England's Maritime Heritage from the Air

England has a long and historic relationship with the sea. The source of a bountiful harvest of seafood that has sustained the population, it provides trade routes and a final line of defense against invasion. Throughout history, it was the link in the empire that saw Britain emerge as the world’s first great power. For some, the sea has also provided the last view of home as emigration took them to far-flung corners of the world, while, for others, perhaps fleeing religious or political persecution, the sea offered a route to safety.

For almost a century, Aerofilms recorded Britain from the air, and Peter Waller has delved through the Aerofilms archive held by Historic England to explore the country’s maritime heritage. Alongside the photographs taken of the great castles and abbeys of the country, Aerofilms also recorded industrial and commercial activity, including the docks and ports that were an essential part of maintaining Britain’s place in the world. He looks at how the docks and ports have evolved since the years immediately after World War I, how traditional patterns of trade have changed, how the Royal Navy has shrunk and how the leisure industry has come to dominate.

Peter Waller has worked in the publishing industry for more than thirty years and is a specialist in industrial archaeology.
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