Warwick Charlton, 84; Re-Created Mayflower Voyage to Thank U.S.

Warwick Charlton, the British journalist and promoter who re-created the Mayflower and repeated its 1620 journey to America to thank the United States for its help during World War II, has died. He was 84.

Charlton, who lived in a modest castle in Ringwood, Hampshire, in England, where he was the town crier, died Dec. 10 of a heart attack in Bournemouth, England.

His wild idea came to him in the North African desert during World War II.

Already experienced in London’s Fleet Street newspapers by the time he enlisted in the Royal Fusiliers at age 19, Charlton served as press officer to Britain’s top soldier, Field Marshal Montgomery in North Africa. The Americans, he observed, provided crucial support to England and other Allies even before the United States formally entered the war.

A history buff, Charlton steeped himself in Mayflower lore when he found a book on a troop ship home from Singapore titled, “Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647,” the journal of the American colony’s first governor, William Bradford.

Why not, he dreamed, thank the Americans by re-creating the sailing ship and the voyage that took 120 Pilgrims from Plymouth, England, to religious freedom at Plymouth Rock, and then give the Mayflower II to the United States as a museum?

Not all of Charlton’s ideas came to fruition -- he also wanted to re-create Sir Francis Drake’s Golden Hind and hand that one to California in honor of Drake’s touching down on the West Coast in 1579. Other unrealized Charlton schemes included an American theme park about British history to be called “Merry England” and a museum to explain the meaning of time.

But the Mayflower II, difficult as it was, did get built, did sail and gave Charlton his place in history.

He began raising money and interest about 1948. It took nearly a decade of pleading and hucksterism -- selling promotional rights to the Mayflower moving company; exchanging more commercial sponsorship for rope, sails and English white oak; and selling Mayflower stamps, coins, ties and other souvenirs.

Charlton also had to enlist cooperation from Plimoth Plantation, the Pilgrim historic group on this side of the Atlantic, which wanted to build its own Mayflower. A stickler for accuracy, Charlton insisted on 17th-century tools and materials for the shipbuilders.

The original estimated cost of about $280,000 doubled and rose higher. Yet most of the bills were paid when the copy of the original three-masted ship was completed in 1956.

Charlton set sail -- his first sailing voyage -- with a crew of 33. For insurance, Charlton quipped, he took along the shipbuilder of the 106.5-foot-long, top-heavy wooden vessel.

After 57 days and one storm between the old Plymouth, England, and the newer Plymouth, Mass., the Mayflower II arrived June 25, 1957, to an enthusiastic reception including then-Vice President Richard M. Nixon and Sen. John F. Kennedy.

The original Mayflower cargo ship was destroyed in 1624, only four years after depositing its passengers. The Mayflower II has dramatically illustrated history for about 30 million visitors to the little ship anchored at Plymouth, Mass., for nearly half a century. The ship remains seaworthy and still sails or gets tugged occasionally to nearby ports for display.

Charlton recorded his version of the 1957 Atlantic crossing in his book “The Voyage of Mayflower II.” Sponsored by the Mayflower moving company, he spent three years lecturing about the trip in more than 40 states before returning to England.

Born in London, the son of a journalist father and actress mother who died when he was 13, Charlton edited papers for British troops when he first entered the military. He was court-martialed but exonerated for his exposes on such issues as low military pay and poor-quality tobacco. His impudence got him transferred to India to the staff of Lord Mountbatten.

Throughout his life, while promoting various projects, Charlton continued writing -- he turned out three plays and several books in addition to his work in newspaper, magazine and broadcast journalism.

Charlton is survived by his wife of 33 years, Belinda; three sons; four daughters; 18 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.