On Tour: A New Angle on HMS Victory
Time to resume (fairly) regular blogging! The recent hiatus has been due partly to various commitments, but also to a sense that I had nothing new to blog about. Recently, though, I’ve done a little travelling, the first in six months, and also realised that I have a huge bank of material which is perfect for the present situation, especially as we go into winter. Over the years, I’ve been privileged to visit and photograph many places connected to naval and/or general history, some of them far off the beaten track or usually inaccessible to the public. So over the next few weeks, maybe months, I’ll present a selection of images from these places in the hope that they’ll provide some escapism, and maybe give you a few ideas for places to aim for once travel problems ease.
To kick off, I recently paid a visit to Portsmouth in my capacity as chair of the Society for Nautical Research. The SNR’s first major achievement was to save HMS Victory for future generations, and we still administer the Save the Victory Fund, the first donation to which came from King George V. I was given a personal tour of the new and much more efficient system of props underneath the hull, as well as of the work on the nearby Victory gallery, which will reopen in 2021 after extensive refurbishment, partly funded by SNR. So here are some views of HMS Victory from bow to stern as you’ve never seen her before!
7 Comments
Thank you for the superb pictures. I was given a walk round her in the 1970 and was allowed below decks as an SNR member. Keep up the wonderful work. Wish you could save more ships but it looks like either the replica route or the deep underwater salvage might be the only ways left. Seriously enjoy reading your stuff. Tobias Philbin. PS there is a book called Warships for the King which details Ann Wyatts life and times and her ships Richard Endsor did the plans best again tp
Thanks Tobias, and I’m glad you like my writing! I’ve heard about your book from Richard and must get hold of a copy.
Said book is now on remainder from Seawatch books Its about 35 USD. Needs and SNR review. Presently doing a (hopefully last book on Jutland for Indiana U Press) It will be different in that I am doing a lot more context–going back to Beachy Head instead of Trafalgar and looking at it as an attempt to break the British blockade–the assaulting the Jailor analogy. Stuck here in pandemic and trump country. Now back to some naval historical fiction. Cheers Toby Philbin
Props? I don’t see no props – not even a hint of an engine exhaust… Dissapointed of Exeter
As in ‘pit props’ – used to be plenty of them in Devon back in the day!! Great to hear from you, Tiny, hope all’s good.
Thank you so much for these images. It is very good to see the new props in place. Please keep the flow of Information going. More in Topmasts, perhaps?
I’ll have a word with Nigel!