Collection: Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  The Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum’s collection is made up of objects linked to our maritime past with the focus on the Isle of Wight and the South Coast of England. Almost all the Shipwreck Centre collection is the property of Martin Woodward, a private collector on the Isle of Wight. Martin has been a working professional diver since 1968, both commercially and in shipwreck salvage, and has amassed this large collection over many years.

  Martin was determined to keep the whole collection together so that the public could have access to it and learn from the artefacts. To achieve this, he founded and personally funded a private Maritime Museum and Shipwreck Centre in 1978, which has grown over the decades.

  As none of Martin’s children are in a position to run the museum in the future, he is anxious to ensure that the museum carries on for future generations to enjoy, hence the merger with the Maritime Archaeology Trust in 2017.

  In 2017 the Maritime Archaeology Trust took over management of the museum, as well as the responsibility for the curation and conservation, with the eventual aim to take over ownership of the whole collection if and when funds are available to purchase it from Martin Woodward.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2021

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  Shipwreck objects (ca 3000)

  The largest part of the collection is made up of artefacts recovered from shipwrecks still on the seabed. The artefacts were, when recovered, declared to the Ministry of Defence and the Receiver of Wreck and have been conserved and assessed as stable.

  Historical diving equipment (ca 1000)

  The historical diving equipment collection includes items such as early diving bells, diving helmets, weights and suits ranging up to modern day diving equipment. Almost all of the antique diving equipment and helmets are original. Some of the larger displays such as diving bells and barrels are replicas whilst most other items are original. This collection is not yet included in the database and would benefit from further assessment of the resource.

  Ship models (ca 50)

  The ship model collection contains a wide range of ship types including Viking age models, East Indiamen, World War One ships and modern RNLI lifeboats. Not all of the collection has yet been added to the database and would benefit from external valuation and assessment. A project in co-operation with Isle of Wight Model Engineering Society was started in 2019 to clean, preserve and research the resource.

  Art works (ca 50)

  The artworks in the museum are of a wide range of quality and value. The collection is not recorded or in the database and would benefit from external valuation and assessment. The museum collection also includes various ships’ plans and schematics through the ages ranging from early times up to the present. These would benefit from more research.

  Archaeological objects from submerged landscapes (ca 200)

  The archaeological material derives mostly from the submerged Mesolithic site at Bouldnor Cliff off the Isle of Wight and is made up of worked food, flint and animal bones. The collection continues to grow as the site is eroding and is further excavated. Part of the collection is kept at the Southampton Office while the objects on display are at the museum.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2021

  Licence: CC BY-NC