Sparrows Nest, Whapload Road, Lowestoft, NR32 1XG  Tel 01502 561963 

Update Jan 2012

 

 

 

To find us click this link to Google Maps, then enter NR32 1XG

 

Home Info for Visitors Chairman's Page Awards Schools & Care Porthole Port of Lowestoft Sea to River Sir S Morton Peto Bt Early Charts Museum History Duke of Edinburgh Marine Art G V Burwood Art 50th Anniversary Princess Royal RNLI Lifeboats Brooke Marine LEC Marine Richards Shipbuilders Engines Ship Models Hovercraft Lighthouses Echosounders Radio Communication Decca Navigator Marine Radar Port War Air Sea Rescue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fishing vessels and methods change continuously, never more so than in the 20th century when advances in technology touched the design of everything. First came the change from sail to steam power followed by a change from steam to Diesel engines. With that came the means to generate electricity for lighting and heat, then storage batteries to operate electronic equipment of ever increasing complexity.

Reflecting this we have built a wheelhouse display where communications, echo sounding and navigational equipment of the mid 20th century such as an Echosounder, Radio Direction Finder, a Decca Navigator and Marine Radar can be seen as it would have been used. See pic bottom left.

Although fishing from the Port of Lowestoft has diminished from the 1960s, the development of Offshore industries has given new opportunities and highlighted for us its potential historical perspective. The first of these new industries was exploration for oil and that continues to utilise converted fishing vessels and the men of the sea who crew them. Now, another sunrise industry is developing and long overdue, the potential for generation of electricity from wind and tide is at last being exploited. In another fifty years time we hope it will be possible for young people to find here some record of how it all began.

The pictures show, the new display of marine art top left, models of lifeboats top right, models of tugs middle right, medals and honours to local men of the sea bottom right, and part of the  wheelhouse equipment from the 1960's.

Our 50th Anniversary is marked by great overall enlargement of the building with changes to the layout both internally and externally .  This was necessary to accommodate the requirements of Fire Regulations, Health and Safety Acts and Disability provision together with other facilities recommended by the Museums Libraries and Archives Council to achieve our accreditation. The area available for display has been doubled.

We began the process in 2004 when plans were drawn up by OWL Architects for our latest extension. They were approved by Waveney District Council (WDC) in 2005 and we began fundraising.  In 2007 we were awarded £345,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund and after negotiations with WDC, building commenced in May 2008. The whole of the older part of the building has been stripped out and a completely new interior developed to include a School Room reflecting our long established connections with education. We have a completely new Audio-Visual display area allowing small groups of visitors to view DVD based material from our collection.