Historic Naval Dockyard, Portsmouth
In keeping with a current project (wooden ship model HM Bomb Vessel Granado), for inspiration I visited the famous Historic Naval Dockyard and Museums at Portsmouth.
The best known exhibit is HMS Victory (yes, THAT one). I include here several photos of the ship itself, and other images from the on-site museums which included a number of high-quality naval dioramas. There's a Nelson museum, and one dedicated to the Victory itself. The Porstmouth HND is also home to HMS Warrior (1860) and the Mary Rose museum.
There is also a museum dedicated to the various trades supporting the Dockyard, which has been in existence since the 13th Century. The Royal Navy's current Daring Class of ships is serviced in the modern area of the port.
Some fine modeling displays there, Rob. Craftsmanship at its' highest.
Yes, just a sampling here - much more on view.
Rob, thanks for the tour, marvelous touches throughout, good choice of the flavor of the place. His Majestys fire buckets? The models are really good, as you'd expect.
What's that one that looks like a siege, in India?
Great shots of the ropework and the rigging. That's why I never went to sea, and I doubt I'll be doing any sailing ships anytime soon. I had enough problems with knots in the Scouts.
I like this almost as much as Ulfs tour of the museum in Vienna.
All this great stuff, and it's still around despite all that happened in the 20th century. (which I call the Century of the Wars)
Probably another place I'll never see, so thanks for doing this.
I can't remember about the diorama. I think it was in the Nelson museum so likely linked to the Nile campaign, but there were several displays and the museums were all together so difficult to identify. There is such a wide variety of things it's hard to take it all in. The image of the 'white' ship was of a model made by French POWs during the Naploeonic Wars - made from chicken bones!
Thanks Rob, I will put this on my list of must-see's, if and when I ever get over there. Thanks for sharing !
Evocative and thought-provoking - well worth the effort.
Great stuff! Thanks for posting.
I still haven't got around to visiting the Victory. This article makes it feel all the more urgent to do so.
Last year they repainted the Victory in the colours now considered correct according to research undertaken by the University of Lincolnshire. The colours of the ship are now as Nelson would have seen them ( generally, dark grey and a dull orange).
Really nice photos, great inspiration for both modelling as well as a trip to Portmouth.
Yes, so inspired, I just ordered Dr John Sugden's magisterial two volume biography of Nelson.
Some wonderful photos of great subjects Rob. Throughout the ages Britannia/North Umbria/Mercia/Wessex/England has produced some of the most beautiful objects through incredible craftsmanship. Shipbuilding a star among stars. Thanks for posting!
I took about 200 photos but only posted these few. I found the work done in the 'apprentice shed' unexpectedly interesting. They had to be apprenticed for five years and then work a further seven before being considered craftsmen (Actually, there was an older woman working the day I was there - making a full-size oar by hand with only a few traditional tools.).
Stan, well put! Hear, hear!
Man I love the dioramas! Thanks for sharing these!
Literally, 'museum quality.'
Nice "walkaround" Rob. Thanks for sharing. Are these tools used by the ship doctor or from the men who build these ships ?
The posting is just in time, Airfix s H.M.S Victory ( yeah, that one ) in 1/180 scale has hit my stash
Surgeon's tools on the lower deck. A very unpleasant place, scarcely five feet in height.
I've just ordered the Constructo 1/94 Victory. I've read build time 3000 hours, which sounds extreme... but at just over a metre in length it's certainly a challenge, whatever the time.