James Lind and the cure for scurvy
When George Anson left Britain in 1740 on his expedition to the Pacific, he took 1,854 men with him. He captured the most valuable...
Boatswains
Boatswains have long been part of the crew of sailing ships. The word is old, coming from the Middle English bote-swayn, meaning one who...
The Worm and the Welsh Mountain
The Teredo worm is a long, slimy, grey mollusc that can grow up to three feet long and an inch thick. It was feared by 18th century...
The Scent of Treasure – Rooke, and the Battle of Vigo Bay
In the summer of 1702, an Anglo/Dutch force under the command of Admiral George Rooke was attempting to capture the Spanish port of...
Deptford’s Royal Dockyard
By the 1980s, Deptford in southeast London was a rundown and dilapidated shadow of its former self. Pound-shops and fast food outlets...
Sails and the Art of the Sailmaker
By the close of the 18th century, warships were self-contained communities, capable of operating away from land for months at a time....
Invincible - how the French gave the world the 74
In 1747, the French dispatched a vital convoy of thirty merchantmen to carry reinforcements and supplies to their troops in North...
The Curious Career of a man named Home
Home Riggs Popham was one of the Royal Navy’s more controversial officers. His military record contained a sprinkling of both triumphs,...
Swinging the Lead
Ilfracombe is a charming little port on the North Devon coast in England. Close to its bustling harbour is the base of the local scuba...
“Oh God, it’s all over!” - the Naval Battle that cost an Empire
In the late summer of 1781, the British attempt to re-conquer Virginia from the American rebels was not going well. Their army was boxed...
