Mariners: Religion, Race and Empire

The latest free exhibition at the Lambeth Palace Library sets sail with a display of maritime-themed items from their library’s centuries-old collections.

Presented in collaboration with the University of Bristol, the exhibition explores seafaring, missions to seamen, and how maritime activity shaped trade, empire and life in London.

Existing outside the established system of parish-based pastoral care, mariners posed a challenge to the traditional methods of the church’s mission work. Using historic material from the archives, this exhibition explores encounters between clergy and sailors, the complex connections between trade, empire and religion, and the challenges and dangers of maritime life.