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Latest Posts

  • Naval Figureheads: Restoration and Installation Part Four

    Thursday, 23 September 2021 - 12:46pm

    Restoration and Installation

    With the figureheads safely transported to their temporary homes for conservation the hard work was about to begin.

    From the surface alone it was clear that many of the figureheads would need extensive work before being fit for display.

    Orbis Conservation

    Experts at Orbis Conservation decided to trial the use of sonic tomography, a method normally applied for measuring decay cavities within living trees. Using King William and Topaze, they concluded suitable accuracy from their results.

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  • Naval Figureheads: Removing Devonport's Figureheads Part Three

    Wednesday, 8 September 2021 - 3:09pm

    Removing Devonport’s Figureheads

    For years, Devonport’s figureheads had stood proudly in the old dockyard fire station at Devonport Naval Heritage Centre.

    A main attraction, visitors would be led into the building where they would walk between the figureheads, gazing up at them in their magnitude as sailors would have once done as they walked along the quayside, some 200 years ago.

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  • Naval Figureheads: Devonport Part Two

    Tuesday, 7 September 2021 - 5:11pm

    Devonport Figureheads: stories and decline from the bow

    As wooden vessels were broken up and figureheads removed from the bow of the ship, many were absorbed into the Royal Navy collection. In Plymouth, several were housed at Devonport Naval Heritage Centre on public display.

    But while protected from the coastal elements inside the old Fire Station, the building was not fit for purpose. Gradually the figureheads began to degrade amid growing concern that they and their stories, some of which feature below, would be lost to the collection forever.

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  • The Tragedy of Jun’yō Maru

    Tuesday, 7 September 2021 - 4:39pm

    The Tragedy of Jun’yō Maru

    On 12 and 18 September 1944, Allied forces sank three Japanese cargo ships. The outcome was an unforeseen tragedy that became one of the deadliest maritime disasters of the Second World War.

    Japan entered the war in a bid to advance their position. Adolf Hitler had been building strong ties with China but turned his attention to Japan as the Nazi Party grew, considering them a more strategic partner in Asia.

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  • Discover Record Breaking Aircraft at the Fleet Air Arm Museum

    Friday, 3 September 2021 - 12:46pm

    From record breaking to pioneering aircraft, the Royal Navy has always been at the forefront of aviation technology and development.

    The Fleet Air Arm Museum celebrates and commemorates the navy’s aviation history and in this post we take a look at the history of the museum and the record breaking aircraft on display.

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  • Naval Figureheads: A Brief History Part One

    Thursday, 2 September 2021 - 5:01pm

    Naval Figureheads: A Brief History Part One

    From the sixteenth to the early twentieth century, figureheads adorned the bows of British naval ships. Often related to the ship’s name, they were believed to embody the spirit of the vessel and were steeped in superstition, historical and religious significance. It is estimated that throughout this period some 5,000 figureheads were carved and installed. 

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