Peter Boyd-Smith

Peter Boyd-Smith is the owner of Cobwebs, the celebrated maritime memorabilia shop in Southampton — the historic home port of the Olympic-class liners — and the custodian of one of the finest private collections of White Star Line and Titanic ephemera in existence. His shop, located in the city from which Titanic and Olympic departed on their maiden voyages, has become a place of pilgrimage for maritime history enthusiasts from around the world.

Boyd-Smith's collection encompasses original menus, passenger lists, deck plans, promotional materials, photographs, and artefacts from the great liners of the early 20th century. His deep familiarity with this material gives him an unparalleled eye for authenticity and historical significance — making him an important resource for researchers seeking to verify or contextualize archival items.

His position in Southampton — where White Star Line history is woven into the fabric of the city — gives his work a particular resonance. The port that watched Titanic depart on April 10, 1912 also bore much of the tragedy's human cost, and Boyd-Smith's preservation of its documentary heritage honours that connection.