A fantastic collection of old photographs.
This slim volume "The Royal Navy in Old Photographs" by Wilfred Pym Trotter, is a treasure trove of Victorian and Edwardian naval ships.
The 190 photos cover vessels from the 1850s to the outbreak of WWI. The photos are reproduced with care and each has a date, ship name and location when possible. The locations come from all across the vast Empire, from Esquimalt in British Columbia to Trincomalee in Sri Lanka, from South Africa to Scapa Flow.
There are also great pictures of the crews themselves. These are particularly fascinating because they chronicle the transition from the old Jack Tar to the professional Matelot. Their lives were hard, discipline was harsh, but as the century turned things rapidly improved.
Highly recommended, if you can find it anywhere.
Keep your sightglass full, your firebox trimmed and your water iced.
KJ
The Royal Navy in Old Photographs
Author
Wilfrid Pym Trotter
Publisher
J.M.Dent and Sons
London
Date
1975
ISBN
0-460-04132-0
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