Guide to the Alexander Shaw Collection , 1900-1970

Steamship Historical Society of America, Archives
Steamship Historical Society of America
2500 Post Road
Warwick, RI 02886
Tel: 401-463-3570
E-mail: info@sshsa.org

Published in 2023

Collection Overview

Title:	Alexander Shaw Collection
Date range:	1900-1970
Creator:	Shaw, Alexander, 1906-1974
Extent:	19.5 linear feet
Abstract:	This collection comprises over 5,000 photograph prints, 4,000 prints and article clippings, research notes, and reference books that document the history of steam power vessels from the turn of the century to modern day.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	Steamship Historical Society of America, Archives
Collection number:	1974.01

Scope & content

The Alexander Shaw Collection comprises the research materials Shaw collected regarding maritime history. He amassed over 5,000 photograph prints, 4,000 photos and article clippings, research notes, and reference books documenting the history of steam power vessels from the turn of the century to the modern day. The index Shaw created offers a comprehensive cross reference for images, ephemera, and reference material in his collection. Of special note is his photograph collection that offers a significant source for ship portraits.

Access Points

Subject Names

Shaw, Alexander

Subject Topics

Document Types

Subject Topics

Maritime

Arrangement

The collection is divided into three series based on the format of the material. Separate indexes for the photographic prints and negatives created by the collector are also part of this collection.

Series 1: Ephemera

This series comprises paper ephemera, primarily clippings of ship images and articles used as research sources by the collector, Alexander Shaw. Material is individually sleeved with the researcher's handwritten notes regarding specific ship details on the back index cards. Periodical clippings are predominately images, but also include articles. Index cards are affixed with the collector's AS/Anchor rubber stamp in blue ink. The collectors master index (1974.01.0001) incorporates two separately housed collections, two green, two-drawer card cabinets and a white eight-drawer card cabinet titled "High Seas". The reference material is arranged by ship name alphabetically.

Series 2: Research Materials

This series comprises subject folders in their original packaging with subject labels in Alexander Shaw's handwriting. The material, housed in three archival boxes, includes research notes, correspondence, and clippings on topics outlined in the container list.

Series 3: Ship Photos

This collection of photo prints, reproductions, and postcards is arranged alphabetically by ship name. Images are individually sleeved with an index card marked with the collector's distinctive "AS" anchor blue stamp on the back. Most of this collection notes additional information on the back, including: "also known as" and registration number.

Series 4: Reference Library

This collection of reference books donated by Alexander Shaw is referenced in the index he created.

Biographical note

Alexander Shaw, son of Charles Wesley and Fannie (Bissell) Shaw, was born on 14 May 1905 in Joppa, Maryland. He died on 11 January 1974 in Abingdon, Harford, Maryland. He was 68 at the time of death due to a stroke. Alexander married Margaret Stump, and the couple had four daughters: Margaret, Sarah, Frances, and Eliza, and one son, Alexander, Jr.

He graduated from Gilman School in 1924 and Princeton University in 1928. He continued graduate-level coursework in Princeton’s architecture program. He also studied at the Art Students' League in New York. Over a 40-year career, he designed numerous buildings, including the Red Fox Restaurant (Bel Air), Harford Mutual Insurance building (Bel Air), Bel Air County Office Building, and the Citizens Nursing Home (Havre de Grace). Alexander retired in June 1973.

He supported the British war effort during the Great War by drawing silhouettes of ships for identification purposes. Both the British and United States navies relied on the series. Several volumes of fleet lists resulted in invaluable records concerning unique vessels. He had unsuccessfully volunteered to join the British Navy at the start of World War I, but he was not a British citizen and suffered from poor health.

Alexander's love of ships and drawing started in his youth. He was a ship history enthusiast, historian, and collector interested in Liberty ships. He shared his research through presentations, like the 1971 slide presentation in Baltimore at the SSHSA annual meeting. He was a member of the Steamship Historical Society, St. Michaels Maritime Museum, World Ship Society, and the International Oceanographic Foundation.

His collection of research material is impeccably organized and easily recognizable. His notes bear his distinctive personal stamp, an "AS" monogram and anchor in blue ink, a hallmark of the collector's commitment to documenting maritime history.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	This collection is available to the public by appointment at the Steamship Historical Society. Objects that are fragile, significant, or require additional tools to access may require archivist assistance.
Use of the materials:	Use, reproduction, and/or publication of archival material is prohibited without prior approval of the Steamship Historical Society. Fees and/or restrictions may apply. Please contact the SSHSA archivist, Astrid Drew, at adrew@sshsa.org for more information.
Preferred citation:	Alexander Shaw Collection (1974.01), Steamship Historical Society of America Archives, www.sshsa.org.
Contact information:	Steamship Historical Society of America, Archives Steamship Historical Society of America 2500 Post Road Warwick, RI 02886 Tel: 401-463-3570 E-mail: info@sshsa.org

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The Alexander Shaw Collection was donated to SSHSA in 1974 and cataloged retrospectively in 2023.


ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Heather Pouliot Kisilywicz.
Encoding:	Finding aid encoded by Heather Pouliot Kisilywicz 2023 November 14
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)