This page is approximately a 2 minute read

Emily Ball: Shipwright extraordinaire

Assistant Boat Keeper
Location: Portsmouth Historic Quarter

Equity & Transparency

Carly Fields, Journalist

Carly Fields is an award-winning specialist maritime journalist and editor. For over 20 years, she has been reporting on wide issues in the shipping industry, from the risks of isolation among seafarers and piracy off Somalia to the sector’s route to decarbonisation and future shipping tech.

Introduction

This online exhibition recounts the career of Emily Ball, as part of the wider SHE_SEES component of the Rewriting Women into Maritime History exhibition. SHE SEES celebrates women’s contributions to the maritime industry through capturing the stories of contemporary female professionals in the UK. Through captivating interviews and stunning photographs, we delve into their stories, bridging the maritime past, present, and the future.

A piece of history

Emily Ball wasn't looking for a desk job. At a career fair, amidst the rows of recruiters offering administrative roles, a single empty desk stood out. With a touch of initiative, Emily walked over. That chance encounter two and a half years ago led her to a fulfilling and dynamic career at Portsmouth Historic Quarter.

Here, monotony is a foreign concept. One day she's meticulously restoring wooden planks in the workshop, the next she's on deck of a historic vessel, the salty spray a constant companion. This variety fuels her passion for the maritime world.