The Naval Dockyards Society Special Conference in partnership with the National Museum of Bermuda
The 75th Anniversary Commemoration of the Closure of the Royal Naval
Dockyard, Bermuda
Registrations close May 19th
On May 31st 2025, the Naval Dockyards Society and the National Museum of Bermuda will hold a Conference in Bermuda commemorating the 75th anniversary of the closure of the Royal Naval Dockyard.
In this email we invite you attend our conference. Please register here for Online or in person attendance. The online option is available locally and internationally. If you are unable to attend in person registration for online attendance from your own home is available until May 30th.
The revised Conference programme below now includes details of the Conference reception on Saturday May 31st directly after the conference.
Conference Programme. May 31st 2025. 9.00am – 4-00pm
Welcome
9.00 Registration, tea and coffee
10.00 Welcome.
Elena Strong, Executive Director, National Museum of Bermuda and Co-President, Museums Association of the Caribbean & Dr Ann Coats Chair Naval Dockyards Society
Roger Bendall will introduce the slideshow of pictures and notes about Bermuda Dockyard workers and families.
Morning: Bermuda Naval Dockyard—Early Bermuda history & North Atlantic conflict Chaired by Dr Ann Coats
10.10–10.50 Dr Neil Kennedy, Memorial University, St John’s, NL ‘Hucksters and Marketers: Black Bermudian Women’s Economic Strategies at Ireland Island’
10.50–11.30 Lisa McNiven, Naval Museum of Halifax ‘Atlantic Line: Halifax to Bermuda – connecting Halifax and Bermuda through burial records’
11.30–12.10 Dr Ross Nedervelt, Florida International University ‘Challenging Identities: Bermudians, American Mariners, and the Royal Navy in the Atlantic Border-sea, 1783-1815’
12.10–12.15 Remembering Professor John Tunbridge
12.15–1.15 Buffet Lunch
Afternoon: The North Atlantic—Second World War & Second World War Personal Stories Chaired by Roger Bendall, former Dockyard resident
1.15 – 1.55 Dr Samantha Middleton ‘The strategic importance of Bermuda in the Battle of the Atlantic’
1.55–2.35 Ian Grant MA, ‘Wartime Letters between Bermuda and London, October 1940–43’
2.35–3.00 Tea break
Afternoon Dockyard Closure & Bermuda Dockyard today—Bermuda’s economic loss and recovery Chaired by Dr Elena Strong
3.00–3.40 Prof. Yasmin Khan, University of Oxford ‘Ports, labourers, merchant mariners and the decolonisation of the British Empire’ (online)
3.40 – 4.20 Dr Guy Collender University of Portsmouth ‘Redefining Bermuda’s Royal Naval Dockyard since 1951: From the Gibraltar of the West to an extension of the Caribbean’
4.20–4.45 Questions to the Speakers
4.45 Valediction Dr Ann Coats
5.15 Conference reception
Delegates are invited to adjourn to the Frog and Onion Pub for light refreshments including one welcome beverage.
Conference registration prices
Virtual (Member) – $20, Virtual (Non-Member) – $30
In Person (Member) – $75.00, In Person (Non-Member) – $ 80.00
In Person (Verified Student) – $50
Please select your online or in person attendance by registering here.
Conference Tours
The following tours are offered as a part of the conference, only the NMB tour is included in your registration fee.
National Museum of Bermuda (NMB) tour – Monday June 2 start time TBC. This is the only tour that is included in the registration fee.
Walking tour of St. Georges – Sunday June 1 start Price and time TBC
A tour will be arranged to Fort Cunningham on Paget Island by the St George’s Foundation, Tuesday June 3 or Wednesday June 4 in the afternoon. A boat will be hired for our group. Note that the Fort is a work in progress, not completely restored. Price and time TBC. https://www.bermuda.com/fort-cunningham/
Independent tour opportunities.
Bermuda has many tour options available, and these are provided by independent operators. Three are listed below should you wish to arrange a tour before or after the conference.
Island Tours especially for boat tours at:
https://www.islandtourcentre.com/reservations
Titan Tours (more of a bus tour) at:
https://www.titanexbda.com/activities-tours
Hidden Gems (nature treks and excursions) at:
https://www.bermudahiddengems.com/summerexcursion
Memberships
The conference and tours are open to all but if you wish to continue an association with either the NDS or NMB here are the details.
NDS Membership – How to join:
Membership is open to individuals, students and institutions. Standard membership includes the delivery of two electronic Dockyards newsletters a year and a hardcopy and e-pub Transactions journal, past conferences are available on Amazon as either print on demand or Kindle editions. Transactions on Amazon. Membership details can be found here.
NMB Membership – How to join:
Membership is open to individuals and corporations. Benefits include free unlimited Museum admission, Bi-annual MARItimes magazine and savings at Participating Dockyard Restaurants and Dolphin Quest.Membership details can be found here
We look forward to meeting you at the Conference.
Roger Bendall
NDS
Photo Credits
Andrew Birt
Roger Bendall
