Geoffrey Callender
Encyclopedia
Sir Geoffrey Arthur Romaine Callender (25 November 1875, Didsbury
, Manchester
–6 November 1946, National Maritime Museum) was an English naval historian and the first director of the National Maritime Museum
from its opening in 1937 until his death in 1946.
In 1920 he became the Society for Nautical Research
's honorary secretary and treasurer, and remained so until his death. He then moved to head Dartmouth
Royal Naval College's history department in 1921, but after only a year moved to be the first Professor of History at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich during the addition of a staff college and a war college to the institution. This was part of a move to incorporate study of naval history into naval education, a need for which had been shown by the recent First World War, and it was in this job that Callender wrote The Naval Side of British History (1924) and headed up the SNR's successful campaigns to save for the nation and to found a naval and maritime museum for the United Kingdom
. He retained the chair from 1922 to 1934, when he was succeeded by Michael Lewis
.
In the campaign for a maritime museum, patrons such as Sir James Caird and SNR support enabled Callender to purchase the large Macpherson collection of naval and nautical prints in 1928 - this was then added to the Greenwich Naval College's collection of ship-models and marine art
to form the nucleus of the new museum's collection. A building to house the collection was also soon found when the Queen's House
at Greenwich was vacated by the Royal Hospital School
, and so in 1934 the government passed the National Maritime Museum Act, making Callender the Museum's first director. The Queen's House was restored, galleries prepared within it, and further objects collected and arranged, all with Callender's energetic participation, and opening came only 3 years after the Act, in 1937. He was knighted in 1938, and up until his sudden death in the Museum in 1946 continued to make acquisitions and improvements to the Museum's collection.
Callender never married and his Dictionary of National Biography
entry states he:
Didsbury
Didsbury is a suburban area of the City of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Mersey, south of Manchester city centre, in the southern half of the Greater Manchester Urban Area...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
–6 November 1946, National Maritime Museum) was an English naval historian and the first director of the National Maritime Museum
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
from its opening in 1937 until his death in 1946.
Life
The son of a cotton mill owner called Arthur William and his wife, a vicar's daughter Agnes Louisa, he was educated at St Edward's School, Oxford before going on to study modern history at Merton College, where he graduated honours (second class) in 1897. He joined the Royal Naval College, Osborne in 1905, shortly after its foundation, making up for the lack of a textbook by producing his own Sea Kings of Britain (3 vols., 1907–11) and being promoted to head of English and history in January 1913.In 1920 he became the Society for Nautical Research
Society for Nautical Research
The Society for Nautical Research was founded in 1910 to promote the academic field of maritime history in the United Kingdom.The aims of the society are to:* support and encourage research in maritime history and underwater archaeology....
's honorary secretary and treasurer, and remained so until his death. He then moved to head Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
Royal Naval College's history department in 1921, but after only a year moved to be the first Professor of History at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich during the addition of a staff college and a war college to the institution. This was part of a move to incorporate study of naval history into naval education, a need for which had been shown by the recent First World War, and it was in this job that Callender wrote The Naval Side of British History (1924) and headed up the SNR's successful campaigns to save for the nation and to found a naval and maritime museum for the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He retained the chair from 1922 to 1934, when he was succeeded by Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis (naval historian)
Michael Arthur Lewis was a British naval historian, as well as a fiction writer, who was Professor of History and English at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich between 1934 and 1955.-Early life and education:...
.
In the campaign for a maritime museum, patrons such as Sir James Caird and SNR support enabled Callender to purchase the large Macpherson collection of naval and nautical prints in 1928 - this was then added to the Greenwich Naval College's collection of ship-models and marine art
Marine art
Marine art or maritime art is any form of figurative art that portrays or draws its main inspiration from the sea. Maritime painting is a genre that depicts ships and the sea—a genre particularly strong from the 17th to 19th centuries...
to form the nucleus of the new museum's collection. A building to house the collection was also soon found when the Queen's House
Queen's House
The Queen's House, Greenwich, is a former royal residence built between 1614-1617 in Greenwich, then a few miles downriver from London, and now a district of the city. Its architect was Inigo Jones, for whom it was a crucial early commission, for Anne of Denmark, the queen of King James I of England...
at Greenwich was vacated by the Royal Hospital School
Royal Hospital School
The Royal Hospital School, , is a British co-educational independent boarding school with naval traditions. It admits pupils from age 11 to 18 through Common Entrance or the school's own exam...
, and so in 1934 the government passed the National Maritime Museum Act, making Callender the Museum's first director. The Queen's House was restored, galleries prepared within it, and further objects collected and arranged, all with Callender's energetic participation, and opening came only 3 years after the Act, in 1937. He was knighted in 1938, and up until his sudden death in the Museum in 1946 continued to make acquisitions and improvements to the Museum's collection.
Callender never married and his Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
entry states he: