Navy's impact on city to be examined

The way sailors have helped shape the culture of Portsmouth is to be examined more closely than ever before thanks to a new partnership between historians at the University of Portsmouth and the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

Royal Navy historian Dr Duncan Redford is joining historians at the university’s School of Social, Historical and Literary Studies as an honorary research fellow.

Together they will pore over the archives at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to shed light on the impact sailors have had on shaping naval ports socially and culturally.

Head of the School of Social, Historical and Literary Studies, Fergus Carr, said: “The key to all of this is the excellent partnership between the University and the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

“We are really pleased to be working so closely with the museum who have allowed our students to access their archives, offered them work experience and internships, advised on our programmes, and whose staff are keen to develop joint research.

“The university was delighted to recently award the Director of the Museum, Dominic Tweddle, an honorary chair in recognition of this partnership. We have cemented links further with the joint appointment of Duncan who works 70 per cent for the museum and 30 per cent for us. We see this as the first stages of an exciting collaboration which can deepen over time.”

Dr Brad Beaven, course leader for history at the university, said: “This partnership will allow researchers to draw on the museum’s archives which include sailor’s diaries and photographs giving a real insight into sailors’ lives ashore and how they were received and portrayed by a port’s inhabitants.

“‘Dr Redford’s appointment is a significant landmark in our developing relationship with the National Museum of the Royal Navy. Through collaboration we can help enhance future exhibitions at the museum and ensure that our academic research has an impact in the community.

“We will also be tapping into Dr Redford’s expertise on our courses. His specialisms include naval history and identity and he will teach new units on the relationship between the navy and society on both our undergraduate and postgraduate courses.”

Dr Redford joins a team of seven researchers at the university investigating the social and cultural impact of the navy on the urban hinterland of ports from the early modern to the 20th century.

Dr Redford said: “This partnership will provide many exciting possibilities for collaboration between the museum and university. I'm looking forward to being part of a team bringing naval, urban and social historians together in an environment where we can share ideas and learn from each other. The project will throw light on the relationship between the Royal Navy, the towns and cities associated with naval dockyards, and the wider regions inland of them.”