History
The Society for Nautical Research was founded in 1910 to encourage research into matters relating to seafaring and shipbuilding in all ages all over the world, into the language and customs of the sea, and into other subjects of nautical interest. Since then the Society has flourished and plays an important role in both the curating of objects of historical interest and the study of nautical matters.
Highlights
1910 - The Society was founded, following an announcement in the Times on Friday 25th March 1910. The announcement recognised that at the time the "student, whether his motive be historical, artistic or purely antiquarian, must needs rely on his own unaided research". Communication, it was agreed, was the key aim and the establishment of a periodical was essential. The acting secretary was Mr LG Laughton and the subscription was set at one guinea.
1921 - The Society, which then had just 400 members, undertook to save HMS Victory for the nation. The ship was moved into a dry dock by the Admiralty and the Society led the fundraising and had the task of supervising her restoration. Sir James Caird gave £50,000 and his partnership with Sir Geoffrey Callender, Hon Secretary and Treasurer of the SNR, was a fruitful one.
1927 - The Society proposed plans for a Maritime Museum. The following year, Sir James Caird bought the MacPherson Collection of naval and maritime prints for the Museum. In 1934 all twelve of the trustees for the new National Maritime Museum were members of the SNR and the first Director was Sir Geoffrey Callender.
1937 - The National Maritime Museum at Greenwich was officially opened by King George VI.
 |
| L to R - Chairman of Trustees Earl Stanhope, King George VI, President of SNR Sir George Hope, Princess Elizabeth, Queen Mary, Sir James Caird, Queen Elizabeth, Sir Geoffrey Callender |
1938 - The Society was involved in the establishment of the Victory Museum at Portsmouth, which developed into the Royal Naval Museum.
1985 - On its 75th anniversary, under the chairmanship of Helen Wallis, the Society reflected on the wide geographical and many-disciplined background of its members. "Be they non-academics or professors, doctors or lawyers, naval officers or merchant seamen, yachtsmen or landsmen, young or retired, they are all united by an active interest in that great international heritage of the sea."
2005 - On 11th March our Patron opened an exhibition displaying the conservation of the Trafalgar fore-topsail. In the same year, HMS Victory was presented in Trafalgar condition, as part of the bicentenary celebrations of the battle of Trafalgar.
