Library Results | Royal Museums Greenwich

Women pirates and the politics of the Jolly Roger / Ulrike Klausmann, Marion Meinzerin & Gaberiel Kuhn ; translation by Tyler Austin and Nicholas Levis. "Women Pirates and the Politics of the Jolly Roger is an account of piracy through three millennia, in histories of women and men sailing on four seas: the Chinese Straits, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean. Writing with passion and humour, but without romanticizing or ignoring the unsavoury side of some of their heroines, the authors turn history on its head. Nor do they forget the practical details, even including genuine recipes for shark and other delights."--Provided by the publisher. 1997 [reprinted 2017]. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 910.45082

The River Welland, shipping & mariners of Spalding / by Keith Seaton. In its heyday Spalding was a busy commercial port, with a shipping industry that affected a large majority of the local population. But today that rich history is almost forgotten and the town is known mainly for its agricultural produce. Keith Seaton nostalgically seeks to recover that lost past, beginning with the River Welland of Roman times and traversing history up to the early twentieth century, when river traffic began to decline. The Industrial Revolution was a boom period for the waterway, and as such special attention is given to the master mariners of this important period. Using key sources such as census and shipping records, local family history records, maps and fascinating illustrations, The River Welland: Shipping & Mariners of Spalding creates a rich tapestry of the heritage of this once-thriving shipping area. KEITH SEATON was born and bred in Spalding, Lincolnshire. After joining the RAMC in 1959 for National Service that took him to Malaya, he spent a career in saw mills. He has previously written for the Chain Bridge Forge Museum on subjects relating to family history and local shipping history."--Provided by the publisher. 2013 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 656.61(425.3)

Astronomy photographer of the year : collection 8 /Royal Observatory, Greenwich. "A showcase of the most spectacular space photography of its kind, taken from locations across the globe. Marvel at the wonders of the universe captured by the most talented astrophotographers. A perfect gift for all interested in exploring the mysteries of our solar system and beyond. Be captivated by 140 winning and shortlisted images from the 2019 Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, hosted by the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. These awe-inspiring images are submitted in several categories: aurorae, skyscapes, people and space, the sun and moon, planets, comets and asteroids, stars and nebulae, galaxies and a young competitor category. Each image is accompanied by caption, photographer, location and technical details. There is also a location map showing the origin of all images and a visual appendix of all images."--Provided by the publisher. 2019 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 52:77

Consuls and captives : Dutch-North African diplomacy in the early modern Mediterranean /Erica Heinsen-Roach. "This work offers a new perspective on the history of diplomacy in the western Mediterranean, examining how piracy and captivity at sea forced Protestant states from northwest Europe to develop complex relationships with Islamic North Africa. Tracing how Dutch diplomats and North African officials negotiated the liberation of Dutch sailors enslaved in the Maghrib, author Erica Heinsen-Roach argues that captivity and redemption helped shape (rather than undermine) a new diplomatic order in the western Mediterranean."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 327.49206109/032

German Malta maps / Albert Ganado, Joseph Schiráo. "This is the second major exhibition after the first Miniature Maps of Malta exhibition which was organized by Heritage Malta and the Ministry for Gozo in September 2009 using 'The Albert Ganado Malta Map Collection' which is housed at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta, and other rare maps from private collectors. The idea of the German Malta Maps exhibition stemmed from a lecture which Albert Ganado had delivered on German cartographers in Mainz in 1993, but which unfortunately never reached publication stage. Since maps by German cartographers tend to be limited, the parameters of the exhibition were therefore broadened to also include German authors and engravers. Over 80m maps are depicted in this book, some of which are being published for the first time."--Provided by the publisher. 2011. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 528.9(458.2)

The new Cunard Queens : Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth /Nils Schwerdtner. Schwerdtner, Nils, c2008. • BOOK • 2 copies available. 629.123QUEEN VICTORIA

The victory of seapower : winning the Napoleonic War 1806-1814 /Richard Woodman "The victory at Trafalgar marked the beginning of nine years of expansion and domination by the Royal Navy right across the globe. This book charts the events of those years, including the Battle of San Domingo in 1806, the attack on Copenhagen in 1807 and the capture of the French base on Mauritius in 1810. Also covered is the Navy's crucial support of Wellington's army in the Peninsula War. Thematic sections of the book feature the skills of the seaman and the lives of prisoners of war. The prints and drawings collection of the National Maritime Museum is the source for the 300 contemporary illustrations."--Provided by the publisher. 1998 • FOLIO • 2 copies available. 355.49"1806/1814"(42:44)

Bell's Comet : how a paddle steamer changed the course of history /P.J.G. Ransom. "The passenger steamer burst upon the early nineteenth century with all the suddenness and immediate widespread popularity of electronic communications in our own time. Leading the way was Henry Bell of Helensburgh. When he started to carry passengers down the Clyde in his little steamer Comet in 1812, he established the first viable steamer service in the Old World. And steamers were the first mechanized passenger transport: no longer were travelers dependent upon the muscles of people and animals or the fickle effects of winds, tides and currents.Many had attempted to build and operate steamers, but few had been successful- and they were far away in North America. However once Bell had shown the way, others rushed to follow. All this is covered in P. J. G. Ransom's new study of Bell and the Comet and their place in history, written to mark the Comet bicentenary in 2012. The author also shows that the direct influence of Bell extended more widely than has been generally supposed: as well as starting steamer services on the Firth of Clyde, he was instrumental in establishing them on the Firth of Forth, the west coast of Scotland, and along the Caledonian Canal as soon as it opened. Thomas Telford, engineer of the canal, which was the greatest engineering work of the age, referred to him as 'the ingenious and enterprising Mr. Henry Bell'"--From back cover. 2012. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 629.123.21

The anatomy of sail : the yacht dissected and explained /Nic Compton. "An encyclopedic compendium of every element of a yacht, this book contains a wealth of information for the aficionado as well as the newcomer, taking apart the sailboat to explore every part of it in depth. Gloriously illustrated with beautiful photography and explanatory diagrams, each page is packed with fascinating and satisfying detail. Looking first at the history of yachting and boatbuilding techniques, the book arms the reader with the knowledge to understand the lineage and characteristics of the sailboat parts that are focused on in the later more detailed chapters. All the main features of contemporary vessels - ranging from keels and masts to portholes and binnacles - are then analysed, with explanations of how they came to be the size, shape and material that they are, what they have in common, why they differ, all spiced with relevant historical anecdotes. This is a wide-ranging, trailblazing and stunning treasure trove of fascinating information, which will delight and absorb anyone who has ever sailed on or gazed in wonder at a yacht."--Provided by the publisher 2014. • FOLIO • 1 copy available. 629.125.1

The Royal Navy : birth of a superpower 1793-1800 /Mark Jessop. "France declared war upon the British in 1793. The burden to conduct a long conflict proved heavy for that island nation. Poverty increased. Liberties and freedoms were sometimes taken away. Thousands of men had to leave their families, and disease, desertion and death meant that many never returned. At first the Royal Navy barely had enough warships to cope, but eight years later she had more than enough. By that time a threat of invasion towards Ireland prompted Parliament to enact a new nation, christened The United Kingdom of Great Britain. As such, 1800 became the final year of the old Kingdom of Great Britain. As she passed away, many of her men and women might have wondered as to what had made her navy a true Neptune. What had assisted the slow birth of a naval 'superpower'? This book seeks to answer that very question."--Provided by the publisher. 2018. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 355.353(42)"1793/1800"

The life and work of James Bradley : the new foundations of 18th century astronomy /John Fisher. The Life and Work of James Bradley: The New Foundations of 18th Century Astronomy is the first major work on the life and achievements of James Bradley for 190 years. This book offers a new perspective and new interpretations of previously published materials, together with various insights about recently researched sources. This book is a complete account of the life and work of Bradley as discerned from surviving documents of his working archive, as well as other documents and records. In addition, it offers a new interpretation of Bradley's work as an astronomer, not merely from his observations of Jupiter and Saturn and their satellites and annual aberration and the nutation of the Earth's axis, but also his corroborative work with pendulums and other horological work with George Graham. It also explores the little amount documented about his private life including a degree of speculation about his personal relationships. This work on 18th century astronomy is intended for students of the history of science, astronomy and 18th century English society, and for scholars seeking new lines of inquiry. It contains an extensive bibliography and a detailed chronology, both of which offer support for further reading and research."--Provided by publisher. 2023 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 520.92

Oceans Odyssey 3 : the deep-sea Tortugas shipwreck, Straits of Florida : a merchant vessel from Spain's 1622 Tierra Firme fleet /edited by Greg Stemm & Sean Kingsley. 2013. • FOLIO • 2 copies available. 930.26(204)

Giants of the seas : the ships that transformed modern cruising /Aaron Saunders. "The cruise ship market is a 30 billion-dollar industry, and in 2013 it is estimated that it will carry more than 20 million passengers; nor is there any sign of a slow down in the seven percent annual growth. What keeps the passengers coming in such huge numbers isn't the food, the ports or the entertainment. They come for the magnificent floating palaces themselves, the giants of the sea. In this new book, the author showcases the most influential cruise ships of the last three decades beginning with Royal Caribbean's ground-breaking Sovereign of the Seas. When she was launched in 1988 she was the largest passenger ship constructed since Cunard's Queen Mary entered service some 48 years earlier, and her entry into service sparked a fiercely competitive building boom that continues to this day. The reader is taken aboard thirty of the most spectacular ships to reveal how their innovative designs changed the landscape of modern cruising. By employing original and archival photographs, deck plans, cruise programmes, as well as the author's intimate knowledge of many of these vessels, a unique picture is built up of these great ships and it becomes clear that the true Golden Age of Cruising is not in some distant past but exists right now, and that its origins can be traced back to one ship, launched in 1988. A truly sumptuous and fascinating book for all those drawn to the world of the modern cruise ship."--Provided by the publisher. 2013. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 629.123.3"1988/2012"

Black flag : the surrender of Germany's U-boat forces 1945 /Lawrence Paterson. "On the eve of Germany's surrender in May 1945, Grossadmiral Karl Dèonitz commanded thousands of loyal and active men of the U-boat service. Still fully armed and unbroken in morale, enclaves of these men occupied bases stretching from Norway to France, where cadres of U-boat men fought on in ports that defied besieging Allied troops to the last. At sea U-boats still operated on a war footing around Britain, the coasts of the United States and as far as Malaya. Following the agreement to surrender, these large formations needed to be disarmed - often by markedly inferior forces - and the boats at sea located and escorted into the harbours of their erstwhile enemies. Neither side knew entirely what to expect, and many of the encounters were tense; in some cases there were unsavoury incidents, and stories of worse. For many Allied personnel it was their first glimpse of the dreaded U-boat menace and both sides were forced to exercise considerable restraint to avoid compromising the terms of Germany's surrender. One of the last but most dramatic acts of the naval war, the story of how the surrender was handled has never been treated at length before. This book uncovers much new material about the process itself and the ruthless aftermath for both the crews and their boats."--Provided by the publisher. 2009. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 940.545.1(43)"1945"

The day begins at sunset : perceptions of time in the Islamic world /Barbara Freyer Stowasser. "The fullest account ever written of the fascinating nexus between Islam and Time, this is a major contribution to the wider history of ideas and religion. Night and day, and the twelve lunar months of the year, are'appointed times for the believing people'. Reading the sky for the prayers of the hour has thus for Muslims been a constant reminder of God's providence and power. In her absorbing and illuminating new book, the late Barbara Freyer Stowasser examines the various ways in which Islam has structured, ordered and measured Time. Drawing on examples from Judaism and Christianity, as well as the ancient world, the author shows that while systems of time facilitate the orderly function of vastly different civilizations, in Islam they have always been fundamental. Among other topics, she discusses the Muslim lunar calendar; the rise of the science of astronomy; the remarkable career of al-Biruni, greatest authority in Muslim perceptions of Time; and the impact of technologies like the astrolabe, Indian numerals and paper. The fullest account ever written of the fascinating nexus between Islam and Time, this is a major contribution to the wider history of ideas and religion."--Provided by the publisher. 2014. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 297

Mountain commandos at war in the Falklands : the Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre in action during the 1982 conflict /Rod Boswell. "Sunset, 8 June 1982, East Falkland. Eight specially trained Royal Marines infiltrate Goat Ridge, a long rocky hilltop between Mount Harriet and Two Sisters which are occupied by a battalion of 600 Argentine infantry. The next day, from their hiding place just metres away from the enemy, they note and sketch the Argentine positions, then withdraw as stealthily as they had come. Their daring patrol provides essential intelligence that guided the British assault which overwhelmed the Argentine defences two days later. This was just one example of the missions undertaken by the Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre during the Falklands War, all of which are described in graphic detail in Rod Boswell s eyewitness account. Using his own recollections and those of his comrades, he describes their operations in the Falklands the observation posts set up in the no man s land between San Carlos and Port Stanley, their role in the raid at Top Malo House, and the reconnaissance patrols they carried out close to the Argentine lines during the conflict. His first-hand account gives a fascinating insight into the operational skills of a small, specially trained unit and shows the important contribution it made to the success of the British advance. It also records the entire experience of the Falklands War from their point of view the long voyage south through the Atlantic, the landings, the advance and the liberation of Stanley."--Provided by the publisher. 2021. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 997.11024

The lifeboat baronet : launching the RNLI /Janet Gleeson. "The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a treasured charity whose mission is to save lives at sea, but what is known of its founder, Sir William Hillary? Back in the early nineteenth century, when death from shipwreck was a tragic reality of life, the handsome, charismatic and adventurous Hillary decided to atone for his chequered past and do something to prevent it. His journey from Regency rake to national hero led him to leave his slave-owning family in Liverpool, travel abroad, mingle with royalty, marry an heiress and, during the Napoleonic Wars, head the largest volunteer army in Britain. Then, financial and marital catastrophe struck. Forced to seek exile on the Isle of Man, a harrowing shipwreck and guilty conscience inspired his historic campaign. Having battled to found the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (today's RNLI) in 1824, Hillary's commitment never faltered. He frequently took to the lifeboats, braving terrifying storms and saving hundreds of lives, despite never learning to swim. Thanks to him the sea remains a safer place today. In this comprehensive biography of Sir William Hillary, Janet Gleeson draws on previously unpublished lettersm - many written by Hillary himself - revealing the RNLI's development, Hillary's links with the Jamaican slave trade, as well as the tribulations of his private life."--Provided by the publisher. 2014. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92HILLARY

The world water speed record : the fast and the forgotten /Roy Calley. "The quest for the Water Speed Record is one of the most dangerous, least forgiving and most unheralded of endeavours. Defined by the fatal crash to Donald Campbell in 1967 on Lake Coniston, it does not have the glamour that the Land Speed Record possesses, yet hundreds have made attempts down the years - many with spectacular and sometimes tragic results. From the first official record set in 1920 in a boat elegantly called Miss America, where an astonishing speed of 74 mph was set, to the last, fifty-eight years later, where the Spirit of Australia skimmed across the surface at over 317 mph - a speed still unsurpassed. That small 243 mph increase in just under six decades hardly tells the story of the trials and tribulations that the likes of Campbell Snr and Jnr, Segrave, Don and Warby endured. Whereas the Land Speed Record has been beaten time and again by surprisingly large margins, the Water version has been tougher and more pronounced, only being increased by percentages. This book captures the burning desire and incredible single-mindedness that is needed to take on the elements and propel a craft across water faster than anyone before ... and for what glory?"--Provided by the publisher. 2014. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 797.15.092.25

The golden age of piracy : the rise, fall, and enduring popularity of pirates /edited by David Head. "Twelve scholars of piracy show why pirates thrived in the New World seas of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century empires, how pirates operated their plundering ventures, how governments battled piracy, and when and why piracy declined. The essays presented take the study of piracy, which can eaisly lapse into rousing, romanticized stories, to new heights of rigor and insight. The Golden Age of Piracy also delves into the enduring status of pirates as pop culture icons. Audiences have devoured stories about cutthroats such as Blackbeard and Henry Morgan from the time that pirates sailed the sea. By looking at the ideas of gender and sexuality surrounding the pirate stories, the fad for hunting pirate treasure, and the construction of pirate myths, the book's contributors tell a new story about the dangerous men, and a few dnagerous women, who terrorized the high seas" Ã2018 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 341.362.1

The British Civil Wars at sea, 1638-1653 / Richard J. Blakemore and Elaine Murphy. "The civil wars in England, Scotland and Ireland in the period 1638-1653 are usually viewed from the perspective of land warfare. This book, on the other hand, presents a comprehensive overview of the wars from a maritime perspective. It considers the structure, organisation and manning of the parliamentarian, royalist, and Irish confederate navies, discussing how these changed over the course of the wars. It also traces the development of the wars at sea, showing that the initial opting for parliament by seamen and officers in 1642 was a crucial development, as was the mutiny and defection of part of the parliamentarian navy in 1648. Moving beyond this it examines the nature of maritime warfare, including coastal sieges, the securing of major ports for parliament, the attempts by royalists to ship arms and other supplies from continental Europe, commerce raiding, and the transportation of armies and their supporters in the invasions of Scotland and Ireland. Overall the book demonstrates that the war at sea was an integral and important part of these dramatic conflicts."--Provided by the publisher. 2018. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 355.49"1638/1653"(42)

Chasing the Bounty : The Voyages of the Pandora and Matavy /edited by Donald A. Maxton. "Popular films about the Bounty mutiny only scratch the surface of its multilayered history. This rebellion on a British vessel in 1789 spawned a sequence of engrossing, sometimes tragic, events during the voyages of H.M.S. Pandora-dispatched to track down the mutineers and return them to England for court-martial-and Matavy, a schooner built by the mutineers in Tahiti. This is the first book to include eyewitness accounts from five men who endured these voyages. Presented in overlapping, chronological order, their unique points of view offer an engaging reading experience. It features the first book publication of a narrative by a member of Matavy's crew, who vividly describes a desperate struggle to survive with meager provisions among islands filled with hostile natives. A long, previously unpublished poem by an anonymous sailor on Pandora recounts the ship's sinking, the survivors' tortuous journey to the Dutch East Indies, and their return to England. The captain's official reports have been corrected from an older, inaccurate version, and his complete, unedited statement on the loss of Pandora appears for the first time in book form. The appendices summarize the Bounty and Pandora court-martials and the later history of each narrator."-Provided by publisher"-- 2020 • BOOK • 2 copies available. 996.18

Guide to the reports of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts : parts 1 and 2, topographical and person indexes : 1870-1957 Great Britain. Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts 1914-1966 • BOOK • 7 copies available. 930.253.4:91(083.86)

We die like brothers : the sinking of the SS Mendi /John Gribble and Graham Scott. "The SS Mendi is a wreck site off the Isle of Wight under the protection of Historic England. Nearly 650 men, mostly from the South African Native Labour Corps (SANLC), lost their lives in February 1917 following a collision in fog as they travelled to serve as labourers on the Western Front, in one of the largest single losses of life during the conflict. The loss of the Mendi occupies a special place in South African military history. Prevented from being trained as fighting troops by their own Government, the men of the SANLC hoped that their contribution to the war effort would lead to greater civil rights and economic opportunities in the new white-ruled nation of South African after the war. These hopes proved unfounded, and the Mendi became a focus of black resistance before and during the Apartheid era in South Africa. One hundred years on, the wreck of the Mendi is a physical symbol of black South Africans' long fight for social and political justice and equality and is one of a very select group of historic shipwrecks from which contemporary political and social meaning can be drawn. The wreck of the SS Mendi is now recognised as one of England's most important First World War heritage assets and the wreck site is listed under the Protection of Military Remains Act. New archaeological investigation has provided real and direct information about the wreck for the first time. The loss of the Mendi is used to highlight the story of the SANLC and other labour corps as well as the wider treatment of British imperial subjects in wartime."--Provided by the publisher. 2017. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 656.61.085.3MENDI

The travels of Ibn Battuta AD 1325-1354 Ibn Battuta 1958-2000 • BOOK • 5 copies available. 910.4(53)"13"

Explore our Collection