The National Maritime Museum Cornwall holds an archive of boat plans, documents and photographs relating to the maritime history of Cornwall and the development and use of boats. Some of the archives are small – barely a single photograph – others are very large. Below is a small sample of the main archives at fonds level with a brief description. You can view the archives by making an appointment with our curator via email to: enquiries@nmmc.co.uk.
Copies of documents or photographs for personal research can be supplied, subject to a small fee and normal copyright law.
| Fonds ID | Fonds | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 0066 | Pye Miss B D | Memorabilia of a WW2 WRNS boat crew. Further information about Brenda Pye is held by the Falmouth Art Gallery |
| 0067 | Falmouth Tribute Fund Record 1939-1945 | A list of men and women who served, and who gave their lives in HM Forces and Merchant Navy in WW2 from Falmouth. The surviving men and women had a choice of a cigarette box, tankard and tray, each engraved with the Borough coat-of-arms and the words ‘1939-45. Falmouth’s Token of Appreciation.’ The token of remembrance for the next of kin of those who gave their lives was a salver in sterling silver, with the name inscribed. There is also a copy of the Falmouth Tribute Fund book held in The Bartlett – 942.378FAL. |
| 0068 | Gregory Captain K G | This booklet belonged to Captain K G Gregory. Proceedings at the Distribution of Prizes on Board Thames Nautical Training College, HMS Worcester by F. D. Barnes, Esq., J. P., managing director of the P. & O. Steam Navigation Company. Distribution of Prizes 01/08/1890. Report of proceedings, list of prizes. Exams results and marks also included. G K Gregory – b.21/09/1905 in Falmouth, d.06/04/1982. Cadet on Worcester 1920-1922. Trinity House Pilot. |
| 0069 | Hocken | Collection consists of a booklet published 1914, ‘”Break!” How the British Seamen prepare for War’. The Fleet Series No1, 1914. Includes articles by E Hallam Moorhouse & Lionel Yexel. One card. 3 photographs – 2 of Captain Nathaniel Hocken and Hocken watch. Link to Hocken display in Cornwall Gallery inc Hocken watches |
| 0070 | Falmouth Free Public Library | Collection includes: Catalogue of Maritime Exhibition, Falmouth, 1938. Falmouth library. Right Rev. Dr. J W Hunkin. A A de Pass. Cpt Samuel Wallis. Cpt Bligh, Adm Boscawen, Cpt Edward Pellew, Jonathan Hornblower. Sirius, Great Westerm, Great Eastern, P&O William Fawcett. Foreword by W Tregoning Hooper (Librarian). List models – Favell, Cutty Sark, Ivy, Penryn. List of photographs, pictures – Cpt James Bull, Cpt William King, books of maritime interest. Two copies of Catalogue of Maritime and General Art Collections, Falmouth Library, 1939. List of pictres for maritime exhibition of naval events and British naval commanders. Lord Hood, Boscawen, Collingwood, Private signals of the Falmouth Packet Service. Pictures presented by Alfred A de Pass. Printed Cornish Echo Co., Falmouth. Index of artists |
| 0072 | Allison D Powerboat Company | Files and miscellaneous designs |
| 0073 | Bar Pool | Sketch map by BCT giving details of occupation of Bar Pool, Falmouth |
| 0074 | Falmouth Pilots 02 | Cash account for pilotage of Service craft Jan 1944 |
| 0076 | Falmouth Docks Office | This is a single sheet of information from the Docks Office of Falmouth, dated 16 June1940, listing fishing boats in dock waters. |
| 0077 | R C Y C | Royal Cornwall Yacht Club programme for special race 18/07/30 |
| 0078 | Tresidder P H | Mounts Bay Regatta Official Souvenir Programme 15/07/1933 |
| 0079 | Audio recordings | Audio recordings of Falmouth locals including Bert Thomas, Ralph Bird and Tom Ferris |
| 0080 | Seabreeze | Details relating to the motor fishing and passenger launch, Silver Cloud of Penzance, later renamed Seabreeze including constructional arrangment plans and surveys from 1951 – 1955 and 1982 – 1989. The vessel was built in April 1950 by M.W Blackmore & Sons Ltd, Bideford. |
| 0081 | Robert Roach archive | Robert Roach was a Master Mariner, from Fowey. The collection includes 2 printed books; Piddlington’s Sailor’s Horn Book |
| 0083 | May H | Set of Seamans Discharge certificates (On display in Cornwall Galleries) |
| 0087 | Lush J | Scrapbook HMS Birch 1939 – 1972 very well researched many original photographs |
| 0089 | Falmouth 03 | Flyer for Falmouth Juvenile Sailing Regatta 1838 |
| 0090 | Duchy Shipping Company, Limited | Memorandum and Articles of Association of Duchy Shipping Company, Limited, Incorporated 1 December 1941 |
| 0091 | Penzance | Shipping Note coal from Irvine to Penzance SS Tantallon 04/12/02 |
| 0092 | Nielsen A B & Co | Invoice for cargo of wood shipped from Fredrikstad to Falmouth 11/03/1895 |
| 0093 | Maddox | Collection of documents and photographs on the Cutty Sark including the ‘Opening by Her Majesty the Queen of the Cutty Sark at her permanent berth in Greenwich’ on the 25 June 1957. A typed manuscript of 100 years of Shiprepair at Falmouth Docks and a booklet on Queen Elizabeth dock. Documents and statement of facts on the Falmouth Packet Station |
| 0094 | Trescowthick | Continuous Certificate of Discharge 1938 to 1953 |
| 0096 | Stevens E J | WW2 Memorabilia about US forces in Devon and Cornwall |
| 0098 | Bowes | A scrapbook of 27 Pages containing pictures of yachts, dinghies and canoes |
| 0099 | Harper W | This official document is dated 12/01/1884 and details the dissolution of the partnership between coal merchants N C S. Couch and N Vine The Schooner ‘Maggie C’ is mentioned within this |
| 0100 | Tucker D | This letter, written on parchment, was sent by Packet Ship to Mr Kirtley and dated 27/10/1813. It has the red seal of Manchester |
| 0101 | Prowse AWB archive | AWB Prowse a Naval Architect worked in Cornwall c1948/62. Plans for 39 of his designs have been fully catalogued. Including YDGRASIL III of 1964 |
| 0106 | Weller D Photographic Archive | A superb collection of photographic negatives and colour transparencies of high quality including black and white photographs of deep sea and coastal sailing vessels taken during the 1930s and post-war material showing the development of Falmouth Docks. Many photographs show tugs of the Falmouth Steam Towage Company at work, together with the St Mawes passenger ferries |
| 0109 | D O T Falmouth Surveyors Office | Includes 4 Motor Coaster plans C 1960 related to Brazen Island Shipyard Polruan |
| 0110 | Truscott archive | Refering to Dolphin engine desiged by Lt Cdr Truscott in the 1950s includes plans for parts of the engine |
| 0111 | Pollard W | |
| 0113 | Kittiwake Class | Medway Yacht Club collection of documents relating to the Kittiwake class 1895 |
| 0114 | Webb Captain | Booklet published 1868 ‘Captain Webb’s Patent Reefing Topsails.’ The booklet outlines instructions for reefing the topsails of square rigged vessels from the deck without going aloft. Also includes diagrams |
| 0115 | Falmouth Guide 1815 | Containing a concise account of the History,Trade,Port and Public Establishments of Falmouth |
| 0116 | King George V Coronation Naval Review at Spithead 24/06/1911 | Leaflet issued by P B Burgoyne & Co Ltd, Australian wine merchants to King George V. Wines listed Harvest Burgundy, Ophir Burgundy, Tintara, Highercombe. On the inside is a map Position Map of the Coronation Naval Review, in the Solent, June 24th 1911, the map shows positions of the Warships at the Coronation Naval Review at Spithead |
| 0117 | Underhill H A | Model plans published by H A Underhill 1932 of the Cutty Sark Built 1869 |
| 0118 | MV Glenfalloch | Cargo Plan for MV Glenfalloch 1971 signed BA Hood Chief Off. Ink on tracing paper |
| 0119 | Sunderland Flying Boat | Sunderland Flying Boat plans and other documents |
| 0120 | Pearce T | This archive contains a great deal of information regarding the development of early racing catamarans in the 1950s. It contains a series of photographs of the Duke of Edinburgh at the helm of the Endeavour in which Ken and Terry Pearce won the Folkestone to Boulogne Cross Channel Sailing Dinghy Championship in 1958. There is also extensive information on the Dart class of catamaran, including its trials for the International Yacht Racing Union in the USA. The archive also contains information on other catamarans including the Shearwater III, Tornado and the Flying Dutchman. |
| 0121 | Dalton, Percy G | Local Naval Architect 22ft Working Sailboat designed for M Pugh |
| 0122 | R N destroyer plan | 2 ink on linen plans of an unknown R N Destroyer c1920 |
| 0123 | St Eval (ex Chieftain) | 3 sheets of plans relating to the Falmouth tug St Eval (ex Chieftain) Includes GA and Docking Plan |
| 0124 | Windsurfing archive | A small collection of items relating to windsurfing, including the book ‘The Wind is Free: Windsurfing with Ken Winner’ by Ken Winner and Roger Jones, 1980, brochure, leaflets and a small number of photographs |
| 0125 | Enterprise Dinghy | The story of the Enterprise dinghy, from conception and creation to home boat building |
| 0126 | First Day Cover | First Day Cover showing a map and picture of packet ship, dated 6 April 1960. On the cover it Lists packet ports and names of packet ships. Ships listed include – Duke of Marlborough, Windsor Castle, Hope, Dove, Hinchingbroke, Frolic, Sphynx. Destinations ships sailed to New York, Pensacola, St Augustine, Savannah, Charleston, W Indies, Mexico, Hayti, Brazil, Buenos Ayres, Maderia, Corunna, Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Malta, Ionian Islands. Also shows address William Frazer Ltd, 20 Grand Arcade, Trafalgar Square, London W.C.2. |
| 0127 | Klepper Folding Boat | Includes leaflet Segeln mit Klepper (Sailing with Klepper), written in German. 2. Directions for assembling the KLEPPER-Aerius, single & double, written in English. The leaflet states that the Klepper-Aerius is simply constructed and therefore easy to assemble |
| 0128 | Duffin | John Duffin Continuous Certificate of Discharge No. 885115. Born-1893, Description, Place of birth-Carnclough, (Co Antrim).. Ships he sailed on included Saint Stephen, John Pender, North Britain, Lynton Grange, Cape Transport. In back of certificate shows address for John Duffin as 23 New Street, Falmouth, Cornwall |
| 0129 | Trescowthick | Collection includes John Trescowthick’s Continuous Certificate of Discharge No. 1065655. Letter of reference for serving on M.F.A. San Casto dated 17 September 1943. B/W photograph San Alberto. |
| 0130 | Time Workers Working Rules and Allowances, Falmouth, 1933 | Booklet signed by J. S. Duffin. Timeworkers working rules and allowances agreed between The Falmouth Shipbuilding Association and Trade Unions, 1933. New & Repair work. Day and night shift patterms. Schedules for plumbers, joiners, shipwrights, labourers, painters. Includes in the booklet a Memorandum of Agreement between the Falmouth Shipbuilding Association and Joint Working Trades at Falmouth Yard, 5 February 1933. |
| 0131 | German Potential Armoured Merchant Vessels and Merchant Ships | Booklet containing a collection of Silhouettes & Photographs of German Potential Armoured Merchant Vessels and Merchant Ships. Book issued by Capt on Staff, September 1939. Lists the potential German ships with speed, tons and silhouettes and photographs for recognition |