Tag Archives: shipping

Forgotten engineers

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Gary

Today I researched two engineers who appear to have been all but forgotten. And yet, they invented major devices to make ships go faster and the other was also a pretty smart businessman. I feel it my duty to rectify … Continue reading →

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Charles John Mare

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Gary

Charles John Mare was a marine engineer. Apparently he was very good at what he did. He was also quite successful. He built up his own business (Mare & Co) building ships for the navy. This was not his first … Continue reading →

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Ships in the city

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Gary

“…they discovered a steady two-way stream of traffic, with cars jammed nose to tail. There were little vehicles squeezed between big ones, and motorbikes tagging along behind little cars, the whole like a flock of ostrich chicks being taken for … Continue reading →

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The mystery of John Shewan

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Gary

Last week’s foray into the world of miniature figurines created a new subset of records for me to research this week. A number of the models that Barbara Campbell made little people for, had makers with very little information connected … Continue reading →

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Visiting Britain

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Gary

Back at work today. Fighting the half-term horrors was bad enough but negotiating the new system for collecting a cryptag was a right pain. It used to be that I would enter via the school’s entrance, catch the lift to … Continue reading →

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Containing my excitement

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Gary

The Science Museum has a model of a dockside container crane. It even works – moving back and forth, up and down. It’s fantastically detailed. I had to research it today and it’s a wonderful story. The crane is a … Continue reading →

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Steering a course

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Gary

Henry Lumley was quite an amazing man. And to think I knew nothing about him before today. Among his many achievements, he invented a type of rudder that increased a ships speed by 50% and gave it a turning circle … Continue reading →

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Steamboats at dawn

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Gary

Today I learned a rather sad story about a Frenchman. He invented the first successful steamboat but, because the French patent system deemed it so, was not recognized for it in his lifetime. His name was, the hardly memorable, Claude-François-Dorothée, … Continue reading →

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Population explosion

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Gary

The kids were all off school this week in yet another half term break. Is there no end to them? It seems to me that they have more breaks than school. Maybe they should make school days the breaks since … Continue reading →

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Active service

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Gary

Today was my first day back at the Science Museum after a month. And quite a few things have changed. Actually, if I was to avoid any exaggeration, two things have changed. Firstly Exhibition Road. The pedestrianization has progressed to … Continue reading →

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