Dr Nina Baker Collection
This collection encompasses a wide range of materials related to Dr Nina Baker’s career in maritime studies and navigation. It includes her personal journals, detailed training manuals, course materials, and a British Seaman Discharge Book, offering a comprehensive look at her professional journey and academic pursuits. The collection spans several decades, reflecting Dr Baker’s early educational experiences, including school trips and correspondence courses, through to her advanced studies in radar technology, navigation, and marine communications.
The items document her dedication to mastering complex maritime systems and her contributions to the field. The collection also includes ephemera such as exam papers, handwritten notes, and official documentation, providing insight into both her professional development and personal experiences within the maritime industry.
Related materials:
Oral history recording with Nina Baker (2020) Ref: OHY/2/12/2, and see Ref: ALB1781 Album of photographs of Nina Baker on BF tankers British Willow and British Aviator (held offsite at the Brass Foundry).
Administrative / biographical background
Dr Nina Crampton Baker grew up on a barge on the River Thames, which provided her with a unique and intimate connection to the water from an early age. This early exposure to the Thames sparked a deep interest in maritime culture and history, which would go on to shape her future career. As a schoolgirl, Dr Baker attended numerous educational trips aboard training vessels, which further fuelled her fascination with the maritime world. These trips were pivotal in developing her understanding of navigation, engineering, and the essential role that the river played in shaping London’s history and its connection to the wider world. These formative experiences instilled in her a strong sense of adventure and a passion for exploring the intersections between history, technology, and the environment. After finishing school, Dr Nina Baker embarked on her professional maritime journey with BP Tanker Ltd. She made history as the first female Navigation Officer in the British Merchant Navy, an industry that was predominantly male at the time. Her groundbreaking achievement was an important step in breaking the gender barriers that had long defined the maritime profession. During her tenure at BP Tanker Ltd, Dr Baker navigated some of the most challenging shipping routes around the world, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in global maritime navigation, and becoming highly regarded for her technical expertise, leadership, and dedication. After several years of sailing with BP Tanker Ltd and gaining extensive experience at sea, Dr Baker transitioned to academia, where she sought to combine her practical expertise with her growing interest in maritime history and sustainability. She earned a degree in Maritime History and Engineering, and later completed a PhD focused on the evolution of waterborne transport, with particular emphasis on navigation systems and their environmental impact.
The items document her dedication to mastering complex maritime systems and her contributions to the field. The collection also includes ephemera such as exam papers, handwritten notes, and official documentation, providing insight into both her professional development and personal experiences within the maritime industry.
Related materials:
Oral history recording with Nina Baker (2020) Ref: OHY/2/12/2, and see Ref: ALB1781 Album of photographs of Nina Baker on BF tankers British Willow and British Aviator (held offsite at the Brass Foundry).
Administrative / biographical background
Dr Nina Crampton Baker grew up on a barge on the River Thames, which provided her with a unique and intimate connection to the water from an early age. This early exposure to the Thames sparked a deep interest in maritime culture and history, which would go on to shape her future career. As a schoolgirl, Dr Baker attended numerous educational trips aboard training vessels, which further fuelled her fascination with the maritime world. These trips were pivotal in developing her understanding of navigation, engineering, and the essential role that the river played in shaping London’s history and its connection to the wider world. These formative experiences instilled in her a strong sense of adventure and a passion for exploring the intersections between history, technology, and the environment. After finishing school, Dr Nina Baker embarked on her professional maritime journey with BP Tanker Ltd. She made history as the first female Navigation Officer in the British Merchant Navy, an industry that was predominantly male at the time. Her groundbreaking achievement was an important step in breaking the gender barriers that had long defined the maritime profession. During her tenure at BP Tanker Ltd, Dr Baker navigated some of the most challenging shipping routes around the world, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in global maritime navigation, and becoming highly regarded for her technical expertise, leadership, and dedication. After several years of sailing with BP Tanker Ltd and gaining extensive experience at sea, Dr Baker transitioned to academia, where she sought to combine her practical expertise with her growing interest in maritime history and sustainability. She earned a degree in Maritime History and Engineering, and later completed a PhD focused on the evolution of waterborne transport, with particular emphasis on navigation systems and their environmental impact.
Record Details
| Item reference: | BAKR |
|---|---|
| Catalogue Section: | Personal collections |
| Level: | COLLECTION |
| Date made: | 1964-1972 |
| Creator: | Nina Crampton Baker |
| Credit: | National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London |