Descendants of a local engineer who was responsible for restoring one of the city's most famous maritime landmarks from the eighteenth century, will see his handiwork honoured at Portsmouth Cathedral this week.

Portsmouth Cathedral

It was in the late 1950s that Russell Parker came to the rescue of the Cathedral's ship-shaped weather vane after it was blown down and severely damaged in a terrific storm. Since the 1750s, the Golden Barque had stood atop the Cathedral tower – which also housed a lighthouse – and helped generations of mariners to navigate into Portsmouth's safe harbour. When it was shattered into pieces by the storm, a more durable fibreglass copy took its place.

A local company called WJ Evans was approached to repair the original which was eventually put on display inside the building. But nobody at the Cathedral realised that WJ Evans had actually called on the talents and skill of Mr Parker to complete the job.

The true story of the Golden Barque came to light recently when Gill Brindley, the wife of the Dean attended an art exhibition at Portsmouth Cathedral. She bought a painting by Marion Priddy, one of Mr Parker's daughters who explained what had happened. The Cathedral decided it was high time to set the record straight and credit Mr Parker for coming to the rescue of one of the Cathedral's treasured artefacts.

On Tuesday 1 March at midday a special plaque will be dedicated at the Cathedral in the presence of Mr Parker's family in thanksgiving for his craftsmanship.

“My father was a very talented and successful engineer,” said Marion. “Many of his engineering designs are still in use internationally. But he was also incredibly practical and liked to work with his hands. Dad and I were both bell ringers at the Cathedral back in those days and he was determined to restore the Golden Barque to its original glory as befits such an important piece of the city's heritage. I remember him spending literally thousands of hours meticulously piecing it back together in our garage in Portchester. It really was a labour of love.”

Working with the original drawings, Mr Parker's patience and skill ensured ensured that this iconic piece was made ship-shape again.  To complete the restoration he even had to re-make several parts of the barque from scratch.

“My father was a very quiet and unassuming man, so even though everyone in the family knew that he'd done this work he never put himself forward to claim the credit. It's wonderful for his children, grandchildren and great grand children to see him recognised by the Cathedral now. We're all very proud of what he achieved and to know that thousands of visitors to the city can still appreciate the beauty of the barque thanks to his dedication.

An extra special touch is that Mr Parker left a fingerprint on the foremost flag of the Golden Barque – a subtle but lasting signature of a quiet man who has certainly left an indelible impression on the city.