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The explosion shook Empire Dryden violently. Water flooded into the ship as she began to sink rapidly. “Instinct said grab a lifejacket and get to the boat deck” David remembers in his written memoirs and he headed to the boat deck where the two main lifeboats were located. David’s role in lifeboat launching meant he […] The post From Sunderland to Bermuda: Captain Powley and “Empire Dryden” (PART…
This two‑part guest blog by Nick Simpson, Researcher and Archivist at Sunderland Maritime Heritage, shares new research into the life and loss of Captain Robert Powley, master of the Sunderland‑built merchant ship S.S. Empire Dryden, lost on her maiden voyage in 1942. A strategic wartime hub, Bermuda became a place of refuge for torpedoed sailors […] The post From Sunderland to Bermuda: Captain…
This February, the National Museum of Bermuda (NMB) threw open its doors again to all Bermuda residents, inviting everyone to enjoy the annual “Free for February” initiative. Thanks to generous sponsorship from RenaissanceRe and Butterfield, thousands of guests discovered the museum’s captivating exhibits and Bermuda’s cultural heritage and history, making this event a true celebration […] The…
As I spend my days walking up and down the hill of the National Museum of Bermuda, I find myself marvelling at the chisel marks on the limestone cliffs and walls. The entire Bermuda Royal Naval Dockyard was initially quarried out by the hands of enslaved and freed black Bermudian men and later by British […] The post Limestone: The Building Blocks of Bermuda appeared first on National Museum of…
The National Museum of Bermuda (NMB) hosted a celebratory book launch aboard the historic HMS Wellington, moored on the River Thames in London. The event marked the official release of Bermuda Sentinel: The Royal Naval Base 1795–1950 by longtime UK Friends NMB Trustee and acclaimed architectural historian Jonathan Coad. The book offers the first comprehensive […] The post The National Museum of…
One of the first things that struck me when I started working in the textile storage room at the National Museum of Bermuda was just how many uniforms were tucked away, far more than I ever expected, and in such a variety of styles, ranks, and time periods. I hadn’t realised the Museum held such […] The post A Stitch in Time Saves Nine, but Good Storage Saves the Whole Collection appeared first on…
Sheets of rain scour the quays of Toulon as lines of shackled convicts haul a storm-battered man-of-war toward the dry dock in Les Misérables’ opening scene—rope-scarred hands, crashing surf, and the unforgiving drill of empire. Victor Hugo laboured on the novel for nearly seventeen years before its 1862 release, and a fresh look at Bermuda’s […] The post “Look down, look down!” appeared first on…
Though known for its pink-sand beaches and warm hospitality, Bermuda also has a surprising place in the early history of beekeeping, dating back to 1616. That year, the first recorded beehive arrived in Bermuda when a Mr. Robert Rich received bees sent from England by his brother, Sir Nathaniel Rich. These bees were kept in […] The post Beekeeping in Bermuda appeared first on National Museum of…
The National Museum of Bermuda (NMB) marked a significant milestone on Thursday, April 24, with the roof wetting ceremony of the Casemates Barracks. The event, attended by distinguished guests including His Excellency, Deputy Premier De Silva, Minister Tyrell MP, and former Deputy Premier Roban, celebrated the completion of the essential restoration work on the historic […] The post National…
The National Museum of Bermuda (NMB) is continuing its free Bermuda and the Atlantic World lecture series with a virtual lecture on Thursday, March 27 at 5:30 PM AT via Zoom. Early Bermuda Indigo Resist Textiles: Unraveling Bermuda’s 17th-Century Textile Legacy will be presented by Lori Lee Triplett, a textile historian and researcher. Her research […] The post Unraveling Bermuda’s 17th-Century…