20th April 2020
While the current Coronavirus pandemic has paused documentation work for the time being, good progress has been made. Since the start of 2020 more than 550 objects have been processed.
Each object has been cleaned if necessary, photographed, documented, and packed in preparation for moving to a new bespoke storage facility as part of the refurbishment of Hull Maritime Museum.
This work has included a wide range of fascinating objects, including two signs from the Marfleet Collection of Dockers’ tools and equipment. Collected by Walter Oglesby and originally displayed in his barbers shop near Alexandra Dock, the collection was later donated to Hull Maritime Museum.
Another highlight from past few months are these three seamen’s chests. Used to store seamen’s clothing and other personal possessions while on ships, the insides of lids reveal decorative painted panels.
Recent work has also included the documentation of number of half hull ship models. These models, sometimes mounted on backboards, were used by shipwrights as part of the process of designing ships. The models are a scale representation of the actual ship’s hull.
Documentation work will restart, in line with Government guidelines and when safe to do so. However, the work completed to date means that the objects processed so far are well documented and prepared and ready for the exciting next phase of the project.
