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Papers of Dr Edward H Cree, including volumes one to twenty-one, 1937-1961, and comprises Cree's personal journals whilst serving at sea. The text is supplemented by circa seventeen hundred watercolours and sketches. The journals account details of his sea voyages, experience whilst in foreign lands, his impressions of people and places, his recollections amongst family and friends and writings concerning his life at home and with his wife. In addition to the illustrated journals are his 'rough journals' 1841, 1847, 1849, 1851-2 and 1854, his medical journal kept 1841-1847, journal notes (1837), sketchbook (1839), newspaper cuttings, service records and certificates and invitations. An index to the journals provides useful information on the vessels served on, the places visited and the illustrations within.

Papers of William Schaw Lindsay, including Section 1 - bundles of papers or volumes which cover the whole of Lindsay's concerns and cannot be given a particular category. Section 2, 3 and 4 cover his main areas of activity- writing, business and property matters.

Lindsay had many friends and contacts in business and politics and his correspondence included many of the foremost men of his time in the fields (LND/2,3,4,6). His interest in the maritime affairs of the USA, and the civil war of 1861-5, is reflected in the compilation of 1867 of his correspondence with leading participants in the war, particularly Confederate politicians. This together with Lindsay's notes was brought together in a single volume (LND/7).

Lindsay's writings on maritime matters are represented by a working manuscript of the 'History of Merchant Shipping' (LND/12), printed proofs of the first two parts of the work (LND/13) and various notes and correspondence relating to it and other works on the navigation laws (LND/8,9,10,11). Lindsay also turned his hand to poetry (LND/18), biography (LND/19) and autobiography (LND/16).

Activities on Lindsay's estates at Shepperton and elsewhere are also reflected in various papers LND/2 23-32).

Among the eight volumes in this class is printed copy of a poem of seventeen stanzas celebrating the victory of the Nile, 1798, by Ellis Cornelia Knight (1757-1837); this is bound with two letters from Lord Nelson, 1801 and 1805, to the Reverend John Holden (1762-1806) to whom Nelson presented the volume in 1800. Also included is 'The Reminiscences of a Retired Captain', 1847, by Captain George Clarke Hurdis (fl 1783-1849) who was a midshipman at the Glorious First of June, 1794, and a lieutenant at the attack on Santa Cruz, 1797; a volume of poems by George Hewens, a Greenwich Pensioner, written between 1855 and 1864, on various subjects, including many about inmates of the hospital and events taking place there. Examples of Twentieth-century verse can be found in 'Under the ''Red Duster''; The Merchant Navy in Peace and war', 1924 to 1959, compiled by Edward Carpenter. An example of prose writing is 'Short Yarns or Some Reminiscences of the old ''Wooden Walls'' ' by William Richards, a seaman in the Royal Navy and Coast Guard Service in the mid-nineteenth century.

Prose and Verse comprising single items include an autographed poem by Lieutenant (later Rear-Admiral) Bartholomew James (1752-1827), written on the VICTORY, 1796; and anonoymous poem entitled 'Britannia Tiumphant', in honour of England's naval victories, dated 1798; and 'The Seaman's Rest', a poem written on the occasion of Queen Victoria's visit to Greenwich Hospital, 1840. There are three drafts and a printed version of 'The Last Cruise of HMS TIGER', a poem written by Maurice Baring (1874-1945) in 1931; and also the text of a sermon delivered by the Reverend Richard Price on the VULTURE at Gibraltar in 1860.

Papers of the Thompson family, including papers of Edward Thompson, including a certificate appointing Edward Thompson a Brother of Trinity House; commissions for the RAVEN, HYENA and GRAMPUS, 1771-1783; notebook pertaining to his service on the west coast of Africa, 1784-1785; state of the prizes MAASTROOM and MARIA ELIZABETH taken by the HYENA, 1782 and a notebook containing poetry written by Thompson, 1777-1778. (1 box)

Papers of Thomas Boulden Thompson including commissions issued to Thompson, 1783-1821; a pocket book with details relating to the LEANDER's seamen who received wounds at the Battle of the Nile; papers relating to the BELLONA and the loss of Thompson's leg at Copenhagen, 1801; freedoms of the cities of Gloucester and Rochester; extensive personal papers on the estate of Hartsbourne and family papers including legal documents. There is also a small notebook containing details of boys recommended by Thompson for admittance to Greenwich Hospital. (6 boxes).

Papers of Thomas Raikes Trigge Thompson, comprising official letters mainly dealing with Capt TRT Thompson's encounter at Tahiti involving Queen Pomare and the French, 1843-1845 and his time on the coast of Central America, 1846; personal papers; papers relating to TRT Thompson's time on board HMS CADMUS; letterbooks and service papers.