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This class contains thirty-two volumes relating to the theory of navigation, mathematics and astronomy, fifteenth to nineteenth centuries. The earliest is Italian, written between 1470 and 1529, entitled 'Ragioni Antique Spettanti all Arte del Mare et Fabriche de Vaselli', which includes entries in many hands on navigational calculations, astronomy, astrology, sailing directions for the Mediterranean and the building and fitting of galleys. Chronologically, the next volume is the 'Regimento de la Declinacion del Sol', a Spanish navigator's manual, c 1500; the next is English, containing mathematical rules for measuring height and length, 1557; then follows 'L'Arte della Navigatione', Italian, with tables and moveable dials, 1567; and the last of the sixteenth century is by a Jesuit, Francisco da Costa (1567-1604). 'Arte de Navegar', written between 1596 and 1598 and illustrated with sketches of the astrolabe and compass. There are three seventeenth-century volumes; a treatise on astronomy by Thomas Willford entitled 'A genuine description and use of the perpetual calendar', 1654, which also contains a description of measures and of 'moveable fairs' around the country; a volume containing navigational exercises, often illustrated, by William Downman, written between 1685 and 1686, with a large amount of other information, including lists of ships, drawings of flags. poems, victualling and measures; and a workbook by Edward Ward, 1698, containing execises in navigation, astronomy and mathematics. The eleven eighteenth-century volumes include a copy of Robert Wright's 'Treatise on finding longitude at sea', 1726; a volume of lecture notes on navigation and astronomy given in Naples, 1755; and a volume in Turkish by Ibrahim Haggi, ca.1800, entitled 'Marifet Nameh' ('Encyclopedia of Knowledge'), on astronomy, architecture and geography. There are twelve nineteenth-century volumes dating between 1804 and 1883, all of which contain navigational and astonomical exercises transcribed by British seamen.

This class consists of eighteen volumes of sailing directions, navigational notes and coastline sketches, seventeenth to twentieth centuries. The earliest volume is French, 'Journal en forme de Borthlan de la campagne des galeres au voyage d'Alger', 1682, but the majority of the items date from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. They include a description of Hadley's quadrant, c 1770; sailing directions for the Mediterranean, 1798, 1830; a nautical description of the south coast of England, 1805 to 1808, compiled by Graeme Spence (1758-1812) from Murdoch Mackenzie's surveys; and a sketchbook of Nelson's anchorages in the Mediterranean, 1804. There are also two twentieth-century volumes, one of which is the current angle and distance tables, 1911.

This class is made up of contemporary first-hand narrative accounts, contained in sixteen volumes. Narratives of naval actions include a volume of accounts of the Battle of Beachy Head, 1690, for presentation to the King; and an illustrated pocket-book of Lieutenant Lewis Stephen Davis (fl 1777-1799) containing accounts of various actions including the First of June, 1794, Cape St Vincent, 1797, and the Nile, 1798. There are five volumes relating to wrecks and salvage including an account of the loss of the merchant ship LUXEMBURGH , 1727; of the CENTAUR, 1782, by Captain John Nicholson Inglefield (1748-1828) with the verdict of the court martial, 1783. (A version of this was first published in 1782 in London as Captain Inglefield's narrative concerning the loss of His Majesty's ship the Centaur of seventy-four guns.) There is an account of wrecks and disasters on the north Norfolk Coast, 1880 to 1939, by William John Harman (1854-1944), a local fisherman; and also an account of the wreck of and salvage work carried out on the LUTINE which was sunk in 1799, written in 1898 by the salvage engineer Johan J Fletcher (fl.1893-1900). There are two foreign narratives in this section; one, a French manuscript, is 'Campagne Navale de M de Tourville' (1642-1701), which is an account of the movements of the French fleet in the Mediterranean in 1693, with pen and ink drawings and coloured illustrations of flags, probably written by Captain Longeron of the L'ORGUEILLEUX. There are also four annotated printed works, including the author's copy of the 1790 edition of A History of the late siege of Gibraltar, 1779-1783 by Colonel John Drinkwater (later Bethune, 1762-1844) with annotations and additional illustrations, and the galley sheets of The Submarine Peril, published in 1934 by Earl Jellicoe (1859-1935), with manuscript corrections and additions.

Papers of the Nares family including papers of Lt George Nares, consisting of a log, 1892 to 1893; papers of John Dodd Nares, consisting of two logs, 1894 to 1897, and one work book, 1928 to 1932, and papers of Sir George Strong Nares, consisting of a log, 1848 to 1851.

Papers of Sir Charles Napier. They consist of private letters received by Napier. 1813 and 1860, and a few written and received by Napier's daughter, Mrs Fanny Jodrell, 1847 to 1862.

Papers of George Prideaux Brabant Naish. Included are personal and research papers of the Reverend Francis Naish, some relating to his identification of the Burlesdon wreck as the GRACE DIEU. There are also papers which relate to George Naish's command of the Anti-Submarine Fixed Defence Station, Fort Agami, Alexandria, 1945-6. Papers relating to his role as Secretary to the Society for Nautical Research between 1947 and 1977 may be found in the archive of the Society at this Museum.

This class contains a volume of seventy-three printed songs maninly by Charles Dibdin (1745-1814) and autographed or initialled by him, but also including works by Charles Dibdin the Younger (1768-1833) and Thomas Dibdin (1771-1841); many of these songs have naval subjects such as 'Jervis for Ever', 'The Death of Nelson' and the 'Blind Sailor'. The volume was probably compiled by Thomas Legard whose name it bears with the date 1806. There is also a full score, in manuscripts, of a cantata entitled 'The Sea Engagement' celebrating the Battle of the Nile, August 1798, and composed shortly afterwards. The work, both words and music, is by Adam Kroll. who describes himself as an 'amateur', and is dedicated to Nelson. Arranged for an orchestra of forty-three performers, it consists of an overture, a descriptive instrumental piece, two airs and a duet.

The earliest document in this class is a contemporary copy of a song composed by Elizabeth I to celebrate the defeat of the Spanish Armada, 1588; also there are drafts by Charles Dibdin of the words of three of his songs, 'Every Man His Own Pilot' (1801), 'The Standing Toast' (1811), which vary slightly from the versions published in George Hogarth's The Songs of Charles Dibdin (1842 and 1848), and 'The Danes' (1807), which is not included in Hogarth's work. There is also a manuscript copy by Dibdin of the words (first verse only) and music of 'Poor Jack' (1788) and an anecdote in his hand regarding the words of 'Jack and the Windlass' (1791). Among the fourteen printed songs, the majority of which are autographed, are 'The Sailor's Return' (1791), 'Tack and Half Tack' (1795) and 'The Watery Grave' (1790) by Charles Dibdin; and 'The Heart of a Sailor' (1802), 'Love and Glory', and 'All's Well' (1805) by John Braham ([1774]-1856) with words by Thomas Dibdin. Finally there is a programme of a musical performance in commemoration of Charles Dibdin at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, in 1829.

Papers of Granville Murray-Browne, consisting of intelligence reports, W/T messages and Reuters messages collected by Lt-Cdr Murray-Browne while serving in the INDEFATIGABLE, 1914 to 1915. They are chiefly of interest as an example of the standard of information about current affairs available at the beginning of the First World War.

Papers of Charles Wadsworth Murray, including notebooks dealing with his time at Stornoway and contain information about German submarine warfare. There are lists of ships lost and of those that engaged enemy submarines and accounts of the loss or surrender of submarines. There are also three manuscripts unrelated to the main collection, consisting of an order book of Captain Richard Grindall, 1801 to 1805; a Navy Prize Office register, 1803 to 1820, and a log of the REVENGE, Captain Sir John Gore, Mediterranean, 1812 to 1813.

The papers of Edward Montagu, the first Earl, consist of five volumes containing papers relating to his political career 1656-1669. The papers of John Montagu, fourth Earl of Sandwich, consist of five volumes of appointment books, 1771 to 1782, purchased from the Montagu family in 1957 and transcripts. In 1956 and 1960 the Secretary of the Navy Records Society deposited on loan transcripts of Sandwich's papers, 1771 to 1782, not included in the Society's publication. The Heritage Lottery Fund has supported the purchase of additions to this collection.

Papers of Sir David Milne. They consist of logs, 1779 to 1780, 1788 to 1790, 1793 to 1796, 1799 to 1802 and 1814. There is a collection of ship's books for La Seine, which includes a surgeon's journal kept by John Martin, 1799 to 1800. There are also letterbooks, 1804 to 1807 and 1808 to 1815. For the period of the North American command there is an out letterbook and order book, 1816 to 1819, and as Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, a standing order book, 1842 to 1843. In addition, there are a large number of letters concerning prizes, 1799, letters received, 1819 to 1842, and drafts of letters to Lord Melville, 1819, and Lord Dalhousie (1770-1838), 1818 to 1819. A number of documents with no immediate connection with Milne are also in the collection. They include the log of the PRINCE GEORGE, Captain Nathaniel Portlock, 1785 to 1787, on a voyage to the North Pacific; the log of the AFRICA, Alexander Purvis, 1793 to 1796, and the log of the United States privateer, HARLEQUIN, 1814.

Papers of Sir Alexander Milne, consisting of logs, 1817 to 1827 and 1837 to 1839, letterbooks, 1827 to 1839, and letters and papers, 1838 to 1847. There are also a number of ship's books relating to the SNAKE and the CROCODILE. For the North American command there are official out-letterbooks, letters received and memoranda to squadrons, 1860 to 1864, as well as private letters from the Duke of Somerset (1804-1885), First Lord of the Admiralty, and to and from Sir Frederick Grey (1805-1878), First Naval Lord, between 1861 and 1862. There are also notebooks and sailing orders for this period. For the Mediterranean Command there are letterbooks, general and squadron memoranda and sailing orders, 1869 to 1870. For his period at the Admiralty there are copies of private and semi-official letters, 1854 to 1855, 1869 and 1873 to 1876, and letters to his brother, David Milne Home, 1820 to 1847. There are a considerable number of official papers relating to the loss of the Megaera and the Captain and the first, second and third Reports of the Royal Commissioners appointed to enquire into the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, 1882. Finally there are diaries for 1825, 1833 to 1835, 1837, 1840 to 1841, 1843 to 1845, 1849 and 1870.

Papers of Sir Archibald Berkeley Milne. They consist of logs, 1870 to 1875, 1879 to 1881 and 1889 to 1893, and a notebook of events in Egypt in 1882. A section of papers is devoted to the Zulu War. For Milne's later career there are copies of correspondence with Lord Charles Beresford, 1910, and letters and papers relating to the Mediterranean command, 1913 to 1914. There is a detailed section on the escape of the Goeben and the Breslau, including signal logs, telegrams received from the Admiralty, diaries, official correspondence and press cuttings. There are also a number of uncompleted private diaries, 1870, 1879, 1886, 1913 to 1919, and personal letters, 1879 to 1936.

Papers of Charles Blois Miller, consisting of a continuous series of logs, 1882 and 1903, and a diary, 1887 to 1890.

Papers of Sir Geoffrey John Audley Miles. The papers chiefly cover the period of Miles' naval career, starting with his examination reports from the Naval College and ending with his time as Commander-in-Chief of the RIN. The papers include top secret correspondence, reports, directives, intelligence reports, photographs, newspaper cuttings, honours, certificates etc. The correspondence includes several letters from Lord Louis Mountbattern.

The collection consists of 55 letters from Susannah Maria Middleton, wife of Captain Robert Gambier Middleton, to her sister Miss Marion Leake, during her residence in Gibraltar from 1805-1808. The letters describe the every day life of Susannah as a young wife of a naval officer stationed away from home for the first time. They include descriptions of the voyage to and from Gibraltar, the running of her house and farmyard, difficulties in obtaining supplies and receiving packages from England, problems with servants, naval officers stationed in Gibraltar, social activities including balls and dinners, and numerous excursions to the Rock and into Spain. The collection also includes a short unpublished biography of the Middletons and further information about the letters by Michael Middleton entitled "Letters from the Rock, 1805-1808".

Papers of Charles Middleton. They consist of his private correspondence and his administrative papers. The latter cover the range of Admiralty and Navy Board subjects of business between 1778 and 1806. Originally Middleton arranged them all either by writer or alphabetically by subject; Sir John Knox Laughton may also have contributed to the arrangement. In so far as letters and administrative papers were largely separate, this arrangement has been retained, though extended and carried throughout the collection. Additional letters and papers, obviously added by John Deas Thompson, have been formed into a distinct section. A further group of papers were purchased from Lord Gainsborough via Christie's in 1994. Where possible these have been integrated into the existing catalogue sequence, from MID/1-MID/14. Further correspondence has been added in a new section, MID/15.

Papers of Sir Frederick Thomas Michell. They are a collection of commissions, appointments and letters which cover Michell's whole career, although the Crimean papers are the most numerous; these include landing orders, 1854, and orders for the bombardment of Sebastopol.

Michael Graham-Stewart Slavery Collection. The Collection explores aspects of the West African, Transatlantic and Indian Ocean slave trades from the mid eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries, and includes material relating to the abolition of slavery. The archive catalogued here incorporates manuscripts, printed books and pamphlets, maps and photographs. For prints and drawings and artefacts from the Graham-Stewart Collection, please contact the appropriate Museum departments.

Papers of Lt Francis Meynell. There is an illustrated log, 1853 to 1854, kept while Meynell was in the ROYAL GEORGE. His letters cover his whole career, 1833 to 1854, and have been organized by his mother, together with newspaper cuttings relating mainly to the China War. In addition, there is a sketch book which includes several ships' portraits and places Meynell visited, from China to the South Atlantic.

Papers of Lt Vernon Merry. They demonstrate the social life that Admiral Bruce Fraser had to lead and they shed light on Anglo-American relations in the Pacific during the formation of the British Pacific Fleet and during the early post-war period following the surrender of Japan.

Of the twelve volumes in this class, two relate to the society of East India Commanders; one, 1780 to 1833, records wagers between members and promises of gifts to the society upon such eventualities as marriage or leaving the service; the other is an account book, 1825 to 1879. The remaining eight volumes are 'Elements of Navigation' by pupils of Christ's Hospital Mathematical School; the earliest is dated 1723 and the latest is c 1845. All are very carefully executed and the subjects include arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, gunnery and navigation; the majority are illustrated with diagrams, maps, pen and ink sketches or watercolours.

Merchant Shipping: Signal Books and Signals including a Vane List c 1810 and a pendant board of the same date.

This catagory contains examples of various types of ships' papers and documents relating to the operation of merchant ships. There are examples of Charter Parties, including one of 1322 between Walter Giffard, master of the cog OUR LADY of Lyme and Sir Hugh de Berham for a freight of wine; the remainder are twentieth-century examples. The earliest example of a Bill of Lading is for the TRIPLE CROWN of Bristol, 1689; there are others from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Among the examples of Bills of Sale of ships and shares of ships is one for the Dutch East India Company ship DEHELDWOITEMADE, sold to James Mather, a London merchant, 1782; and also one for the SPECULATOR, a French prize, formerly LE CARME, sold in 1810. Examples of documents relating to insurance include a Statement of General Average for the POLLY AND EMILY made after she had been damaged in a gale in 1895. There are also Muster Rolls and Articles of Agreement of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (see also entry no.13); Bills of Health, nineteenth and twentieth centuries; Safe Conducts, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; and various nineteenth-century passenger documents and papers relating to wreck and salvage, including an order issued by Sir Cyril Wyche (1632-1707) and Sir Henry Capel (d 1696), Lord Justices of Ireland, for the arrest of the pilot of the wrecked TALBOT pink, 1695.

This class consists of thirty two volumes of accounts, disbursements and memoranda relating to shipping and trade, seventeenth to twentieth centiuries. There are two seventeenth-century volumes. The first is the account book of Thomas Pye, cloth merchant in the Levant trade, 1657 to 1661; the second is an abstract of the 'Inspector-General's accounts of import and export, 1697 to 1698'. Of the twelve eighteenth-century volumes, the earliest is a volume relating to the packet contract of Edward Dummer (d 1713), and the subsequent enquiry into it, 1702 to 1713. There is also a volume containing the names and salaries of the Commissioner and officers of the Customs, 1711; the day book of the CASTLE of Bristol, 1727 to 1728, in which accounts of the slaves purchased in kind were entered together with a list of the slaves who died, with the causes; an account book showing the profit and loss of the collier GEORGE, 1737; the account book of the whaler HENRIETTA of Whitby, 1777 to 1820, and that of the privateer GEORGE of Bristol, 1779 to 1782. There are sixteen nineteenth-century volumes. They include the freight book of three ships which plied between Liverpool and Londonderry; they were the ISABELLA NAPIER, 1835 to 1840, the ROBERT NAPIER, 1847 to 1848 and the MAIDEN CITY, 1847 to 1848. There are two account books of insurance underwriters, 1836 and 1884, Baltic and Mediterranean trades; the wages account book of the GRESHAM, 1865 to 1871, together with a collection of wages forms, and the COLDSTREAM, 1872 to 1874, in the Australian trade; voyage expenses of the RYDAL HALL, 1871 to 1875, and of the barque EARL GRANVILLE, 1895 to 1903.

Papers of Henry Dundas, consisting of miscellaneous letters and documents relating to Dundas's official career as a naval administrator, 1760 to 1811. A further section was purchased from Madame Elisabeth La Serre in 1976. It consists of letters received between 1794 and 1806, from, among others, Admirals Cornwallis, Duncan, Orde, Keith, and Hallowell, as well as a number of ship lists.

Papers of Robert Saunders Dundas, consisting of a small collection of letters for the period during which Dundas was First Lord. In addition, there are some papers concerning Lord Cochrane's secret plan of 1812. A further section consists of letters received, 1812 to 1830, from naval officers, including Admirals Sir Charles Rowley, Sir David Milne, Sir Graham Moore (1764-1843) and Captain Sir George Grey.

Papers of Arthur Mellersh, containing papers concerning the Chinese pirates, some from Chinese officials and letters and printed material relating to the dismissal of Rear-Admiral Sir Fleetwood Pellew (1789-1861) from the East Indies and China Station in 1853. There are also official service documents.

Papers of George Mckinley, comprising official papers for the Dutch expedition of 1799 and for the period of the Peninsular War; minutes and other documents relating to the Royal Naval Asylum, 1821 to 1830; a log of the GANGES, 1803; a draft account of the wreck of the LIVELY and many personal letters, 1789 to 1841.

Papers of Rhoderick Robert McGrigor, containing material relating to most aspects of Admiral McGrigor's naval career, often accompanied by several photographs. Present in the collection are orders, letters, newspaper cuttings, etc, relating to his early eduction at Osborne and Dartmouth naval colleges, his service during World War One, the non-intervention patrol during the Sapnish Civil War, his service in various theatres during World War Two, and his post-war service with the Admiralty.

Papers of John Harold McGivering, covering his career in the RNVR (later RNR) from his being accepted in the service, to his retirement and contains many orders, reports, official papers, photographs, letters etc, relating to his service years. Also present in the collection is similar material relating to his father, John McGivering, who was also in the RNVR, serving on motor launches during the First World War.

Papers of Sir Robert John Le Mesurier Mcclure, mostly commemorative of the voyage of the INVESTIGATOR, although there are a few papers relating to the Chinese War, two letters from the King of Siam and a record of service.

Papers of Sir Francis Leopold Mcclintock, covering most of his service career and in particular the Arctic voyages. There are official service documents; logs, 1831 to 1848, 1857 to 1859; diaries, 1848 to 1854, 1860 to 1862, 1879 to 1882, and a letterbook, 1865. The papers relating to the Franklin search expeditions include orders issued by Austin, 1850 to 1851; a letterbook of Kellett's, 1853; papers on the expedition led by Lieutenant F Schwatka, United States Army, 1878 to 1880, and several notebooks, including those kept during the courses McClintock took between 1841 and 1842. Finally there is private correspondence which includes letters from Lady Jane Franklin (1792-1875), from many other people involved in arctic and maritime exploration and from McClintock to members of his family.

Papers of Sir Frederick Maze, 1929-1943.

Papers of Commander W E May. The collection includes research notes articles and pamphlets on many subjects including compasses, navigation, uniform, naval brigades etc. Of interest are his service certificates and career record between 1912-1953, including his training at Dartmouth and Osborne colleges (MAA/77).

Papers of Sir William Henry May, comprising logs, 1864 to 1873 and, for the Nares Expedition, there is a detailed weather log, a personal journal, a sledging journal and some bills of plays performed in the ALERT during the Arctic winter. There are also reports on torpedoes, 1884; the international situation, 1908 to 1909 and 1914; naval manoeuvres, 1912 to 1913; the Dardanelles Commission, 1916 to 1917 and on Reconstruction and other post-war problems, 1919.

Papers of Adml William Henry Maxwell, Dec 1873 - Apr 1889, they begin with Maxwell's early childhood reminiscences and record his career in the Royal Navy. Significant events in Maxwell's naval service include: a visit to Pitcairn Island, where Maxwell encountered some of the BOUNTY mutineers' descendents; his involvement in the suppression of the slave trade; his extensive travels in Polynesia; and his role as Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria during the Jubilee celebrations in Hong Kong.

Papers of Adml Thomas Leeke Massie, including copies of his official letterbooks, 1842 to 1861, logs, 1831, 1833 to 1836 and 1850 to 1854, and diaries, 1847 to 1849 and 1862 to 1880. There are also official service documents and twenty-one letters written to his family, 1826 to 1828 and 1840 to 1841.

Papers of Henry Browne Mason, consisting of a typewritten transcript of Mason's autobiography from 1791 to 1831; four logs which he kept in the AMPHION between 1805 and 1808, a watch bill for the WARSPITE, undated; a signal book, undated, and copies of five letters written between 1805 and 1812 concerning Daniel Finch (1647-1730), second Earl of Nottingham and an ancestor of Mason's.

Papers of Henry John Martin, covering Martin's service career, 1854 to 1870, consisting of logs, 1854 to 1866, private letters to his family (which include references to the Crimean War), 1855 to 1861, and details of ship administration between 1860 and 1870. There are also papers relating to the appointments and promotions of Admiral Sir George Martin (1764-1827), Commander Martin's grandfather, between 1811 and 1848.

Papers of Robert Marsham-Townshend, comprising his notes and correspondence of research into the life of Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell. Also included are transcripts, original documents, pamphlets, articles and printed books relating to Shovell and his descendants. The purpose of all this was to be a biography on Shovell, which was never written. The substance of Marsham-Townsend's notes is embodied in his articles on the parentage and death of Sir Cloudesley Shovell. These have little bearing on his naval career. The original documents consist mainly of official orders issued from the Navy Office, a few personal documents bearing the signatures of both Shovell and his wife, indentures, deeds and a will.

Papers of Cpt Frederick Marryat. They consist of sketches, a diary, 1808 to 1821, his signal book and an album of official letters and press cuttings, 1808 to 1841. There is also his prayer book and other personal relics.

Papers of Sir Albert Hastings Markham, including a log, 1856 to 1874; a diary, 1875 to 1876, and an admiral's journal, 1892 to 1894. For the TRIUMPH, 1879 to 1882, there is a night order book, a captain's information book, a remark book and a letterbook. There is a night order book for the HECLA, 1879 to 1885, a remark book for the ACTIVE, Training Squadron, 1888, a telegram book and reports for the Mediterranean, 1892 to 1894, and press cuttings and photograph albums. The papers include correspondence on the voyage of the ROSARIO; official correspondence, 1886 to 1889, 1892 to 1893; papers relating to the collisions in which Markham was involved; letters and papers on Antarctic exploration and on Markham's literary work. Finally, there is Markham's semi-official and private correspondence throughout his career. This includes letters from his cousin Sir Clements Markham (1830-1916).

Papers of the Marine Society. They consist of: minutes, registers and accounts of the Marine Society, 1756 to 1978, and records of organizations absorbed by the Society, 1919 to 1977. The minutes include those of the General and Extraordinary Court of the Marine Society, 1777 to 1959, with indices 1777 to 1825; those of the Committee of Management, 1756 to 1975, with, from 1774 to 1949, an account of the Annual General Meeting; and indices, 1774 to 1907, 1933 to 1948; minutes of Sub-Committees, 1903 to 1961 and minutes of Routine Grants, 1955 to 1964. There are five related letterbooks, 1802 to 1892. The registers include: boys admitted, 1756 to 1763, 1889 to 1958; boys received and discharged from the Society's ship, 1786 to 1874; boys entered as servants in the King's ships, 1770 to 1873, with indices, 1770 to 1873; apprentices sent to merchant ships, 1772 to 1950, with indices, 1770 to 1838; landsmen volunteers, 1756 to 1814; girls apprenticed by the Marine Society, 1772 to 1957, and girls 'placed out' from the Hickes Fund, 1926 to 1978; awards of merit, 1898 to 1954; members of the Warspite Old Boys Association, 1917 to 1949. The accounts consist of: records of daily cash, 1772 to 1852; ledgers showing income and expenditure, 1756 to 1807, 1939 to 1962; cash accounts, balanced and signed by the Chairman, 1782 to 1785; an expenses book with quarterly abstracts of accounts, 1898 to 1903; six volumes of monthly cash accounts, 1801 to 1829; widow's pensions, Hawkins Trust, 1784 to 1849; annuities paid out for Admiral Duncan's victory, 1802 to 1877; one dividend ledger, 1903 to 1947; another containing accounts of Trusts, 1934 to 1964; cash paid, 1939 to 1970; another containing accounts of Trusts, 1934 to 1964; cash paid, 1939 to 1970; and cash received, 1949 to 1971. There are also seven volumes of subscription lists, 1769 to 1875, and two volumes recording donations and legacies, 1756 to 1880. Loose papers, letters and newspaper cuttings relating to the history of the Marine Society are contained in four volumes, 1756 to 1939. The records of organisations absorbed by the Marine Society include the records pf the Seafarers' Education Service. These consist of minutes of the management committee, 1919 to 1975; a register of members, 1947 to 1975; minutes of the Commission, 1946 to 1976. There are also minutes of the British Adoption Society, 1935 to 1975; minutes of the committee for the Sea War Library Service, 1940 to 1946; a volumes of minutes of the Trustees of the Merchant Navy Comforts Society, 1946 to 1977; and two volumes of this Society's Committee of Management, 1942 to 1950.

Records of the Marine Insurance Company. Although some records date from the 1930s, most relate primarily to the 1950s and 1960s. They include: Head Office Books, 1957 to 1968, containing registers of debits against policies, with some details of ships, cargoes and voyages; hull closings, 1957 to 1964; cargo closings, 1957 to 1964; building and port risks, 1937 to 1960; book and proof sheets, 1957 to 1968, summarizing business and premiums paid; declarations and certificates, 1957 to 1970, containing details of cargoes sent; premiums and policies, 1932 to 1970; treaties relating to reinsurance, 1957 to 1967; reinsurance agreements, 1950 to 1969; reinsurance closures and recoveries, 1958 to 1969; records of client companies, 1945 to 1966; claims records, 1933 to 1969; salvage records, 1952 to 1966. The company records include: correspondence, 1945 to 1966; ledgers and cash books, 1917 to 1969; investment records, 1911 to 1948; and results and accounts, 1923 to 1967.

Volumes of the wreck register, Marine Department of the Board of Trade, 1855 to 1898, giving the names and details of wrecks of British vessels reported to the Marine Department. The information includes the name of the vessel, its official number, port of registry, port number and year of registration, tonnage, name of managing owner, master, date and place of wreck, cause and the number of lives lost. Printed reports clipped from shipping newspapers, as well as manuscript reports from the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen are often included as well as references to Lloyd's List , Mitchell's Maritime Register and Board of Trade correspondence (see MT/9 at the Public Record Office).

Papers of the Manchester Ship Canal Co, comprising mainly of printed papers, some with marginalia, as in the report of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce on the 'excessive charges' of that port, 1879. Other material includes a detailed analysis of the cost of transit within the region, with a projected estimate of the gains a ship canal would bring, 1885; a copy of the initial bill to authorise the building of the canal, with promoters' case and petitions against, of the same date, as well as maps and plans of the line to be taken by the proposed cut. Copies of numerous bills presented before Parliament on behalf of the company, 1907 to 1956, some with petitions and evidence, are also to be found, together with a copy of the Act authorizing the Manchester City Corporation to lend the company money, 1891, and a report of the special committee appointed by the city to examine the affairs of the company, 1893. There are also some loose papers, including deeds of sale and conveyance, contracts, grants of easement; a register of mortgages, 1885; a shareholders' address book, 1915; a shareholders' prospectus, 1885; and arising out of litigation concerning the company, a number of reports of proceedings in the courts, 1891 to 1927. A collection of pamphlets, 1882, one or two items pertaining to the Bridgewater estates, a user's handbook of instructions, 1894, and a rule book, 1894, have also survived.

Papers of Charles Malcolm, consisting of nine volumes of official letterbooks, 1801 to 1838, most of which relate to Malcolm's years in the Indian Navy.

Papers of Sir Pulteney Malcolm, consisting of official letterbooks, 1804 to 1810 and 1812 to 1817; a log, 1810 to 1813, which contains entries for the DONEGAL, the ROYAL OAK and Malcolm's log as Captain of the Fleet; a book of memoranda relating to actions in America, 1806, 1814 to 1815; a 'journal of events', May 1814 to May 1815, and a signal book.

Papers of Admiral Sir Charles Madden, consisting of the War Diaries of Madden, August to December 1914, and his Grand Fleet Diaries, kept in his official roles, 1914 to 1918, and official service documents, 1877 to 1900.

Also service documents of Sir Charles Madden, 2nd Bt., 1924 to 1946.

Papers of Humphrey Page Madden, consisting of official service documents; logs, 1923 to 1925, and photograph albums, 1919 to 1923, 1925 to 1927, 1929, 1930 to 1932 and 1934 to 1941.

Papers of John Maclear, consisting of Maclear's journal of magnetic observations kept in the CHALLENGER, 1872 to 1876; two logs for the ALERT, 1879 to 1881, and one for the FLYING FISH, 1885 to 1887; captain's out-letterbooks from Maclear to the Hydrographer of the Navy, 1878 to 1882, 1884 to 1887; work books, 1879 to 1882, 1885 to 1886, and two remark books kept by Captain Alfred Carpenter of the MAGPIE 1881 to 1882, annotated by Maclear.

Papers of Doctor Andrew Mackay, consisting of letters received including several from Maskelyne, 1787 to 1805, and a series, written between 1794 and 1806, by Francis Maseres (1731-1824), the mathematician. In addition, there are several papers relating to his career, a manuscript copy of 'The theory and practice of finding the longitude' and several of his printed works.