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We have all heard the saying ‘clothes maketh the man’. Perhaps it’s doubly true for women – especially those women who disguised themselves in order to run away to sea.

Across the museum’s collections can be found various objects and items related to the exploits of the renowned canoeist John MacGregor (1825-1892). However, our archives contain a small collection of manuscripts documenting his escape as a baby from a burning ship, the Kent.

In this blog we recall a Victorian explosion on London’s inland waterways which conferred an unusual nickname on the bridge which stood in the way of the blast. The Macclesfield Bridge disaster of 1874 resulted in death and destruction and the passing of an Act of Parliament.

Find out more about Sir James Caird, the National Maritime Museum's founding benefactor.

The Caird Library and Archive’s new display showcases some journals and diaries from our Archive collection.

When thinking of the role of the Royal Navy during the First World War we normally focus on the Grand Fleet, the Battles of the Falklands and Jutland or perhaps the Navy’s role in protecting merchant shipping from the threat of German U-Boats. But this only shows part of the First World War experience for Royal Naval personnel, some of which was not at sea at all.

The Caird Library and Archive at the National Maritime Museum has a rich variety of items which include manuscripts, charts and maps, journals and diaries, prints and drawings, rare books, pamphlets as well as business records, crew lists and masters' certificates. Also included are the modern book and periodical collections. This article gives a taster of the types of documents and rare items that are under the care of the library team.

This month we investigate a small notebook from the Journal and Diary collection (RMG reference: JOD/325), kept by Thomas Edward Chilvers from the time he was serving in the Merchant Navy onboard the ship Empire Baffin. The Journal and Diary collection offers a fascinating insight into life at sea in the Royal and Merchant Navy, the fields of exploration and leisure activities in the words of those who contributed to laying the foundations of Britain’s maritime heritage.

Last year has been a strange one for staff of the Caird Library as it has been for everyone. One of many things I have been missing from ‘normal’ life is the privilege of being able to travel and explore the world. Luckily for me, I can access the stories and images contained in our vast collection of travel journals to fill the void! I have chosen just one to share with you this month, written by a man who covered lots of ground…