Sailors Collection

The Battle of Trafalgar, (oil on canvas)
824219 The Battle of Trafalgar, (oil on canvas) by English School, (19th century); 340.5x218.5 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The Battle of Trafalgar. English School, 19th Century)

Join the Royal Marines Poster
Join the Royal Marines recruitment poster for the navy

The Encampment of the English Forces near Portsmouth during the Battle of the Solent
BAL331681 The Encampment of the English Forces near Portsmouth during the Battle of the Solent, 1778 (engraving) (later colouration) by Basire

Captain James Cook taking possession of New South Wales in the name of the British Crown, 1770. James Cook (1728-1779), English explorer, navigator and hydrographer, made three voyages of discovery

Royal Navy recruitment poster. Stokers required, no previous experience necessary, age 18 to 25 years. Apply to the Royal Navy Recruiting Office, Naval Base, Great Yarmouth

Fitting Out, Mousehole Harbour, 1919
BRA21219 Fitting Out, Mousehole Harbour, 1919 by Forbes, Stanhope Alexander (1857-1947); 102x129 cm; Bradford Art Galleries and Museums, West Yorkshire, UK; eBradford Museums & Galleries; English

Prince Albert Edward, later Prince of Wales, King Edward VII (1841 - 1910) dressed in a sailor suit, at the age of six. 1846

HMS Worcester, Greenhithe, Kent -- Merchant Navy training vessel. Date: circa 1946

British Royal Navy recruitment poster, WW1
A British Royal Navy recruitment poster for seamen, aged 19 to 30, to enlist for the duration of the First World War. No previous experience necessary. Date: circa 1915

National Savings Group wartime poster
Convoy your country to victory : save and lend through our National Savings Group. World War II poster illustrated by warship flying the Royal Navy ensign

"Home again"pictures of the Royal Many submarine HMS Unrivalled which
" Home again" pictures of the Royal Many submarine HMS Unrivalled which has just returned from a successful patrol in the Mediterranean Sea

The crew of HMS Sportsman pose on the deck of their submarine at a un-named Northern depot. The Sportsman had just returned from a year campaigning in the Mediterranean where she sunk or damage 31

Promotional Recruitment card for the U. S. Navy
Promotional Recruitment card for the U. S. Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, Illinois. 2200 recruits under training have formed a giant anchor, with Rear Admiral John Downes US Navy

Britains New Navy in Training - HMS Raleigh. circa 1930s

The Army and Navy, Wellington and Nelson, c1805. Artist: Newton & Co
The Army and Navy, Wellington and Nelson, c1805. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) and Admiral Lord Nelson (1758-1805)

WW2 poster, The British Commonwealth of Nations Together. 1941

British submarine HMS E6, WW1
British submarine HMS E6. Date: circa 1915

Sailor Slice tinned fish
An advertisement for Sailor Slice tinned salmon. A tin of the stuff is held up by an old fisherman - Fine!

Captain Cook taking possession of New South Wales, c. 1910 (colour litho)
IL433772 Captain Cook taking possession of New South Wales, c.1910 (colour litho) by Gilfillan, John Alexander (1793-1867) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Sailors Knots
A variety of knots used by sailors for a variety of purposes. Some run, some slip, others stay put... Date: 1926

Keens Mustard Advert
Advertisement for Keens mustard which feature two sailors carrying a giant tin

A. B. Cheetham, (The boatswain of the Terra Nova), c1910–1913, (1913)
A.B. Cheetham, (The boatswain of the Terra Nova), c1910– 1913, (1913). Alfred Cheetham (1866-1918) was a member of several Antarctic expeditions

Carrier deck of HMS Warrior aircraft carrier
View of the carrier deck of HMS Warrior (R31) aircraft carrier at Kure, Japan, with crew lined up and a Sea Fury plane. Date: 1953

The Last Shot by Matania
A group of British seamen gunners straining to fire a final shot at a German ship as their own ship sinks beneath them. The caption notes that this was a common occurrence with light cruisers

Carr and Co biscuits

Sea Port at Sunset, 1639 (oil on canvas)
XIR90066 Sea Port at Sunset, 1639 (oil on canvas) by Claude Lorrain (Claude Gellee) (1600-82); 103x137 cm; Louvre, Paris, France; (add.info.: Sea Port in the Sunset Sun; ); French, out of copyright

His Majestys Ship, the Victory (coloured engraving)
RNM286342 His Majestys Ship, the Victory (coloured engraving) by English School; National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK; (add.info.: a first rate carrying 116 guns and 960 men)

The Gymnasium - Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, Devon
circa 1910s

Ships trapped in Suez Canal, Six-Day War
Fifteen ships trapped in the Suez Canal as a result of the Six-Day War (5-10 June 1967) between Israel and Egypt. Although the war was short

H H Sheikh of Kuwait Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
The 10th Monarch of Kuwait (between 1921-1950), H H Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1885-1950) - pictured in October 1933 firing the anti-airplane machine guns - mounted on the rail for demonstration

Boys Band, Hull Sailors Orphanage
Boys naval band at the Hull Sailors Orphanage, also known as Newland Homes. The Homes, a cottage homes development, were established in 1895 by a charity originally called The Port of Hull Society

Training Ship Exmouth, full crew
Full group photo of the crew of the Training Ship Exmouth. The Exmouth, moored off Grays in Essex, was used by the Metropolitan Asylums Board as a naval training establishment for pauper children

Save Food / Wwi Poster
A First World War poster encouraging people to save food, featuring a sailor about to embark for war on a battle ship

Naval Captain 1800
A captain of the Royal Navy stands on the taffrail, on the poop deck of his vessel

The sinking of the Mary Rose during the Battle of the Solent, 1545, 1778 (engraving)
BAL362926 The sinking of the Mary Rose during the Battle of the Solent, 1545, 1778 (engraving) (later colouration) by Basire

The Rocky Twins dressed as sailors, late 1920s late 1920s

British Ballad, The Mermaid
THE MERMAID. British ballad by Dr. John Leyden. The Gaelic story bears that Macphail of Colonsay was carried off by a mermaid

Spanish Armada Defeated
The Spanish Armada is defeated by the sailors of the English fleet in the Channel

Cliff Richard with Morecambe and Wise. 10th October 1972. watscan - - 19/05/2010

The crew of HMS Vindictive celebrating the Zeebrugge Raid on 23 April 1918. The Zeebrugge Raid was an attack carried out by the Royal Navy on the Belgian port of Zeebrugge

Book of patterns: Women & War - How to knit and crochet
Book of patterns: Women & War- How to knit and crochet, articles neccesary to the Health and Comfort of our Soldiers and Sailors. Associated with World War One, Home Front (1914-1918). Date: 1918

Whitehaven Harbour, c. 1840-50 (engraving)
XJF448259 Whitehaven Harbour, c.1840-50 (engraving) by Bartlett, William Henry (1809-54) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Whitehaven is a port town in west Cumbria; ); English

Soviet lunar craft Zond 5, 1968
Soviet lunar exploration craft Zond 5, being taken onboard the ship Vasilli Golovnin in Russia, 1968. Zond 5 was intended to be a precursor for Soviet manned Moon missions

Training Ship Exmouth, dumb bell drill
Uniformed boys on the deck of the Training Ship Exmouth perform dumb bell drill. The Exmouth, moored off Grays in Essex, was used by the Metropolitan Asylums Board as a naval training establishment

Boys Band, Training Ship Indefatigable
The Boys Band of the Training Ship Indefatigable pose for their photograph in a field, near a tent -- probably at a local fete where they were performing

The crew of a German submarine - First World War
The hideous crew (!) of a German U-boat Submarine, poking their head out from the viewing platform, with the periscope in front. A very direct Allied propaganda postcard

Issuing Grog to Navy
On deck on the Royal Sovereign ship: sailors are issued with grog, a mixture of rum and water

Prison Hulks
Captured French sailors were housed here during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars

Sailors rescued by fishing boat during First World War
Torpedoed sailors are rescued by a Brixham fishing boat, aptly named the Provident, during the First World War. The Provident, also known as BM291, was built in the shipyard of J

H. M.s Curacoa 1865
Conflicts with the savages of the New Hebrides, South Pacific Ocean. Boats of the Curacoa landing sailors and marines. A landing party of 180 seamen and marines, commanded by Captain Dent

Th British S-class submarine HMS Storm has returned to the United Kingdom after an eventful and highly successful commission in the Far East

The Crew, 1902, (c1930). Creator: Charles Napier Hemy
The Crew, 1902, (c1930). Small sailing boat in rough seas. Painting in the Aberdeen Maritime Museum, Aberdeen, Scotland. From " Modern Masterpieces of British Art"

Dick Dock, or the Lobster and Crab, 1806. Scene outside an alehouse by the River Thames. A Greenwich Pensioner with a wooden leg takes the hand of a soldier

Pilot Boy At Bergens Vag (Bay), 1905 (painting)
7432275 Pilot Boy At Bergens Vag (Bay), 1905 (painting) by Krohg, Christian (1852-1925); Private Collection; (add.info.: Christian Krohg (1852-1925)); Photo © O. Vaering

Livingstones Steam-Launch, the "Ma-Robert"(coloured engraving)
5218941 Livingstones Steam-Launch, the " Ma-Robert" (coloured engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Livingstones Steam-Launch)

Retro poster, Gilbert & Sullivan, D Oyly Carte
Retro poster for Gilbert & Sullivan, D Oyly Carte, character from HMS Pinafore. 1960s

Fisting the Mainsail by Arthur Briscoe
Sailing clinging on to a ships mast to fix the mainsail. Date: 1931

Customs / Equator
French sailors celebrate the crossing of the Equator Date: 1899

German cruiser SMS Emden, WW1
The German light cruiser SMS Emden after being attacked by HMAS Sydney on 9 November 1914, at the Battle of Cocos. Escaping crew can be seen in a boat in the foreground. 1914

Tea Clipper, 1860s, expanded cross-section

Sailors demonstrating flag semaphore system

HMS Rodney shows her formidable "teeth". An unusual
HMS Rodney shows her formidable " teeth". An unusual and impressive view of HMS Rodneys great 16in. guns. 15th May 1931

The Helmsman, 1925, (1926). Artist: Arthur Briscoe
The Helmsman, 1925, (1926). From The Studio Volume 91. [London Offices of the Studio, London, 1926]

The British Navy, 1837-1897, (early 20th century). Artist: TS Crowther
The British Navy, 1837-1897, (early 20th century). A print from a supplement of The Army and Navy Gazette, (London)

Royal Navy sailor with Union Jack and Red Ensign flags. circa 1900

WW1 recruitment poster with silhouettes
World War One recruitment poster with silhouettes -- Remember! England Expects -- the Need is Great Today.... the Navy requires you for its glorious service. Join today

Board of Trade Rocket Apparatus for Saving Lives from Shipwr
Engraving showing Board of Trade equipment for use to help shipwrecked sailors, 1886. The items are (from left to right, top to bottom)

Back up the Fighting Forces Poster

Wwi Navy Recruitment
Naval recruitment poster from World War One featuring a number of sailors in a crows nest of a ship

US Navy Poster / Wwi
A recruitment poster for the US Navy during World War One, showing the American eagle flanked by sailors

Naval Cadets Hornpipe
Naval cadets learning the Hornpipe onboard the HMS Arethusa, the cadet training ship

Nanban Six-Fold Screen Depicting the Arrival of a Portuguese Ship for Trade
3548717 Nanban Six-Fold Screen Depicting the Arrival of a Portuguese Ship for Trade, Edo Period (ink, colour & gold leaf on paper) by Japanese School

A View of the Royal Navy of Great Britain, published in 1804 (coloured engraving)
RNM286348 A View of the Royal Navy of Great Britain, published in 1804 (coloured engraving) by Heideloff, Nicolaus von (c.1761-1837); National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth, Hampshire

Picture taken at a British base when the British Royal Navy submarine HMS Ultimatum returned after a year of successful patrolling in the Mediterranean Sea where she sank a total of 6

New recruits to the Royal Navy write their first letter home to tell their people of their safe arrival at HMS Raleigh, the navys training barracks at Torpoint in Cornwall. 21st December 1942

Portrait of Captain Gilbert Heathcote RN, 1779-1831. Creator: William Owen
Portrait of Captain Gilbert Heathcote RN, 1779-1831

The crew of the royal yacht Victoria and Albert III, Norway, 1904 (1908). Artist: Queen Alexandra
The crew of the royal yacht Victoria and Albert III, Norway, 1904 (1908). From Queen Alexandras Christmas Gift Book, Photographs from My Camera, by Queen Alexandra

British naval discipline, 19th century. A sailor, tied to the grating, being flogged with a cat-o-nine-tails. In 1867 Parliament abolished flogging in the services

Winston Churchill arriving in America, 1943
In 1943 Winston Churchill went to America - and gave his famous V for Victory sign to sailors as he disembarked. Date: 1943

825 Squadron on HMS Warrior aircraft carrier
Group photo of 825 Squadron, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, on board HMS Warrior (R31) aircraft carrier with a Fairey Firefly plane. Date: circa 1953

WW1 - U-14 rammed by British steam trawler, the Oceanic II
WW1 - SM U-14 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. On the 5th June 1915, U-14 was disabled by gunfire from armed British trawler, Oceanic II

USS Phoenix, American light cruiser
USS Phoenix (CL-46), American Brooklyn-class light cruiser, seen here at Portland, Oregon, in July 1939. Later sold to Argentina and renamed General Belgrano. Date: 1939

Seamen chat on the quayside, Flushing, Cornwall. 1890s
Five seamen chat on the quayside. Photographer: Unknown

Furling the Sails Victorian period

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"Sailors: Guardians of the Seas and Defenders of Nations" From the iconic Royal Navy recruitment posters to historic naval battles, they have always played a vital role in shaping history. The HMS Worcester, nestled in Greenhithe, Kent, stands as a testament to the rich maritime heritage that has captivated generations. In times of war, British Royal Navy recruitment posters during World War I called upon brave souls to join their ranks and defend their country with unwavering loyalty. These powerful images inspired countless individuals to answer the call of duty and embark on an extraordinary journey at sea. The Battle of Trafalgar immortalized on canvas forever captures the bravery and sacrifice displayed by sailors who fought valiantly against formidable odds. This monumental victory solidified Britain's dominance over the seas and secured its place as a global superpower. During World War I, British submarine HMS E6 silently patrolled beneath treacherous waters, showcasing the ingenuity and resilience possessed by these seafaring warriors. Their stealthy operations proved instrumental in turning tides amidst one of history's most devastating conflicts. Centuries before, engraving depicted the sinking of Mary Rose during the Battle of Solent in 1545 - a poignant reminder that even great vessels can succumb to nature's wrath. Yet from such tragedies arose lessons learned that shaped future naval strategies for generations to come. In times when financial support was crucial for national security efforts, National Savings Group wartime poster urged citizens to contribute towards safeguarding their beloved nation – emphasizing how every individual had a part to play in supporting those who sailed into harm's way. Across oceans afar, promotional recruitment cards beckoned young men across borders; U. S. Navy sought brave souls willing to embrace adventure while defending freedom on distant shores. Such calls transcended nationality as they united diverse nations under one common purpose – protecting liberty from tyranny's grasp.