I served at sea in the Merchant Navy as a navigating officer, having spent my first year in the German four-masted barque Passat. After qualifying as a master mariner I pursued an academic career in Plymouth, teaching navigation and maritime history to generations of maritime students, while researching maritime social history. I retired from the University of Plymouth in 2000.

My numerous merchant seafaring historical research projects include education, training and welfare, cargo handling and stowage, ports of call, merchant ship deployment, able seamen, engineers and licensing, firemen and trimmers. I have an extensive list of publications, including both articles and books. These build on the themes of my Fellowship – sail training and sail vessel operation in the Baltic.

The Fellowship provided a foundation for these topics and led to subsequent visits speaking on the research undertaken.