The Story of The Boat Cove Chronicle
How The Chronicle Came to Life
A while ago, I was reading the fascinating memoirs of Devon smuggler, John Rattenbury. His memoirs were written down in the 18th century and published in the 19th century in the book ‘Memoirs of a Smuggler’. As an artist, designer and sailor, I have always been fascinated by maritime history and art.
The way John Rattenbury’s story was written in Old English led me to research other maritime subjects and tales. I discovered old 18th-century newspapers which carried news that had taken months to arrive in England from the other side of the world. I was amazed to discover that in the 18th century, news from whaling ships hunting the Pacific Ocean took three months to arrive at the ships’ home of Nantucket on the East Coast of America! A story from a faraway port could be months old before it ever reached your ears, each detail savoured all the more for the wait.
I thought it would be fun to create an Old English maritime newspaper but with modern news and stories, and so, The Boat Cove Chronicle was born.
Imagine a time before instant updates and breaking news alerts, a time when tidings arrived not via the Internet or mobile app, but by the wind and the tide, carried on the backs of weary travellers and the sails of grand ships.
Bringing you Maritime News as if this year were 1750!
The Boat Cove Chronicle captures this feeling. I research and write each article, then rewrite it in the beautiful, evocative Old English prose of the 18th century, and bring it to life with my own original illustrations in the style of the era. I then hand-craft its layout using my years of graphic design skills, and faithfully print it as a genuine newspaper.
Newspapers of this era often had two names, hence its second name of The Illustrated Mariner’s Gazetteer. Inside, you'll find maritime tales of grand discoveries, harrowing voyages, and the day-to-day happenings of our world across the seas.
Journey Back in Time
I didn’t just want to create a newspaper; I wanted to create a journey back in time. The Boat Cove Chronicle is an experience that celebrates storytelling and art, and the patience of waiting for news to arrive.
For anyone who may find the Old English language difficult to read, I offer a modern English version of the stories at theboatcovechronicle.com. On this website, you can find each original article and all of its research links, allowing you to read what I read when writing the story.
Welcome to a world where news is an event, not a notification. Welcome to The Boat Cove Chronicle or The Illustrated Mariner’s Gazetteer.
Neil (Nelly ) Parker
Editor & Illustrator
“What a brilliant idea, it was so well put together.
Also, we like how you combine history with up-to-date stories, but written in the old-world way”
- Alan W., Australia