Search results | Royal Museums Greenwich

‘A dog, but a sailor at heart’

Discover the story of Just Nuisance, the only dog ever enlisted in the Royal Navy

Sailing into exile: Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn’s account of Napoleon’s journey to St Helena

With Napoleon Bonaparte having surrendered to British forces following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo it was decided to send him into exile once again, this time to the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena. Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn was given the task of transporting the former Emperor to the island on board HMS Northumberland and the Caird Library and Archive holds an extract from his journal (RMG ID: COC/9) covering these events.

What did Polar explorers eat for Christmas lunch?

When tucking into your Christmas lunch this year, spare a thought for how polar explorers of the heroic age celebrated Christmas.

Moonlight in art

The Moon and its light have inspired illustrations, paintings, and woodblock printings. Discover this connective force in art through the artworks of Turner, Rubens, Yoshitoshi and many more.

Silent Grey Ironclad: The Ship Behind H. G. Wells’ Thunder Child

HMS Thunder Child is one of the most famous fictitious warships in English literature.

The Battle of Navarino and an interesting find

Among the manuscripts held by the Caird Library and Archive is a file containing Lieutenant John Harvey Boteler's observations of the Battle of Navarino. However his account contains much more information than simple notes on his role.

British colonial life in the East Indies: the diaries of Lady Dorothy Fullerton

The personal diary of a Royal Navy commander's wife offers a striking insight into the lives of the British ruling classes in 1920s India and Sri Lanka.

The 'Operation Chariot' plan

This month we look into Archive and Library item ADL/Q/72, papers relating to the award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant R.T.C. Worsley DSC, RNVR, for bravery while serving as a Gunnery Officer aboard MGB314, in March 1942 participating in Operation Chariot

The Five Women who made it into “Letters to W.S. Lindsay from Men of his time’’

William Schaw Lindsay (or W.S. Lindsay) was British merchant and ship owner. He was a liberal MP for Tynemouth and North Shields, as well as Sunderland.Many of his papers and correspondences were purchased by the National Maritime Museum in 1988. The collection consists of nearly all of the papers Lindsay left to him family.

The Royal Humane Society and the gift of lifesaving

In 1909, naval seaman Thomas Bouttell risked his own life to save a passenger who was fleeing a ship that was ablaze off the coast of Malta. For his bravery, he was awarded with the Royal Humane Society's Stanhope Gold medal, which was donated to the National Maritime Museum some 60 years later. The accompanying certificate is part of the Caird Library's manuscript collection.