The Golden Age of British Empire shipping - 'Shipping Wonders Of The World'

[thorfinn]

This is probably 'old news' to many, but it was an exciting discovery for me, so I thought I'd share it.

 

In the course of researching my current Q-Ship WIP, I found this amazing website. "Shipping Wonders Of The World" was a weekly magazine published in the UK between January 1936 and February 1937, that contained a dizzying range of articles on all things maritime---mainly with a British slant, of course. War stories, history articles, and wonderful reports on the then-current shape of the shipping and maritime world were presented, often written by experts in the field(s) reported, and regularly accompanied by beautiful photographs and illustrations.

 

Apparently the series was intended from the outset to be published in a bound two-volume set. The series ran to 55 parts, and the website has descriptions of each of these, with MANY links to the original articles (when available)---a veritable treasure-trove of between-the-wars maritime information and history.

 

I've just scratched the surface, myself, so I'm not exactly sure how much material there really is...but everything I've seen so far is exceptionally interesting. I'd never heard of the publication before, and found it entirely by accident, so I thought I'd share it with those nautical-philes who were as unaware of it as I was.

 

The website: http://www.shippingwondersoftheworld.com/

 

Be sure to check out the 'themes' tab at the top of the page. Topics like 'The Navy Goes To Work,' 'Great Voyages In Little Ships,' and 'Dramas Of Salvage' (to name but a very few) are too wonderful to pass up.

 

I hope some of you will enjoy it as much as I do. Great fun, and really interesting!

[clipper]

Had 3 or 4 copies of the original magazine gifted to me, think they came from a Sale of Work. But that is a vast, vast piece of work! Great scans, sorting out all the 'internal' links and even some external to Wiki - so far more informative than the original publication, etc, etc, etc  - just wonderful!

Edited January 4, 2017 by clipper

[Tripod]

I inherited the set as a boy in the 70s, and with that (plus the Wonder Book of Ships of similar vintage) became fascinated by the ships of the 'golden age' on the North Atlantic. The books really captured the imagination of ten-year-old me; there are probably ten-year-olds today who would be similarly fascinated by them (though subsequent experience suggests that I may not have been altogether normal).

 

Relatively recently I discovered that there was a similar (though thinner) two-volume set "Wonders of World Aviation" and also one on the world's railways. It took me thirty years to realise that it was a partwork.

[thorfinn]

On 01/04/2017 at 6:04 AM, Tripod said:

The books really captured the imagination of ten-year-old me; there are probably ten-year-olds today who would be similarly fascinated by them (though subsequent experience suggests that I may not have been altogether normal).

Sounds completely normal to me. I just completed my sixth decade, but the 'ten-year-old' within me is alive and well---finding the website was like unwrapping presents under the tree, the same sense of wonder and sheer joy! I'm now toddling 'used book' sites for copies of all three collections....

[ShipbuilderMN]

They did produce bound volumes I and II of the magazines in heavy blue backs with gold leaf.      Excellent content in the books, but the quality of the images are not as good as they could have been.      I purchased two bound volumes for £12 many years ago, and still refer to them regularly.       I once considered writing something similar, but interest in British maritime history has declined to such an extent that it would not be a success.         I did "test the water" by writing a 142-page book, The Voyage Is Done and the Winds Don't Blow, several years ago, but it was not a success.   I paid several hundred pounds to have a limited print run, but although I did recover all the money I paid out, it could hardly be described as a success, so I did not continue with the plan.   

Bob

[Blackfordhibby]

On ‎06‎/‎01‎/‎2017 at 8:32 AM, ShipbuilderMN said:

They did produce bound volumes I and II of the magazines in heavy blue backs with gold leaf.      Excellent content in the books, but the quality of the images are not as good as they could have been.      I purchased two bound volumes for £12 many years ago, and still refer to them regularly.       I once considered writing something similar, but interest in British maritime history has declined to such an extent that it would not be a success.         I did "test the water" by writing a 142-page book, The Voyage Is Done and the Winds Don't Blow, several years ago, but it was not a success.   I paid several hundred pounds to have a limited print run, but although I did recover all the money I paid out, it could hardly be described as a success, so I did not continue with the plan.   

Bob

 

 

Bob

such a shame it didn't hit the spot. I have always thought there was a distinct lack of books covering the MN. When we consider the size of the MN  pre-war and  up to the 70s there should/could be so much more written. Alas it would probably only be ex seabeasties like us who would buy them. By the way your book mentioned above is currently unavailable on Amazon, I will look elsewhere though.

 

Peter

[ShipbuilderMN]

Peter,

Thanks, I have just replied to you via PM.

Bob

[Mike McCabe]

I have two volumes of this I could be persuaded to part with if anyone is interested?

Mike