Museum blog

This month we look at The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, the first English attempt at a comprehensive survey of these islands, created by John Speed for James VI & I in 1611

Thanks to the work of librarians and curators at the Osher Map Library in Maine, USA, we now know a lot more about the range of women’s involvement in the map trade. Their work highlights the variety of roles women occupied, working as surveyors, compilers, engravers, publishers, and sellers. Looking at the chart trade in earlier nineteenth-century London similarly reveals women were involved in a number of ways, all integral to the provision of navigational information to seagoing vessels. Our Curator of Cartography, Megan Barford, reveals the vital role women played in aiding navigation at sea.

During Black History Month Curator Andrew Choong Han Lin shares the story of Marcus Bailey, who served on HMS Chester at the Battle of Jutland

Letters by the Pan-African civil rights leader and founder of the Black Star Line to retired naval officer Vice-Admiral Sir William Henderson have been unearthed in the Caird Library's archives

An intriguing item in the Caird Library rare book collection: ‘The Mariners' Marvellous Magazine : or wonders of the ocean : containing the most remarkable adventures and relations of mariners in various parts of the globe’ was begging to be introduced.   

Are you interested in family or local history? Do you like visiting churches or are you interested in the lives and deaths of seafarers? Explore our Maritime Memorials database.

John Dee (1527-1609) was a philosopher and scholar whose work during the Tudor period has been overshadowed by his alleged sorcerous and occultist activities. He is best known for having conversations with angels through his scryer Edward Kelley's interests in astrology, alchemy, calendar reform and suggesting the date for Queen Elizabeth's coronation. What John Dee may not be as well known for is his influence on English navigation and being the first person to coin the term 'British Empire'.