Society for Nautical Research

In 1922 the Society initiated a national public appeal to raise funds to save Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory, launched in 1765, which was then in a very poor state of repair.[7] The appeal was the recipient of funding from Sir James Caird, and the Save The Victory Fund raised sufficient funds to secure HMS Victory in dry dock in Portsmouth and provide a permanent endowment for the ship.[8] The Victory Technical Committee was established to undertake research into appropriate preservation measures and the Society ensured that artefacts from the ship were properly conserved in the Victory Museum.[9]  In 1972 the Victory Museum expanded to become the Portsmouth Royal Naval Museum, under Admiralty administration, and subsequently the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth.[10]  The Society still supports HMS Victory by funding research into areas such as paint samples and wood marks.[11] Since 1922 the Society has provided over £1 million to the upkeep of the ship.[12]

In 1913 the Society assisted in the reorganisation and rationalisation of the collection of the Royal Naval Museum in the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.[13]  During World War 1 the collection was dispersed, but in 1924 the Society catalogued and created an inventory of the collections. In 1925 during a meeting of the Society’s Council the concept of a National Maritime Museum was raised for the first time, when the task of setting up a permanent home for the Admiralty’s collection of ship models was given to a new Trust.[14]

In 1927 the Admiralty made an official announcement: “It having become necessary for a body of trustees to be appointed to take charge of the interests and property of the National Naval and Nautical Museum which is eventually to be accommodated in the Queen's House at Greenwich, The First Lord of the Admiralty has obtained consent of the following, Earl Stanhope DSO, Civil Lord of the Admiralty, Admiral Sir George P.W. Hope, Chairman of the Council of the Society for Nautical Research, Sir Lionel Earle KCB KCVO, Secretary of the Office of Works, Mr Roger C. Anderson, FS A, Member of the Council of the Society for Nautical Research, Prof Geoffrey Callender, FSA, Royal Naval College Greenwich.[15]

The Trust, which was largely staffed by officials of the Society, eventually created a home for the large collection of items, prints and drawings, including the Macpherson Collection, in the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.

In 1927 an appeal was launched to raise £120,00 in order to save 11,000 maritime prints, drawings and paintings collected by yachtsman and collector Arthur Macpherson from being sold abroad.[16]  Sir James Caird stepped in again and purchased the entire collection.[17]

This enabled the funds raised by public subscription to be used to establish the Macpherson Collection Endowment Fund, which purchases art, prints and drawings for the nation, which are held in the National Maritime Museum.[18] The Macpherson Collection Endowment Fund is administered by the Society.[19]

The Society for Nautical Research supports new research by providing grants to students undertaking nautical research and seminars and conferences on maritime themes.[20] It also provides financial support to the annual conference for new researchers in maritime history.[21]   In addition the Society presents the annual Anderson Medal book award in memory of founder and naval scholar Dr Roger Charles Anderson [22]  and the Victory Medal, awarded to those who have displayed notable dedication in the conservation of a historic vessel.[23] Since 2017 the Society has also organised its own conferences in partnership with other institutions. The most recent was held in Bristol in 2019 with SS Great Britain and the Brunel Institute.[24]

The Mariner’s Mirror is the peer-reviewed quarterly journal of the Society for Nautical Research. First published in 1911, the journal publishes original papers, articles, notes and book reviews on a wide range of topics relating to humankind’s relationship with the sea, including archaeology, shipbuilding and design, historic vessels, naval tactics, administration and logistics, merchant seafaring, shiphandling and seamanship and other subjects of nautical interest.[25]

The Mariner’s Mirror is ranked as an ERIH Plus journal by the European Reference Index for the Humanities and is published quarterly in collaboration with Taylor & Francis.[26]

The Editor of The Mariner’s Mirror is Dr Martin Bellamy.[27]

In 2016 the society instituted Fellowships to recognise members’ contribution to its work. As of 1 November 2018 there were 43 Fellows of the Society.[28]

In 2020 the Society launched a podcast covering all themes and periods of maritime history.[29]

• Mariner's Mirror (1911-date), quarterly ISSN 0025-3359
• Newsletter: Topmasts

• Official website