. He told STV News: “The three of us went and that was special, but it was a working holiday because we were crewing the boat – we didn’t see much of each other because we were on different watches.

“We went from Oban, and along the west coast of Scotland.

“There were three farthings that were put on board the Malcolm Miller in 1967 to be blessed, and then her mast was lowered in and my father Benjamin welded in the mast, I believe the coins are still there.”

His now ex-wife Linda joined Keith on the quayside in Aberdeen to reminisce about the trip. She said: “It was a really special, but hard work, it was blowing around 40 knots I remember at one point as we sailed past Lewis.

“We’ve brought photos of Keith’s dad onboard to show the crew today and one of him and his colleagues at the shipyard.

“To have the Malcolm Miller back in Aberdeen where she was made is really lovely.”

The Malcolm Miller was initially used by the Sail Training Association to teach young people to sail but was replaced in service by other vessels in 2000.

She was then sold to private owners and used as a pleasure cruiser.

The Malcolm Miller was damaged during a fire in 2008 but has since been transformed into a luxury yacht and spends most of her time in Cyprus.

Sarah Barret was one of her young trainees in the 1990s and has returned to see her in Aberdeen, working for the ship as a liaison officer during the event.

She said: “To see her once again at Aberdeen’s quayside was quite emotional.

“I sailed on her in 1994 and 1996, one of the trips I joined from Oban which went along the west coast, Orkney then onto Aberdeen.

“One of the men who worked on her in the 1960s was in touch with the owner and asked him if he’d consider bringing her across as a festival ship, so Aberdeen could see her once again.

“Learning to sail is so much more than just about the boats, I credit my sailing trips in the Malcolm Miller for helping to develop my confidence and teamwork, what I learned on board set me up well in my career in education.”