News: Bartlett Blog

In 1799 Bernardo Riquelme, a young man in his early twenties, born in Chile and educated in England since 1794, was in Falmouth awaiting a voyage to Lisbon. The voyage to Lisbon was the first step in his ultimate return to Chile but with little money and uncertainty what became of him?

This month sees the opening of the Coastguard 200 exhibition at National Maritime Museum Cornwall and this blog is dedicated to the rescue work of HM Coastguard on their 200th anniversary

The Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck was the forerunner of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and William Broad of Falmouth was one of the earliest recipients of the Institution’s Gold Medal for a rescue at sea. This month’s Bartlett Blog explores the background to the heroic rescue, the rescuer, and the award from the Royal National Institution.

The Stribley Collection of photographs is the result of Roy Stribley’s lifelong passion with keeping a photographic record of shipping in the River Fal. It consists of 32 albums of images of shipping in the River. Now in the care of the Museum, work began in October 2015 to digitize the Collection.

Over 20 years ago there was considerable excitement when the Museum received six Packet Ship portraits by the noted pierhead painter Nicholas Cammillieri (1773? – 1860). Since then we’ve undertaken considerable research into the paintings and the artist. In this latest blog from the Bartlett Library we unearth some of the findings.

Sixty-five years ago this strange craft, L’Egaré II, arrived in Falmouth on 21 August 1956, having crossed the Atlantic from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Falmouth, Cornwall in 88 days, carrying three men and two kittens, who became the first men in history to achieve this feat of endurance.

Over 80 years ago Operation Aerial, co-ordinated by the Royal Navy,  evacuated allied troops and civilians by sea from the ports of western France. Here we take a look at Falmouth’s important role.

Inspired by the photos from NMMC’s archives we delved into the history of Waterwitch – a vessel once well-known in Falmouth’s waters.

In February 1916 Falmouth was host to 450 New Zealand tunnellers. Whilst here they undertook military training before leaving for France the following month.