The Mary Rose Trust is delighted to announce that the Society for Nautical Research has awarded Christopher Dobbs the Victory Medal in acknowledgement of over four decades of work on the excavation, interpretation and display of the Mary Rose and other contributions to the maritime heritage during his career. He was presented with the Victory Medal at the start of the Society’s Annual Conference on the Daffodil in Liverpool on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
1979 on Sleipner
Christopher joined the Mary Rose Trust in 1979 as one of the diving archaeologists during the excavation and raising of the ship. Over the years he has held a numerous of key roles including managing the Ship Hall during the conservation of the timbers as well as serving as Head of Public Services and later Head of Interpretation before retiring in 2023.
In addition to excavating, recording, photographing, reconstructing, and interpreting the Mary Rose ship and the objects recovered, Christopher excels at presenting archaeology to the public. This includes presenting to schools, universities, avocational societies, international conferences and conventions. Topics are wide ranging and include archaeology, museology and the management and protection of the underwater cultural heritage.
Demonstrations both within and outside the Museum – lift model and replica galley
Christopher has always promoted the inclusion of avocational divers in excavations and surveys. A leading figure (and past Chairman) of the Nautical Archaeology Society, he helped define, promote and deliver the educational syllabus.
Boundless enthusiasm, diligence, and maintaining the opinion that experiences are paramount, Christopher engaged (and delighted) audiences through public demonstrations such as ‘The Tudor Shipwright’ and ‘The Cook and Cooking.’ The latter included excavating, dissecting, analysing and building a reproduction of the Mary Rose galley and cooking on it with copies of the objects recovered.
The Mary Rose Museum contains ‘a lot of Christopher’. Not only in the design concept, but also in the choices of objects, the methods of interpretation and the attention to details such as ambient lighting and sound.
Although now retired, Christopher can be seen (and heard) several times an hour projected as the Master Carpenter into the Carpenters Cabin within the hull of the Mary Rose. He continues to support the Mary Rose Trust in his role as Curator Emeritus.
Christopher Dobbs – Head of Interpretation
Awarded by the Society for Nautical Research, the Victory Medal was initially awarded to individuals who demonstrated exceptional assistance and dedication in serving HMS Victory and assisting in her conservation. Since 2012 it has been awarded to those who have demonstrated similar dedication to any vessel(s).
Sorting equipment for filming just prior to the raising,1982
Founded in 1910 to promote the study of seafaring, ship building and customs of the sea, since 1911 it has published the academic journal The Mariner’s Mirror. In 1922 the Society launched the Save the Victory Fund, rescuing HMS Victory from sinking in Portsmouth Harbour. The Society also helped to establish and fund both the National Maritime Museum in London and the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth (now the Royal Navy Museums). It has also helped to fund the restoration of historic vessels such as Trincomalee and SS Great Britain.
A membership society and charity, the NAS maintains an educational programme, a research programme, and a publication in the form of the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology.
The origins of the Nautical Archaeology Society go back to 1964. The first issue of the IJNA was published in 1972.
