NEW EXHIBITION CELEBRATES 150 YEARS OF FALMOUTH DOCKS

A stunning new exhibition celebrating the 150th anniversary of Falmouth Docks is set to open at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall on 2 December.

Falmouth has been used as a harbour for over 2,000 years and the docks have been an industrial hub since their creation in the mid-19th Century. Through models, film, objects, paintings and stunning photography the exhibition explores their fascinating history, with a special focus on the dock’s heyday in the 1950s. David Barnicoat, Falmouth’s Senior Pilot and Milly Newman, Exhibitions Development Manager at the Maritime Museum, have been working together over the last few months to create an exhibition that acts as a legacy to what the docks have achieved, not only for itself, but for Falmouth as a whole. Milly says: “The docks have shaped the history of Falmouth and nearly everyone who lives in or near Falmouth has had their lives touched by them – either directly or by the industries supporting it. The dock’s history is at the heart of Falmouth and in the heart of our exhibition is a beautiful model showing their scale and impact. It’s a real jewel amongst the many objects we have supporting the exhibition.” Frank Eva, a retired employee of the docks, says: “Five generations of my family have worked at the docks. My great-grandfather helped build them, I worked in the fitting shop from the 1950s and my son works there today. You could say it’s in our blood. This exhibition not only tells the story of the docks but in some ways tells a part of my family’s and other family’s histories and I’m very proud it’s being celebrated.” To really do justice to the docks’ story, the Museum has created a new space which allows the exhibition to come alive. Floor to ceiling windows offer you the opportunity to see the hustle and bustle of the docks at work today whilst the new exhibition surrounds you in their history. The exhibition opens on the 2 December and runs until 30 March 2011. - ENDS - Notes to Picture Editor: All images courtesy of David Barnicoat Collection: Construction of no 4 dry dock 1928. Cutty Sark in dry dock for general repair c1930. Major repairs to tanker c1950. British Realm the first vessel to enter No.2 dry dock (Queen Elizabeth dock) in May 1958. Dockyard worker cleaning sections of a tanker engine c1960. Workers removing the propeller from the 100,000 ton Tanker British Admiral c1970. Dockyard workers fitting new boiler tubes.

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