Maritime photograph and plan collections
Information guide No.8
This page is approximately a 5 minute read
The Lloyd’s Register Foundation Heritage Centre does not hold its own photographic archive, but recognises the importance of visual material in maritime research. This guide brings together a curated list of institutions, organisations and individuals that can provide historic ship and yacht photographs, along with selected sources for vessel plans.
UK - Photographic Collections
| Aberdeen University Library – Sir Duncan Rice Library | Bedford Road Aberdeen AB24 3AA | +44 (0)1224 272598 | G. W. Wilson collection of early photographs 1856 to 1910 (covering England, Scotland, Australia, South Africa, Gibraltar, Spain and Morocco). |
| Arbroath Museum | The Signal Tower Ladyloan Arbroath DD11 1PU | +44 (0)1241 464554 |
| Birmingham City Archives | Birmingham Central Library Social Sciences Department Chamberlain Square Birmingham B3 3HQ | +44 (0)121 303 4549 | Belliss Marcom, Ltd. collection, re: design and construction of steam, gas and diesel turbines (Ref: MS 1708). |
| Bristol Museum and Art Gallery | Queens Road Bristol BS8 1RL | +44 (0)117 922 3571 | Photographic archive of maritime and port history c1870-1970, primarily Bristol, Avonmouth and Portishead. York collection of photographs of ships in Bristol, c.1870 to1914. |
| The Alderney Society Museum | High Street Alderney Channel Islands GY9 3TG | +44 1481 823222 | Photographs of Alderney. |
| Riverside Museum | Pointhouse Place Glasgow G3 8RS | +44 (0)121 303 4549 | Dan MacDonald photographic archive. |
| Mclean Museum and Art Gallery | 15 Kelly Street Greenock PA16 8JX | +44 (0)1475 715628 | R. B. Paterson collection of steamer photographs c1880 to 1920. |
| National Fishing Heritage Centre | Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre Alexandra Dock Grimsby DN31 1UZ | +44 (0)1472 323345 | Hallgarth photograph collection. Pulfrey photograph collection. |
| Mr M Lennon | 61 Charlesworth Drive Waterlooville Hampshire PO7 6AS | Mainly modern soviet merchant ships and all nationality warships. |
| Hartlepool Arts and Museum Service | Sir William Gray House Clarence Road Hartlepool TS28 8BT | + 44 (0)1429 860077 | Photographic archive, including many ship photos. |
| FotoFlite | 10 Stafford Close Ashford TN23 4TT | +44 (0)1233 635556 | Will undertake commission to photograph ships in the English Channel, also large collection of modern ship pictures. |
| Chatham Dockyard Historical Society | Chatham Historic Dockyard Dock Road Chatham ME4 4TZ Kent | +44 (0) 1634 832028 | Photographs of naval vessels and relating to the history of Chatham Dockyard. |
| Deal Maritime and Local History Museum | 22 St. George’s Road Deal Kent CT14 6BA | +44 (0)1304 372098 | Artefacts and archives on the history and development of Deal, Walmer, Kingsdown and the outlying districts. |
| Beken of Cowes Ltd. | 16 Birmingham Road Cowes Isle of Wight PO31 7BH | +44 (0)1983 297311 | Maritime photographs, all types of sailing and powered craft, dating back to 1888. |
| Merseyside Maritime Museum | Albert Dock Liverpool L3 4AQ | +44 (0)151 478 4499 | A good collection of photographs and glass negatives dating from the development of photography. Also collections of photographs and plans of ships owned by Liverpool shipowners. |
| The National Maritime Museum | Park Row Greenwich London SE10 9NF | +44 (0)20 8858 4422 | Excellent collection of prints and photographs, copies of which can be purchased. Catalogues may also be purchased. |
| Science Museum | Exhibition Road London SW7 2DD | +44 (0)20 7942 4400 |
| Royal Naval Museum | HM Naval Base (PP66) Portsmouth PO1 3NH | +44 (0)23 9272 7562 | Wright & Logan Photographic Collection. |
| The Ballast Trust | Monarch Works 18-20 Walkinshaw Street Johnstone Renfrewshire PA5 8AB | +44 (0)1505 328488 | Dan MacDonald Collection of photographic negatives of ships |
| Blake Museum | 5 Blake Street Bridgwater Somerset TA6 3NB | +44 01278 456127 | Photographs associated with local shipping. |
UK - Plan Collections
| The National Maritime Museum | Park Row Greenwich London SE10 9NF | +44 (0)20 8858 4422 | The National Maritime Museum holds original ship plans dating from the early 18th century onwards. |
| Brass Foundry | Historic Photographs & Ship Plans Section National Maritime Museum Greenwich London SE10 9NF | +44(0)20 8312 8600
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| Lloyd’s Register Foundation | Heritage Centre 71 Fenchurch Street London EC3M 4BS | heritage.info@lrfoundation.org.uk | Plans of yachts classed by Lloyd’s Register circa 1880 to 1960. Ship plans and survey reports for Lloyd’s Register classed vessels dating c1834 to c1968. |
Overseas – Photographic Collections
| Schiffsfotos Jansen | Jevenstedter Strasse 86 D200 Hamburg 4 | Specialises in German ships 1925-39 and worldwide shipping post 1950. |
| Mr L Timm | St Pauli Landungsbrucken 3 2 Hamburg 4 | Large collection of past and present merchant ship photographs, many early 20th Century and some early 19th Century ships. |
| VH Young | 97a Ira Street Miramar Wellington 60003 | Specialises in post 1950 South East Africa, South Africa and Suez shipping, tugs, ORSVs, SD 14s and WWII standards. | |
| Alexander Turnbull Library | National Library of New Zealand PO Box 12349 Wellington 6140 | Specialises in post 1950 South East Africa, South Africa and Suez shipping, tugs, ORSVs, SD 14s and WWII standards. |
| The National Maritime Museum | 900 Beach Street San Francisco CA 94109 USA | Specialises in post 1950 South East Africa, South Africa and Suez shipping, tugs, ORSVs, SD 14s and WWII standards. |
Monthly magazines carrying regular advertisements for photographs, prints, pictures, etc., for sale
Sea Breezes - Units 28-30, Spring Valley Industrial Estate, Braddon, Isle of Man, IM2 2QS (Available from newsagents)
Shipping Today & Yesterday - (Available from newsagents)
Marine News - Journal of the World Ship Society, through whom all enquiries should be made: World Ship Society, 101 The Everglades, Dukes Meadow Drive, Hempstead, Gillingham, Kent ME7 3PZ.
Useful websites
www.findboatpics.com – encompasses about 700 sailing ships up to the year 1800 and some 500 steamers up to 1914 which brought passengers to Australia and New Zealand.
www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk - lists all of the world’s naval ships from the nineteenth century to the present day, with photos, histories and paintings on many of the ships.
Disclaimer
Researchers should check availability, accessibility and opening times with the repositories listed before making a personal visit.
Lloyd’s Register Foundation, its affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective officers, employees or agents are, individually and collectively, referred to in this clause as ‘Lloyd’s Register’. Lloyd’s Register assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable to any person for any loss, damage or expense caused by reliance on the information or advice in this document or howsoever provided, unless that person has signed a contract with the relevant Lloyd’s Register entity for the provision of this information or advice and in that case any responsibility or liability is exclusively on the terms and conditions set out in that contract.