Library & Archive blog

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.   

Heavily contested at the time of its creation, crafted in secrecy and rebellion, the text of this document is now well known the world over.

The Caird Library has a new display featuring archive and library items connected with crimes and criminals at sea.

Traditionally, Jonathan Hulls had often been credited as the first person to conduct practical experiments involving steam-powered vessels. Why then, is his work not remembered?

Lured by the promise of pink sandy beaches and turquoise-blue seas, millions of tourists visit Bermuda every year. Collaborative Doctoral Student Anna McKay examines the difficulties faced by officials in acquiring labourers to work on the site during the nineteenth century.

This item of the month is a 1970s journal kept by the Merchant Navy's first female navigating cadet, 18 year old Nina Baker on board British Petroleum (BP) Tanker Vessel British Willow. Nina's journal influenced me to explore women's developing role in the Merchant Navy during the second half of the twentieth century and beyond.

It will be five years this July that our team of Navy Board In-letters volunteers: Derek, Roger, Terry, David, John and Fred, have so far provided full page summaries to seventy-six of our volumes from the archive. This is over more than double what had been achieved only two years ago.