contact email: info@maritimematters.com
Martin Cox on SAGA ROSE (photo by Peter Knego 2006)
Martin launched MaritimeMatters in 1997 to articulate his fascination with ocean
liners and cruise ships, to share his passion for collecting photographs and memorabilia relating to ocean liner and to provide a place on the
web for less well covered maritime history. This was also the year of his first cruise, BOLERO (ex STARWARD) to Norway from the UK.
Growing up in the British port of Southampton, Cox witnessed the final departure of Cunard Line's QUEEN MARY. This left an indelible mark on the young boy. Drawing, collecting photographs and ship histories, Martin became fascinated with ocean liners. At age eleven his retired Merchant Navy Uncle -- Edwin Hall, gave him a large collection of ship's postcards and photographs which Edwin had spent his career compiling. Driven to complete the histories of the ships pictured, Martin's interest in liners and maritime research took off. A member of th Southampton branch of the World Ship Society in 1977, he toured ELLINIS, VISTAFJORD, QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 and other container ships and cable laying vessels in the port.
Southampton Docks provided an amazing opportunity to see a multitude of ships from around the world. Frequent visitors to the port and some more unusual vessels included: ANDES, ARCADIA, AUSTRALIS, AURELIA, AUREOL, BRITANIS, CANBERRA, CAPETOWN CASTLE, CHUSAN, EDINBURGH CASTLE, ELLINIS, EUROPA, FAIRSTAR, FAIRLAND, FAIRWIND, FEDOR SHALYAPIN, FRANCE, GOOD HOPE CASTLE, HIMALAYA, IBERIA, ITALIS, LEONID SOBINOV, OCEAN MONARCH, S.A. ORANJE, ORCADES, ORONSAY, ORIANA, ORSOVA, NEVASA, NORWAY, NORTHERN STAR, PENDENNIS CASTLE, QUEEN ELIZABETH, QUEEN ELIZABETH 2, QUEEN MARY, REINA DEL MAR, ROTTERDAM (V), SAGAFJORD, SOUTHERN CROSS, SOUTHAMPTON CASTLE, UGANDA, UNITED STATES, S.A. VAAL, VISTAFJORD, WINDSOR CASTLE and others. (Sadly all before Cox took up photography!)
Completing his Fine Art degreeat Exeter College of Art and Design, in Devon, Martin moved to London, exhibiting his black & white landscape photographs. Fascinated by the American West, Cox eventually moved to California in the mid 1980s after his first US photographic exhibition in San Francisco. He exhibited numerously in the Bay Area before moving to Los Angeles, where he then began to explore LA's passenger ship history. Martin joined the Los Angeles Maritime Museum Research Society (LAMMRS), serving as President in 1997-98. Martin published research in OCEAN TIMES, the organ of the Southern California chapter of the Steam Ship Historical Society of America. Participating in the internet discussion group known as "the LinersList" in 1996, Martin then became "List Master" for one year. He established Maritime Matters in 1997. His research in to the Los Angeles Stemaship Company became the a book project.
In 1998, Cox finally got to sail on NORWAY (ex FRANCE) after having seen her in Le Havre in lay up and her return to service in 1983 with an arrival at Southampton from Bremerhaven.
Teaming up with ocean liner journalist, Peter Knego in 1999, now contributing editor of Maritime Matters, the website grew rapidly, regularly adding new ships, shipping news, company history, photographs of older liners and blogs from Knego's around-the-world photographic ship safaris.
Sailing from New York to Bermuda on the QE2 fulfilled another dream to travel on a liner he's seen arrive brand new in Southampton in 1968.
In 2001, Cox took up the post of West Coast Column Editor for Steamboat Bill Magazine for a two year term. Also in that year, he sailed on the INDEPENDENCE around the Hawaiian islands.
Cox works as a freelance photographer www.martincoxphotography.com and holds exhibitions twice a year. He has exhibited photographs in galleries in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, London and Wales. Southampton's Daily Echo newspaper published a feature on his fine art photography written by Keith Hamilton. His commercial clients have included United States Lines, Cruise Industry News, Lexus, Toyota, Mazda, LA Weekly, Directors Guild Magazine, Forbes, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, Washington Mutual Bank etc.
Time was found to sail on one of the last voyages of REMBRANDT (ex ROTTERDAM) room Montreal to New York before she was laid up in The Bahamas.
Martin presented "missing liners: lost hills" a photographic exhibition in Los Angeles's China Town in 2002, referencing a visit made with Peter Knego to China, Hong Kong and Manila in search of the former AUGUSTUS, ANCERVILLE and a rafrt of Hong Kong gambling ships.
In January 2004 Martin curated a large exhibtion called "Hollywood to Honolulu, the story of the Los Angeles Steamship Co" at the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, with co-author Gordon Ghareeb.
In January 2005, Cox co-founded MOTI OBSCURA an architecture and interior design photography company in Los Angeles.
In 2008, he continues to expand Maritimematters and his Fine Photography through his studio in Los Angeles. After ten years of research, his heavily illustrated book "Hollywood to Honolulu, the Los Angeles Steamship Co" by Martin Cox and co-writer Gordon Ghareeb, published by the Steamship Historical Society of America, will be available the Autumn.