Museums' Exhibitions
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Great Yarmouth Sailors' Home
Index
Introduction
The Sailors Home was founded in 1861 and in its one hundred year history cared for more than 11000 shipwrecked sailors. They were given accommodation, food and basic medical care, sometimes having been through terrible ordeals.
Great Yarmouth Sailors' Home
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The foundation of the Great Yarmouth Home for Shipwrecked Sailors
The coast off Great Yarmouth was the most likely place for shipwrecks to occur in the 19th century. It was a busy port and thousands of vessels passed through the Yarmouth Roads, sea channels through dangerous sandbanks.
A group of men from various Great Yarmouth Beach companies met in July 1858. In addition to the Home, they wanted to provide a nautical school, library and reading room. Interested people could become members and then use the library and reading room facilities.
The Home was intended to be funded by members' payments, voluntary subscriptions and entrance fees to a small on-site museum, displaying donated objects.
A Trust was created, comprised of the great and the good of the town, and those with maritime interests. Trustees included, the Collector of Customs, the Inspector of Coastguard, merchants, a shipowner and a chandler.
The prime mover was George Simon Harcourt, the first Secretary and Treasurer. He had only recently moved to Great Yarmouth and, well-connected, used his connections to obtain a deal of funding from outside Great Yarmouth.
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Exhibition: Great Yarmouth Sailors' Home
Faithful and Historical Reminiscences of Captain Manby
During four winters after my appointment to the charge of the Barracks at Yarmouth in 1803, I res…
Line carrying rocket
Pains-Wessex self-contained line carrying rocket with instruction card
This rocket is a &l…
Lifeboat Being Towed out of Yarmouth Harbour by Joseph Nash
Joseph Nash
(1835—1922)c. late 19th century
This arresting scene empha…
Captain Thomas Harper White, Master -Cockle Light Ship (1871?)
Captain Thomas Harper White, born Dec 16 1812 in Plymouth Devon is my great great grandfather. I …
