Background and Previous Works
"There
has been in recent years a quickening of interest in our seafaring past
and one has only to notice the proliferation of maritime museums, the
projects to create replicas of historic vessels and the increasing number
of maritime festivals held internationally to be aware that the influence
of the sea in shaping the lives of each one of us still exerts a strong
fascination."
I wrote those lines as part of the editorial that introduced the seventh
issue of the magazine Maritime Heritage, of which I was editor during
the journal's existence. To the list of examples demonstrating a continuing
absorption in maritime history among many I might have added the number
of magazines dealing with differing aspects of the topic that have appeared
during the past few years, and the success of television series such as
Hornblower and documentaries describing the investigation of shipwrecks.
All of this welcome activity requires a sound basis of knowledge and expertise
in its planning and execution. I am able to offer wide experience in maritime
historical matters which will be of value to any individual or organisation
wishing to present the topic in any form.
Background
On finishing full-time education I joined the Corporation of Lloyd's where
I worked as a sub editor on Lloyd's Shipping Index.
After three years working with Lloyd's I left and joined the staff of
the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, as a curator in the Department
of Pictures. During the major part of my service at the museum I was responsible
for the collection of historic photographs. This collection comprises
some half a million items dating from the 1840s. I led a small team of
curators identifying the subject of photographs and creating catalogues
of the images.
Whilst
at the museum I was joint author, with Basil Greenhill, then Director
of the museum, of the book Seafaring Under Sail, published by Patrick
Stephens Ltd., in 1981. I also compiled the museum's General Catalogue
of Historic Photographs Volume II, Merchant Sailing Ships and I have,
since leaving the museum, written the text for the official publication
Historic Photographs at the National Maritime Museum; An Illustrated Guide.
On a number of occasions I have lectured on the museum's collection of
historic photographs and on various topics of maritime historical interest.
Among the exhibitions in which I was involved at the National Maritime
Museum, I was responsible for Man's Encounter With The Sea, a show of
some of the best images in the collection, which spent many years travelling;
On The Rocks, an exhibition of the stunning photographs of shipwrecks
in the Isles of Scilly made by the Gibson family over three generations
from the 1860s; and Pull Together, the official exhibition celebrating
the centenary of the National Union of Seamen, which took place in 1987.
Latterly, I was appointed head of the Ship Technology Branch at the museum,
which gave me responsibility for the curatorial sections devoted to the
collections of ships' equipment, boats, ship models, ships' plans, historic
photographs and archaeology.
Since leaving the service of the museum in 1991 I have spent time dealing
in marine antiques and in the second-hand maritime book trade. I am now
a freelance writer, editor and consultant specialising exclusively in
maritime affairs, both current and historical.
Writing and Editorships
For the two years of its existence, between December 1996 and December
1998 I was editor of the magazine Maritime Heritage. This impressive glossy
journal was produced in nine issues (one unpublished when financial difficulties
brought the magazine to a close), each of sixty-two pages. It broke new
ground in its editorial policy of commissioning articles which concentrated
on describing and explaining projects being undertaken to preserve and
interpret maritime heritage internationally. There were contributions
reflecting the ambition and effort being devoted to the preservation or
reconstruction of important vessels and many simply celebrating the legacy
of our seafaring past. Latterly, there was an important series of articles
by eminent directors of maritime museums across the world in which these
distinguished museum professionals contemplated the role of the maritime
museum in the twentieth century.
Since
the end of 1996 I have produced the journal Windjammer for Mariners International
Club. Although published on a minuscule budget, and modest in comparison
with Maritime Heritage, this little magazine has a role in reporting on
developments in the world of contemporary sail training, opportunities
for sailing in many of the square-rigged and smaller vessels that comprise
today's fleet of sail-training ships, as well as including articles devoted
to historical topics associated with square-rigged ships. Windjammer is
published quarterly. As was the case with Maritime Heritage, I contribute
articles myself to Windjammer.
Lecturing, broadcasting and other commissioned work
Among the lectures which I have delivered, principally at the National
Maritime Museum, both during my time there as a curator and subsequently,
have been Steam on the Atlantic, a history of the development of steam
navigation on the Atlantic from 1819; Merchant Ship Design, 1850s - 1950s
and Revealing the World Apart, an illustrated talk describing the nature
and experience of seafaring as experienced by the merchant seaman under
sail in the nineteenth century.
On several occasions I have recorded pieces for broadcast by Radio Telefis
Eireann in their Seascapes programme. These have generally been on maritime
historical topics but occasionally on contemporary items of news such
as the decision in 2002 by the newspaper Lloyd's List to discontinue referring
to ships as 'she'.
I am commissioned from time to time by various corporate bodies and individuals
to undertake research, produce texts, or as a general consultant. Recently,
most notably, I have written descriptive texts and undertaken picture
research in support of the gallery displays at the new Museum of the Port
of London and Docklands (the Museum in Docklands project) which is situated
in the startling, new commercial area which was once occupied by the West
India Docks in the East End of London. This is a remarkable new museum
and I was privileged to have been asked to contribute to its display.
Other examples of the work I have been asked to undertake are contributions
to the publicity that preceded the International Festival of the Sea at
Portsmouth in 2001 and the gathering of tall ships in the same port following
the Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Races of 2002. On a number of occasions I have
been commissioned by a marine artist who specialises in pictures of sea
battles to conduct research which he uses to ensure accuracy in his works.
Twice I have been asked to edit manuscripts of books being prepared for
publication. The subject of each of these works was within my own area
of expertise and I was able not only to ensure correct grammar and syntax
but to suggest amendments and contributions to the authors' texts.
Away from the desk
For the
past twelve years I have been a member of the small team which maintains
and operates the former Admiralty steam victualling lighter Vic 56. This
eighty-five-foot vessel was built at Faversham in 1945 and is propelled
by a compound steam engine and Cochran coal-fired boiler. She is berthed
at the late Trinity House depot, situated on the river Thames at the mouth
of the river Lea, opposite the Millennium Dome, and is steamed on London
River and the east coast of England each summer. The Vic 56 has her own
website at www.vic56.co.uk.
Anyone with an interest in the preservation of historic ships should visit
this site at which it is possible to see and hear the Vic's engine in
operation! The vessel is practically unaltered since she first served
the Admiralty; working on board and navigating the ship by only traditional
means affords considerable insight into, and experience of, seamanship
as it used to be practised. We sail with a minimum of five or six experienced
hands and it is always hard work!
I have sailed in a number of traditional vessels, including the schooner
Sir Winston Churchill and the brig Royalist.