Illustrated Midshipman's log of HMS TYNE and SUPERB, kept by WO Boothby, 17 January 1881- 26 April 1883.

Illustrated Midshipman's log of HMS SUPERB, DUKE OF WELLINGTON, ORONTES and CLEOPATRE, kept by WO Boothby 27 April 1883- 16 January 1885. This item requires specialist conservation treatment and is currently unfit for production. Please contact staff for further information.

Illustrated Midshipman's log of HMS CLEOPATRE, kept by WO Boothby, 17 January - 14 September 1885.

Midshipman's Journal of HMS MARLBOROUGH, CORNWALL and SOMME kept by OS Boothby 15 January 1927 - 15 April 1929.

Midshipman's Journal of HMS SOMME, SEPOY, CORNWALL, kept by OS Boothby 16 April 1929- 14 September 1929.

Folder of correspondence of WO Boothby featuring 2 letters to his mother (1882 & 1900), a letter to his wife (1908) and Sub Lieutenant's (1887) and Lieutenant's (1887) commissions.

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Administrative / biographical background
William Osbert Boothby was born in January 1866 and joined the BRITANNIA in 1879 before joining the SUPERB as a midshipman in 1881. He was present at the bombardment of Alexandria in 1883, was decorated and passed his Lieutenant's examination in 1886, before being made Commander in 1899. During the China War of 1900 he was on the ENDYMION and was decorated for his part in the relief of Pekin(g), where he led a landing party. In 1903 he was promoted to captain, at the time the youngest captain in the Royal Navy. In 1906 he became flag captain of the ILLUSTRIOUS, flag ship of the Channel Fleet. The following year he was appointed to the MINOTAUR, a new armoured cruiser. During this command Boothby escorted the Royal Yacht, conveying Edward VII to meet the Tsar Nicholas II and shortly afterwards the King and Queen of Sweden across the Channel for their Royal visit of 1908. The following year he was made Naval Assistant to the Second Sea Lord and then Captain of the Fleet to the Commander in Chief of the Home Fleet. Receiving many further decorations, Boothby died prematurely in 1913 after complications following a hernia operation. Osbert Stephen Boothby was the son of William Osbert Boothby, born in 1909. Osbert entered the Navy as a cadet on HMS MARLBOROUGH in 1927, before joining the CORNWALL as a midshipman in January 1928. Two years later he became an Acting Sub Lieutenant.