Cornish Maritime Collection

Sir William Hillary, a retired soldier who lived on the Isle of Man, was the visionary behind the formation of the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck…

An ordinary bench? Ordinary seeming objects often have interesting stories behind their creation and use. This bench was used by Frank Tresidder of Penrose Sailmakers at Upton Slip in Falmouth.…

This is a mother’s letter to the Church requesting permission to petition the diocese for £60 needed to redeem her son whom had been captured at sea and enslaved in…

On display in our popular 2009 Titanic: Honour & Glory exhibition was a coat belonging to Violet Jessop. She was a first class ocean liner stewardess and nurse who became…

This paint splattered wooden box was an important part of any boat builder’s took kit. It was essential for the comfort and work of a boat builder. It has a…

For over 150 years the Post Office Packet Service based in Falmouth, carried the British foreign mails to all parts of the western world. In addition to the mail, diplomatic…

In 1689, Falmouth was chosen as the base for a scheduled Government mail route to Spain, and other routes soon followed. By the early 1800s, there were a fleet of…

This Royal Charter was granted on 5 October 1661, and marks the transition of the humble village of Smithick (or Smithwick) into the great town of Falmouth. Written in Latin…

As Falmouth celebrates the annual Falmouth Oyster festival, marking the beginning of the oyster harvesting season, it seems an appropriate time to consider what types of food were consumed on…