UNITED KINGDOM MARITIME COLLECTIONS STRATEGY

Notes from the meeting held on HMS Belfast, 15 September 2003

Attendees: Roy Clare, Margarette Lincoln, Janet Owen, Charles Payton, Bill Ferris, Richard Holdsworth, David Penn, Campbell McMurray

Apologies: John Edwards, John Lippiett, Tony Tibbles, David Jenkins, Michael McCaughan, Matthew Tanner, Ian Whitehead, Martin Bellamy, Peter Cowling

Minutes of the previous meeting: Approved

Matters arising: None

Updates:

1. Touring exhibitions and loans: A Heritage Lottery Fund application has been submitted to assist with the costs of touring exhibitions. Kathryn Edwards (Aberdeen) has carried out a substantial amount of work on this, and consequently this is a strong bid. This partnership is working well. Insurance issues have yet to be resolved.
   
   
2. Slavery, Society & Port Cities: JO reported that £350,000 had been awarded for this project. Project Managers have been appointed at Greenwich, Liverpool and Bristol. The project will concentrate on history and citizenship. Audience consultation panels will commence the w/b 22 September, followed by a draft report. The schedule is tight, but good progress has been made to date.
   
   The London launch of Port Cities took place on HMS President, during the Thames Festival, on 14 September. The UK launch will take place on 22 September at Tower Bridge.
   
   
3. Collecting Policies: Looking at Interfaces: (tabled paper). JO introduced this progress report from a meeting held on 13 August. A discussion followed on the recommendations:
   
   a) Marine Engineering: A major area of our Collections. RH requested to be brought into the discussions with regard to recruiting a consultant, if this proves necessary.
   b) Ordnance: CMcM reported that Gosport Borough Council had given a lifeline to Priddy’s Hard, and that a service level agreement was being completed. Discussions with NMM and IWM are proposed with a view to exploring the feasibility of transferring material.
   c) Radio Navigation: HMS Collingwood is closing, so this topic is particularly relevant here. A symposium will be held in Spring 2004 to discuss the issues and needs, and at a later stage the UKMCS will produce a proposal from these findings. Other interested organisations will be invited to present their suggestions.
   d) Uniforms: The issues involved here are not too complex, but a strategy needs to be established. IWM will be recruiting a new curator who will become involved with this. There is no time scale as such, but it is envisaged that the project can be completed by April 2004.

Discussion of topics not mentioned in the above paper:

1. Status of Fishing: Two organisations are very keen to be involved as lead museums – Fleetwood and Grimsby. Fleetwood has a capital project forthcoming and will produce an updated report for UKMCS. Grimsby is home to the National Fishing Heritage Centre.
   
   
2. Scottish Maritime Museum: This museum finds itself in a difficult position, and may have to close in the near future. The museum has a nationally significant collection, but there is minimal support and little enthusiasm to maintain the collection. Mike Stammers has produced a comprehensive review highlighting the strengths and weaknesses, and this will form a helpful base for future discussions. Support and involvement from UKMCS is important, and a letter will be sent in order to start a dialogue. CMcM will circulate the review to UKMCS members. There is a possibility that Professor Ritchie, an ex-Trustee of NMM who has moved to Aberdeen, might assist in some way with this matter.
   
   
3. National Ship-model Centre, Chatham: The appointment of an architectural practice will be announced shortly. The Smithery building will be more than just a museum or show room, but a collection centre with education and research facilities incorporated.
   
   
4. UKMCS Conservation Resources Audit: JO reported that Mike Stammers is willing to accept a consultancy. He will prepare a brief with UKMCS partners. Andrew Durham and John Kieron will also support the initiative. A working group will be organised shortly, and whilst there are no immediate timescales, it is thought that the Brief could be prepared by April 2004.
   
   
5. Maritime Archaeology: CMcM reported a successful seminar in June with the MOD. There is a high level of interest and commitment from the MOD, who have also resourced the survey of the Mary Rose Site, to ensure that all items are recovered before the planned dredging takes place, which would disturb/damage the remaining items. Over 300 items have been recovered so far. Dredging work is necessary in order to accommodate new carriers, but CMcM informed the meeting that full surveys of appropriate channels would need to be carried out in order to preserve the site as far as possible. English Heritage has a policy for the purposes of preserving such sites.
   
   HMS Sussex: A preliminary survey of the site is due to be undertaken by archaeological contractors.
   
   Odyssey: The DCMS will meet the pre-survey costs, but conservation and long-term archive curation issues have yet to be settled.

Items for discussion:

1. Forward Plan: The document was originally tabled in April 2003, and this revised document is the result of discussions and feedback. Further revisions will be implemented if necessary. The UKMCS Objectives have now been focussed into four main points.
   The tables show an additional column: ‘Lead UKMCS Responsibility’. These individuals will provide a clear focus for each project.
   Second page (Objective 1): There is a need to define the word ‘Maritime Heritage’. UKMCS is really about maritime collections (need to define), but clearly has a relationship to organisations concerned with buildings, sites, environment, etc. This relationship should be the focus of relevant performance measurement of Objective 1.
   
   A proposal will be tabled that the Museum in Docklands are invited to the Maritime Curators Group. CMcM to liaise.
   
   
2. Gateway Museums and Regional Hubs (previously circulated): RH reported that the Hubs were still in the process of establishing relationships with Resource. A mapping exercise is required between Hubs and proposed regional Gateway museums; RH and JO to undertake this before the next meeting. RC was anxious that all relevant organisations were included, as Resource has failed to distinguish between regional bodies and regional hubs. Gateways need to be the bridge between regional agencies and regional hubs. The situation will become clearer in Spring 2004, when Hubs are due to submit their business plans.
   
   
3. Reviewing the website: This is reviewed regularly by the NMM Online Project team, who report that very little feedback is received. A questionnaire will be circulated in two weeks time (in time for the MCG meeting), and it is hoped that suggestions will be forthcoming to improve the site. The questionnaire will also remind members that the website is a business tool, and needs to reflect the interests of the membership. Hubs will be included on the website in due course.
   
   
4. UKMCS and Regional Hub Education Programme Plans: The Proposal was put to the meeting and discussed. Due to the tight timescale, it was agreed to have this as an item at the next MCG meeting; delegates will be asked to produce good examples of using maritime collections and subjects with schools. A paper would then be produced for circulation to relevant political and funding stakeholders, including DCMS/DFES Secretaries of State.

AOB:

1. Michael Day (Jersey) has resigned, and is now working for the Historic Royal Palaces. It was felt that Michael still had much to contribute, especially with regard to the MCG. RC to write and thank him for his support. The post at Jersey has yet to be filled.
   
   
2. Launch of the concept of SeaBritain 2005 will be presented to the tourism trade and media at Trinity House, on 21 October 2003. Tracey Edwards and Peter Snow will be present. The brochure ‘Visit Britain’ will be presented in conjunction with Sea Britain 2005. Michael Barrett (NMM’s Head of Corporate Communications) will forward further details to UKMCS members).
   
   
3. DCMS Ships of the Nation: does UKMCS want a co-ordinated view? This is on the MCG’s agenda for discussion.

Date of next meeting: 25 March 2004, 14.00–16.00 HMS Belfast