The Marine Society

A History of the British Merchant Navy: Volume One
Richard Woodman – 07524548145

Every once in a while, a book comes along that you know will be a treat to read even before you open it: the author’s name is enough to ensure that what is contained within its pages will be well-researched, written in an elegant style and enthral from cover to cover – and Richard Woodman is one such name.

We at MSSC are obviously slightly biased, because he wrote our 250-year history “...of daring temper” but as readers of Lloyd’s List will be aware, Captain Woodman’s observations on every aspect of maritime life are always worth reading – and his five volume series will doubtless become the definitive history of the British Merchant Navy.

This first volume commences with the period in which the Tudor dynasty was emerging and as was pointed out in a history of the mercantile sea-service in the First World War by Archibald Hurd: ‘It was forgotten by the British people that the British Merchant Navy had a war history dating back to a period anterior to the founding of the Royal Navy’ – commonly perceived to be the brainchild of Henry VIII (unless you happen to be in favour of Alfred the Great…)

What comes across strongly in this book – to be published on 30th November – is the immense research that has evidently been untaken to produce this work and the result is a fascinating combination of the accounts of individuals with historical analysis, all the while concentrating on the part the merchant navy has played in the shaping of that history. As an example, the plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of London the following year don’t even rate a full sentence – because what is important is the maritime aspect of the period in question.

The main player throughout this volume is the East India Company, which dominated world trade, and it’s a sobering statistic that between the years 1700 to 1800, the British fleet (in part due to the English Navigation Acts insisting that all imports should be carried in British vessels) grew from 3,281 ships to a staggering 20,893 – all needing to be manned (which is where The Marine Society comes in again).

Despite being scholarly, this volume is eminently readable, encompassing piracy and adventure on the high seas and ashore, and establishes the British merchant marine as fundamental to empire-building and colonisation of much of the world, making rich men – and within a generation, gentlemen – of many of the masters involved in the trade. The notes at the end of each chapter give further insight into some of the names mentioned – and it could almost be argued that this volume ends on a cliff-hanger in anticipation of Britannia’s Realm, to follow in the new year.

This book would be a must for anyone interested in naval history at any time of year, but is conveniently available just in time to be the perfect Christmas present. We think you’ll enjoy it.