The Mary Rose

A ship set sail with a mighty crew,
Henry cried, “Build strong! Be new!”
She fought and sank, then hid away,
Till divers found her one bright day.
Now pioneers, both old and new,
Tell her tale to me and you!
​

1. Henry VIII

Henry was king of England from 1509 to 1547. He backed a permanent navy and wanted better warships. Mary Rose was built at Portsmouth, later refitted, then sank in 1545 during fighting with France in the Solent. A neat detail for young readers is the main deck gunports that could be closed, a fresh idea for the time.

​Icon- Picture a Tudor crown, a broad hat and the side of a ship with square gunports that shut tight.

2. Alexander McKee

Alexander was a military historian and writer who would not let the Mary Rose story fade. In 1965 he set up Project Solent Ships with local club divers to look for historic wrecks, with the Mary Rose as the big goal. For years there was little to see, then in 1971 exposed timbers showed they had the right place. He kept the team focused, helped solve practical problems under water, and stayed with the project through to the ship’s raise in 1982.

​Icon- Think clipboard, sonar lines and three timbers sticking from the seabed.

3. Dr Margaret Rule

Margaret studied chemistry and then built a career in archaeology. She trained as a diver so she could lead the work in the water herself. As Archaeological Director she set clear methods, taught recording skills to volunteers and helped bring the ship to the surface on 11 October 1982. Her name lives on in the museum galleries.

​Icon- Show a diver hood, a trowel, a finds tray and a neat grid square.

4. The Crew of the Mary Rose

The ship’s people were a mix of mariners, soldiers and gunners with key roles such as sailing master, bosun, surgeon, carpenter, purser, cook and master gunner. On a big Tudor warship you would expect around 500 on board. They hauled lines, loaded guns and kept the vessel working as one team.

​Icon- Draw a busy deck, a coil of rope, a pulley, a barrel and a speech bubble saying “All hands!”.

5. Lord Edward Howard

Edward was one of Henry’s closest companions and became Lord High Admiral. He led boldly at sea and died in April 1513 while attacking French galleys near Brest. His name appears in ballads about the Scottish privateer Andrew Barton.

​Icon- Imagine an admiral’s baton, a wave banner that reads “Andrew Barton” and boarding hooks.

6. Lord Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk

Thomas took command after his brother Edward’s death in 1513 and chose Mary Rose as his flagship. He fought at Flodden and later held high offices at court. His badge later showed a Scottish lion pierced by an arrow, a nod to victory.

​Icon- A heraldic shield with that lion and a command flag will land well.

7. Sir George Carew

George was placed in command of Mary Rose on the eve of battle in July 1545. He died with the ship the next day when she went down in the Solent.
​He brought quality pewter tableware on board, marked with his initials, which helps tell his story today.

​Icon- Sketch a pewter plate with “GC”, a cabin window and a small ribbon with “1545”.