June 07, 2005
An Introduction to the Business of Whaling, 1819-1870
Michael P. Dyer will give a talk: "An Introduction to the Business of Whaling, 1819-1870" at the Bell School, 25 Drift Rd., Head of Westport at 7:30 P. M. on Thursday, June 16, 2005. Admission is free, but donations will be gladly accepted. Refreshments will be provided. For reservations, please call 508-636-6011.
Michael Dyer is the Librarian of the New Bedford Whaling Museum, where he oversaw the moving of the Library of the Kendall Whaling Museum to New Bedford, and the integration of that Library with the collection of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society, a Herculean task. He now oversees the operations of the Library at the Whaling Museum. Before coming to New Bedford he was Curator of Maritime History and Librarian at the Kendall Whaling Museum in Sharon MA. His training has been in history, and his MA thesis was: "History and bibliography of illustrated American whaling narratives."
In his talk Mike will reflect on his current work. He is interested in developing a better working knowledge of everything that went into a whaling voyage and what happened after a vessel returned. This includes the intricacies of the whale oil trade, gauging, commissioning, refining, shipping, etc., as well as insurance, ship building, ship fitting, cooperage.