The Cutty Sark under repair in Falmouth Docks in about 1930
British Realm, the first vessel to enter No 2 dry dock (Queen Elizabeth Dock) in May 1958; construction of No 4 dry dock 1928; dockyard worker cleaning sections of a tanker engine circa 1960; dockyard workers fitting new boiler tubes; major repairs to tanker circa 1950; workers removing the propeller from the 100,000 ton tanker British Admiral circa 1970. All photos courtesy of the David Barnicoat collection
A new exhibition celebrating the 150th anniversary of Falmouth Docks opened some days ago at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.
Falmouth has been used as a harbour for over 2,000 years and the docks have been an industrial hub since their creation in the mid-19th century, and Falmouth senior pilot David Barnicoat and museum staff have worked together for months to create an exhibition including models, films, objects, paintings and photography.
Museum exhibitions development manager Milly Newman is particularly pleased to include a model of the docks. ‘In the heart of our exhibition is a beautiful model showing their scale and impact. It’s a real jewel amongst the many objects we have supporting the exhibition,’ she said.
‘Five generations of my family have worked at the docks. My great-grandfather helped build them, I worked in the fitting shop from the 1950s and my son works there today. You could say it’s in our blood,’ retired dock employee Frank Eva said proudly. ‘This exhibition not only tells the story of the docks but in some ways tells a part of my family’s and other family’s histories and I’m very proud it’s being celebrated.’
The exhibition will remain on show until the 30th March 2011.
