Library Results | Royal Museums Greenwich

Eighteenth-century naval officers : a transnational perspective /Evan Wilson, AnnaSara Hammar, Jakob Seerup, editors. "This book surveys the lives and careers of naval officers across Europe at the height of the age of sail. It traces the professionalization of naval officers by exploring their preparation for life at sea and the challenges they faced while in command. It also demonstrates the uniqueness of the maritime experience, as long voyages and isolation at sea cemented their bond with naval officers across Europe while separating them from landlubbers. It depicts, in a way no previous study has, the parameters of their shared experiences-both the similarities that crossed national boundaries and connected officers, and the differences that can only be seen from an international perspective."--Provided by the publisher. [2019] • BOOK • 1 copy available. 355.333.3"17"

US Navy battleships 1886-98 : The pre-dreadnoughts and monitors that fought the Spanish-American War /Brian Lane Herder. "After the American Civil War, the US Navy had been allowed to decay into complete insignificance, yet the commissioning of the modern Brazilian battleship Riachuelo and poor performance against the contemporary Spanish fleet, forced the US out of its isolationist posture towards battleships. The first true US battleships began with the experimental Maine and Texas, followed by the three-ship Indiana class, and the Iowa class, which incorporated lessons from the previous ships. These initial ships set the enduring US battleship standard of being heavily armed and armoured at the expense of speed. This fully illustrated study examines these first six US battleships, a story of political compromises, clean sheet designs, operational experience, and experimental improvements. These ships directly inspired the creation of an embryonic American military-industrial complex, enabled a permanent outward-looking shift in American foreign policy and laid the foundations of the modern US Navy."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.821.2(73)"1886/1898"

Shetland and the Greenland Whaling. "For almost 150 years from the mid-18th century the "Greenland time" was a major event in Shetland. This was when the whale ships arrived to recruit their crews in Lerwick and Baltasound and old hands and "green" young hopefuls signed up for arduous voyages into Arctic waters after the elusive "right" whale. Some seasons saw good returns for whale ship owners and crews. Others were disastrous with loss of earnings, ships and lives. Whales, ice and disease all took their toll, as did the notorious navy press gangs. Lairds and local merchants also had a hand in an economic system seemingly designed to ensure that poverty was never far away and which crushed lives as surely as the Arctic ice crushed whale ship hulls. For the first time the full story of Shetland's vital contribution to the Greenland - Spitsbergen and Davis Strait - "fishery" is told. The author discusses in detail the economic and social implications of the bloody trade in their local, national and international contexts."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 639.245.1(411.1:988)

Njinga of Angola : Africa's warrior queen /Linda M. Heywood. "Though largely unknown in the West, the seventeenth-century African queen Njinga was one of the most multifaceted rulers in history, a woman who rivaled Queen Elizabeth I in political cunning and military prowess. In this landmark book, based on nine years of research and drawing from missionary accounts, letters, and colonial records, Linda Heywood reveals how this legendary queen skillfully navigated - and ultimately transcended - the ruthless, male-dominated power struggles of her time."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 967.3/01

Cannibals and carnage : thrilling tales of the sea, volume one/Graham Faiella. "In the nineteenth century true stories of cannibal tribes massacring white traders (and vice versa) and missionaries fed the morbid appetites of Europeans, North Americans and colonials. Accounts of cannibalism committed by seafarers on their dead shipmates quickened the pulses of landfolk even more, and pricked their moral disquiet. Acts of desperate men committing unspeakable atrocities. The warring frenzy of cannibal headhunters and their gruesome feasting. Such was the stuff of real-life 'sixpenny romances', rich in human butchery and garnished with treachery and terror. The more atrocious the atrocities, the more exotic the locations; the more sensational the narratives, the greater was the thrall of these thrilling tales of the sea."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. Misery, mutiny and menace: Thrilling tales of the sea, volume two.

Calmac ships in the 1970s : the Clyde and west coast. "In 1973 David Christie moved house from Essex to Scotland, but it wasn't till 1974 that he discovered the joys of sailing on Calmac's ships. An initial sail on King George V at Oban in her last season was a great introduction but mostly, over the next three years, I focussed on Queen Mary on the Clyde, now safely back in Glasgow at the Science Centre. Most of the Clyde piers are covered, with emphasis on Rothesay. Ferries also feature with old and new on the Rothesay and Dunoon runs and the smaller boats at Largs. The west coast features with Oban as the main terminal, then Mallaig, before a session on the pre-bridge Skye ferries. A single visit to Ullapool finishes this journey back to the seventies."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 386.609411

2020 guide to the night sky : a month-by-month guide to exploring the skies above Britain and Ireland /Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion. "The bestselling, practical guide to the planets, stars and constellations visible from the northern hemisphere. 6 pages per month January-December 2020. An easy introduction to astronomy and a useful reference for seasoned stargazers. Designed for Britain and Ireland but usable anywhere in the world between 40ÀN and 60ÀN, covering most of Europe, southern Canada and the northern United States. Written and illustrated by astronomical experts, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion, and approved by the astronomers of the Royal Observatory Greenwich."--Provided by the publisher. 2019 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 524-13

German submarine U-1105 'Black Panther' : the naval archaeology of a U-Boat /Aaron Stephan Hamilton. "Now in its final resting place at the bottom of the Potomac River in Maryland, the U-Boat U-1105 is unique among German World War II submarines. Technologically innovative, it was the only U-Boat to conduct a wartime patrol while equipped with the snorkel, GHG Balkon passive sonar and a rubberized coating known as Alberich designed to reduce its acoustic signature and hide from Allied sonar. After the end of World War II, it was the subject of instense testing and evaluation by the Allies, before finally being sunk to the bottom of the Potomac River. This highly illustrated book uses many new and previously unpublished images to tell the full story of this remarkable U-Boat, evaluating the effectiveness of its late war technologies, document its extensive postwar testing and detail all the features still present on the wreck site today."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.82570943

Hull : culture, history, place /edited by David J. Starkey, David Atkinson, Briony McDonagh, Sarah McKeon and Elisabeth Salter. "From its earliest origins to the twenty-first century, Hull is a city that has been continually shaped by flows of people, commodities, ideas and trade. The result is a distinctive city with a longstanding, varied, proud and often remarkable history. Hull: Culture, History, Place is a celebration of this unique city's past and present. Telling the story of Hull from the earliest settlement on the muddy banks of the river, through civil war rebellion, maritime success and the trauma of the Second World War to post-war resilience and recovery, this book shows how and why Hull has been a place of significance and success over many centuries. The eleven chapters, twenty-five enlightening vignettes and many illustrations bring the city's history to light and life, exploring the people, places, trade, industry, ideas, creativity and vision that have formed the lived experience of this city for over eight hundred years."--Provided by the publisher. 2017. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 942.837

Tracing your docker ancestors : a guide for family historians /Alex Ombler. "Alex Ombler's handbook is the first practical guide for family historians who wish to find out about family members who worked in British docks. In a series of concise, informative chapters he takes readers through the history of British ports and identifies research methods and materials - both local and national - through which they can discover the lives and experiences of the people who worked in them."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 2 copies available. 929.1072041

SS Nomadic : Titanic's little sister /Philippe Delaunoy "SS Nomadic was commissioned by White Star Line to serve the Olympic-class liners Olympic, Titanic and Britannic when they called in Cherbourg. Built in Belfast alongside Titanic, she was made with the same steel, built by the same workers and decorated by the same craftsmen. Because her duties were to serve first- and second-class passengers, she was fitted out far more luxuriously than other tenders of that time and she was considered by the White Star Line as a window into the sumptuous new transatlantic liners. While Titanic is commonly described as the ill-fated White Star Liner, SS Nomadic can without any doubt be qualified as the lucky tender, having survived both world wars and escaped destruction many times. She is now restored to her former glory as a tourist attraction in Belfast."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 629.123NOMADIC

Royal bargemasters : 800 years at the prow of royal history /Robert Crouch & Beryl Pendley "Royal bargemasters have been serving their monarchs for over 800 years, yet their story has never been told. Always working in close proximity to their sovereigns, they have witnessed and played their part in many of the important events in our country's history. They have been close witnesses to rebellions and coronations, to initial courting and grand royal weddings, and added their colourful presence to the splendour of celebrations and pageants. Painstakingly researched by ex-Royal Bargemaster Robert Crouch and professional researcher Beryl Pendley, this beautifully illustrated book offers a colourful insight into the role of the Bargemasters over the centuries, revealing the part they have played in both the day-to-day lives of the Royal Family and their contribution to great ceremonial occasions from the Plantagenets to our present Queen."--Provided by the publisher 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 629.122.3

On the line : the story of the Greenwich Meridian ''Provides clear explanations about latitude and longitude and the world's time zones. Offers a succinct history of the Meridian Line and its importance in defining international time standards. Breaks down complex topics into manageable articles, with fun trivia to aid understanding. This insightful, concise guide reveals why international time standards are based around the Greenwich meridian - Longitude 0 - where east meets west, and the important discoveries made at Greenwich that led to time as we know it.''--Provided by the publisher. • BOOK • 3 copies available. 529.771

French battleships 1914-45 / Ryan K. Noppen ; illustrated by Paul Wright. "On September 1, 1910, France became the last great naval power to lay down a dreadnought battleship, the Courbet. The ensuing Courbet and Bretagne-class dreadnoughts had a relatively quiet World War I, spending most of it at anchor off the entrance to the Adriatic, keeping watch over the Austro-Hungarian fleet. The constraints of the Washington Naval Treaty prevented new battleships being built until the 1930s, with the innovative Dunkerque-class and excellent Richelieu-class of battleships designed to counter new German designs. After the fall of France in 1940, the dreadnoughts and fast battleships of the Marine Nationale had the unique experience of firing against German, Italian, British, and American targets during the war. This authoritative study examines these fascinating ships, using detailed colour plates and historical photographs, taking them from their inception before World War I, through their service in World War II including the scuttling of the French fleet at Toulon in 1943, and the service of Richelieu in the war against Japan."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.821.2(44)"1914/1945"

The Atlantic in world history, 1490-1830. "The Atlantic in World History, 1490-1830 looks at the historical connections between four continents - Africa, Europe, North America and South America - through the lens of Atlantic history. It shows how the Atlantic has been more than just an ocean: it has been an important site of circulation and transmission, allowing exchanges and interchanges which have profoundly shaped the development of the world. Divided into four thematic sections, Trevor Burnard's sweeping yet concise narrative covers the period from the voyages of Columbus to the New World in the 1490s through to the end of the Age of Revolutions around 1830. It deals with key topics including the Columbian exchange, Atlantic slavery and abolition, war as a global phenomenon, the Age of Revolution, religious conversion, nation-building, trade and commerce and intellectual movements such as the Enlightenment. Rather than focusing on the 'rise of the West', Burnard stresses the interactive nature of encounters between various parts of the world, setting local case studies within his broader interconnected narrative. Written by a leading historian of Atlantic history, and including further reading lists, images and maps as well as a companion website featuring discussion questions, timelines and primary source extracts, this is an essential book for students of Atlantic and world history."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 930.9(261)

Disease in the merchant navy : a history of the Seaman's Hospital Society /Gordon C Cook. "In this unique, highly detailed examination, Gordon C Cook explores disease in the merchant navy through the history of the Seamen's Hospital Society. From its foundation in 1812, until the present day, the Seamen's Hospital Society has been responsible for the physical welfare of merchant seamen and has headed many remarkable advances in medical science. This handsome volume is ideal for all those with an interest in the Seamen's Hospital Society, medical and naval historians, and general readers with an interest in maritime and naval history."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 362.11:656.61

Don't touch my hair / Emma Dabiri. "Straightened. Stigmatized. 'Tamed'. Celebrated. Erased. Managed. Appropriated. Forever misunderstood. Black hair is never 'just hair'. This book is about why black hair matters and how it can be viewed as a blueprint for decolonisation. Over a series of wry, informed essays, Emma Dabiri takes us from pre-colonial Africa, through the Harlem Renaissance, Black Power and on to today's Natural Hair Movement, the Cultural Appropriation Wars and beyond. We look everything from hair capitalists like Madam C.J. Walker in the early 1900s to the rise of Shea Moisture today, from women's solidarity and friendship to 'black people time', forgotten African scholars and the dubious provenance of Kim Kardashian's braids. The scope of black hairstyling ranges from pop culture to cosmology, from prehistoric times to the (afro)futuristic. Uncovering sophisticated indigenous mathematical systems in black hairstyles, alongside styles that served as secret intelligence networks leading enslaved Africans to freedom, Don't Touch My Hair proves that far from being only hair, black hairstyling culture can be understood as an allegory for black oppression and, ultimately, liberation."--Provided by the publisher. 2020. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 391.508996

William Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland : shipbuilders and engineers 1837-1988 /Patricia Richardson. "This is the 'biography' of this outstanding family run company of British ship builders and marine engineers, spanning 150 years. After a hesitant beginning, William Doxford moved his yard to Pallion and brought his sons into the business. The company developed the innovative 'Turret Ship', and won the coveted Blue Riband for production in 1907. The sons controversially sold the business after WW1, but remained in charge, introducing the Marine Oil Engine, which helped them to survive the depressions of the 1920s and 1930s, and which was their icon to the 1970s. The book describes the successes of WW2 and the post war period, and then the struggles and decline of the British Shipbuilding Industry up to the Government's decision to close of yard at the end of 1988."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available.

German entanglements in transatlantic slavery / edited by Heike Raphael-Hernandez and Pia Wiegmink. "Germany has long entertained the notion that the transatlantic slave trade and New World slavery involved only other European players. Countering this premise, this collection re-charts various routes of German participation in, profiteering from, and resistance to transatlantic slavery and its cultural, political, and intellectual reverberations. Exploring how German financiers, missionaries, and immigrant writers made profit from, morally responded to, and fictionalized their encounters with New World slavery, the contributors demonstrate that these various German entanglements with New World slavery revise preconceived ideas that erase German involvements from the history of slavery and the Black Atlantic. Moreover, the collection brings together these German perspectives on slavery with an investigation of German colonial endeavors in Africa, thereby seeking to interrogate historical processes (or fantasies) of empire-building, colonialism, and slavery which, according to public memory, seem to have taken place in isolation from each other. The collection demonstrates that they should be regarded as part and parcel of a narrative that ingrained colonialism and slavery in the German cultural memory and identity to a much larger extent than has been illustrated and admitted so far in general discourses in contemporary Germany."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 306.3/620943

A game of birds and wolves : the secret game that won the war /Simon Parkin. "1941. The Battle of the Atlantic is a disaster. Thousands of supply ships ferrying vital food and fuel from North America to Britain are being torpedoed by German U-boats. Britain is only weeks away from starvation - and with that, crushing defea In the first week of 1942 a group of unlikely heroes - a retired naval captain and a clutch of brilliant young women - gather to form a secret strategy unit. On the top floor of a bomb-bruised HQ in Liverpool, the Western Approaches Tactical Unit spends days and nights designing and playing wargames in an effort to crack the U-boat tactics. As the U-boat wolfpacks continue to prey upon the supply ships, the Wrens race against time to save Britain. With novelistic flair, investigative journalist Simon Parkin shines a light on Operation Raspberry and these unsung heroines in this riveting true story of war at sea."-- Provided by the publisher 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. PBK0120

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

Southey's 'Nelson' : bibliography of the 1813 - 1857 English editions of Robert's Southey's Life of Nelson /Michael Nash. "Robert Southey had been living in his Cumberland home of Greta Hall for seven years by the time he received an inivitation from the editor of the Quarterly Review, William Gifford, to write an assessment of the principal biographies of Lord Nelson published since the Admiral's heroic death at Trafalgar in 1805. [...] Southey's 'Nelson' follows the fortunes of the Poet Laureate's Life of Nelson from 1813 to 1857 during which twenty-four books are examined in detail. Along the way we discover, for example, that some of these publications are not editions at all, but disguised remainders. We learn of the agreement reached between John Murray and Thomas Tegg and how that agreement was breached. We discover the tenuous relationships that existed between John Murray and his printers; how the latter were forever treading on eggshells in order to maintain their business ties with the most successful London bookseller of the early nineteenth century."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • FOLIO • 1 copy available.

Thinking Black : Britain, 1964-1985 /Rob Waters. "It was a common charge among black radicals in the 1960s that Britons needed to start "thinking black." As state and society consolidated around a revived politics of whiteness, "thinking black," they felt, was necessary for all who sought to build a liberated future out of Britain's imperial past. In Thinking Black, Rob Waters reveals black radical Britain's wide cultural-political formation, tracing it across new institutions of black civil society and connecting it to decolonization and black liberation across the Atlantic world. He shows how, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, black radicalism defined what it meant to be black and what it meant to be radical in Britain."--Provided by publisher 2019 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 305.896/04109045

Crusoe, castaways and shipwrecks in the perilous age of sail / Mike Rendell Rendell, Mike 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 656.61.085.3"1571/1862"

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