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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.
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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.
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New discoveries from the wrecks of HMS Erebus and Terror
Archaeologists exploring the shipwrecks of HMS Erebus and Terror have recovered over 350 objects from the lost Franklin expedition.
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The Quay to Knowledge: Life in the Caird Library
Library Assistant Shane McMurray reflects on his role and reveals what it's like to work in the Caird Library.
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Dealing with self-isolation: a desert island guide from the real Robinson Crusoe
Think you're struggling with social distancing? At least you haven't started singing to goats... Curator Jeremy Michell uncovers the remarkable real-life story of island isolation which inspired Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.
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Shipwreck, sickness and pirates: the dangers of working for the East India Company
In this blog we uncover some of the stories which our archives can tell us of the dangers of working in the British Empire in the service of the East India Company
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VE Day 2020: searching Second World War Merchant Navy records
Merchant Seamen death records are key resources for anyone hoping to understand the history of the Merchant Navy during the Second World War.
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200 years of HMS Beagle: Charles Darwin, Galapagos, and an enduring legacy
On 11 May 1820 the ship that would later carry Charles Darwin to the Galapagos Islands was launched. Find out more about the remarkable legacy of HMS Beagle.
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How do you prepare for an expedition to the Arctic?
Sir John Franklin's expedition to map final part of the Northwest Passage departed on 19 May 1845. The two exploration ships, HMS Erebus and Terror were towed from Greenhithe in Kent at 10.30am.
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Freeze dried food and sailing with Greta Thunberg | Interview with Nikki Henderson
Having skippered her first Trans-Atlantic race at just 20, Nikki Henderson is one of the UK's leading young sailors. In 2018, Nikki became the youngest ever skipper of a round the world race at the age of 25