Founded in 1856, the mission (formerly the Mission to Seamen) established bases in 250 ports around the world, with chaplains, staff and volunteers on hand to provide help and support to those far from home.
Since then, it has gone on to address issues such as welfare, safety, the impact of two world wars, and the physical and social isolation of sailors away at sea sometimes for months or even years at a time.
The records document the challenges of their lives, the remarkable work of many far-flung chaplains - and the constant need to raise money to enable them to continue. They include reports, correspondence, photographs, film footage, magazines and newsletters dating back to the mid-19th century.
The History Centre brings together material from the city archives and the Local Studies Library with that of the university. Notable assets include the exceptionally full borough archives dating back to 1299 and the papers of leading Hull-related figures such as Amy Johnson, Philip Larkin, Andrew Marvell and William Wilberforce.
Send suggestions for this series on the treasures, oddities and curiosities owned by universities across the world to matthew.reisz@tsleducation.com.