Time travelling historian Andrew Baines has sailed back through time from working on HMS Warrior 1860 to being newly appointed by the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) as the curator for HMS Victory. Andrew will lead on the conservation, restoration and interpretation of the world’s greatest surviving warship, which stands as a proud memorial to Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, Britain's greatest naval hero. Working as part of the Curatorial Team at the NMRN, Andrew will be the principal advisor on matters relating to the history, structure, general appearance and public presentation of HMS Victory.
Andrew is already a familiar face within Portsmouth Historic Dockyard having worked on board HMS Warrior for the past 12 years, of which he has been the Archivist and Historian for 8 years. He recently managed the restoration of the ship’s sick berth which saw him appearing on BBC National Treasures Live, alongside Dan Snow whom he was also interviewed by on the highly successful BBC Empire of the Seas series.
Currently completing an MA in Naval History from the University of Exeter, Andrew can also boast an MSc degree in Maritime Conservation Science and BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying from the University of Portsmouth. During his MSc he also undertook a work placement with the conservation team at the Mary Rose Trust, so he is well placed to tell the story of HMS Victory within the wider heritage context of the Historic Dockyard.
Commenting on his new role, Andrew said: “Victory is undoubtedly one of the world’s most famous and important ships, and so to have the opportunity to take a lead in telling her story, and developing new aspects to that narrative, is a great privilege.”
