Colin White (historian)
Encyclopedia
Colin Saunders White was director of the Royal Naval Museum
, and was one of Britain's leading experts on Admiral Horatio Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar
.
, Essex, at a young age. Educated at Culford School
, Bury St. Edmunds
, he attended Southampton University where he took his bachelor's degree
in history in 1974, and Kings College, London, where he took an M.A.
in War Studies
in 1975.
in September 1975 as a research assistant, rising to become Chief Curator in 1982, then Deputy Director and Head of Museum Services in 1996, with special responsibility for the Museum's ambitious Development Plan. In 2000, he was appointed Chairman of the Official Nelson Celebrations Committee, with responsibility for co-ordinating The Trafalgar 200 Festival, a national and international aeries of events to mark the bicentenary of Trafalgar in 2005. He was Chairman, Official Nelson Commemorations Committee, 2001-2006. In 2006 he was appointed Director of the Royal Naval Museum
and was holding that position at the time of his death from cancer.
A well-known figure on the lecture circuit, he lectured on cruise ships, in the US, and in the UK. He regularly appeared in the British radio, TV and print media, especially during the bicentenary, when he presented his own Radio 4 series: "Nelson: the latest."
Colin White was a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
, the Society of Antiquaries of London
, and a Vice President of the Navy Records Society
and of The 1805 Club
.
He was a long standing member of the Southsea Shakespeare Actors
, a server at Portsmouth Cathedral
, and a keen theatre and cinema goer.
Royal Naval Museum
The Royal Naval Museum is the museum of the history of the Royal Navy in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard section of HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence. Its current Acting Director is Graham Dobbin....
, and was one of Britain's leading experts on Admiral Horatio Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
.
Early life and education
The eldest of two boys born to a chartered electrical engineer and a former Wren, he moved with his family from South London to Frinton-on-SeaFrinton-on-Sea
Frinton-on-Sea is a small seaside town in the Tendring District of Essex, England. It is part of the Parish of Frinton and Walton.-History:...
, Essex, at a young age. Educated at Culford School
Culford School
Culford School is a coeducational HMC and IAPS public school for pupils age 3–18. Founded in 1881, it is situated in Culford, four miles north of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England.-History:...
, Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
, he attended Southampton University where he took his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in history in 1974, and Kings College, London, where he took an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in War Studies
War studies
War studies is the multi-disciplinary study of war. It is distinct from military history in that it encompasses a variety of fields:*Laws of war*Philosophy of war**Ethics of war***Just War Theory**Deterrence theory*Psychology of war...
in 1975.
Museum career
Colin White first became a staff member of the Royal Naval MuseumRoyal Naval Museum
The Royal Naval Museum is the museum of the history of the Royal Navy in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard section of HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence. Its current Acting Director is Graham Dobbin....
in September 1975 as a research assistant, rising to become Chief Curator in 1982, then Deputy Director and Head of Museum Services in 1996, with special responsibility for the Museum's ambitious Development Plan. In 2000, he was appointed Chairman of the Official Nelson Celebrations Committee, with responsibility for co-ordinating The Trafalgar 200 Festival, a national and international aeries of events to mark the bicentenary of Trafalgar in 2005. He was Chairman, Official Nelson Commemorations Committee, 2001-2006. In 2006 he was appointed Director of the Royal Naval Museum
Royal Naval Museum
The Royal Naval Museum is the museum of the history of the Royal Navy in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard section of HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence. Its current Acting Director is Graham Dobbin....
and was holding that position at the time of his death from cancer.
A well-known figure on the lecture circuit, he lectured on cruise ships, in the US, and in the UK. He regularly appeared in the British radio, TV and print media, especially during the bicentenary, when he presented his own Radio 4 series: "Nelson: the latest."
Colin White was a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
Royal Historical Society
The Royal Historical Society was founded in 1868. The premier society in the United Kingdom which promotes and defends the scholarly study of the past, it is based at University College London...
, the Society of Antiquaries of London
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
, and a Vice President of the Navy Records Society
Navy Records Society
The Navy Records Society was established in 1893 as a scholarly society to publish historical documents that illustrated the history of the Royal Navy. Professor Sir John Knox Laughton and Admiral Sir Cyprian Bridge were the key leaders who organized the Society, basing it on the model of earlier...
and of The 1805 Club
1805 Club
The 1805 Club was founded in 1990 to accomplish three objectives:* To assist in the preservation of monuments and memorials relating to Vice- Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson and the seafaring people of the Georgian era....
.
He was a long standing member of the Southsea Shakespeare Actors
Southsea Shakespeare Actors
The Southsea Shakespeare Actors are an amateur theatrical group in Southsea. It has produced nearly 200 plays, of which around two-thirds have been by William Shakespeare. It is notable as the first amateur group in the world to perform the entire Shakespearean canon of plays, during the 1960s, for...
, a server at Portsmouth Cathedral
Portsmouth Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, Portsmouth, commonly known as Portsmouth Cathedral, is the Church of England cathedral of the City of Portsmouth, England and is located in the heart of Old Portsmouth...
, and a keen theatre and cinema goer.
Awards and honours
- Honorary D.Litt. degree, University of PortsmouthUniversity of PortsmouthThe University of Portsmouth is a university in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The University was ranked 60th out of 122 in The Sunday Times University Guide...
, 2004.
- Desmond Wettern Media Award, “For being the most visible spokesman of Britain’s maritime interests in 2005”.
- Distinguished book Prize, Society for Military HistorySociety for Military HistoryThe Society for Military History is an United States-based international organization of scholars who research, write and teach military history of all time periods and places. It includes Naval history, air power history and studies of technology, ideas, and homefronts. It publishes the...
, 2006.
- Longmans-History Today Trustees Award, 2006.
- Distinguished Book Prize, Society for Military HistorySociety for Military HistoryThe Society for Military History is an United States-based international organization of scholars who research, write and teach military history of all time periods and places. It includes Naval history, air power history and studies of technology, ideas, and homefronts. It publishes the...
, 2006.
- Honorary CaptainCaptain (Royal Navy)Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
, Royal Naval ReserveRoyal Naval ReserveThe Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
, 2006.
Published works
- Victoria's navy: the end of the sailing navy. Havant, 1981.
- The Royal Navy in peace and war. Pitkin Pictorials, 1989.
- Victoria's navy: the heyday of steam. Emsworth, 1983.
- HMS Victory. Stroud: Alan Sutton, 1994.
- Nelson's last walk. Nelson Society, 1996.
- The Nelson companion. Stroud: Sutton, 1995; Stroud: Royal Naval Museum Publications [in association with] Sutton, 2005.
- The battle of Cape St Vincent, 14 February 1797. Shelton: The 1805 Club, 1997.
- 1797: Nelson's year of destiny: Cape St. Vincent and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Stroud: Sutton, 1998; Paperback edition, Stroud: Sutton Pub., 2006.
- The Nelson encyclopaedia. London: Chatham in association with the Royal Naval Museum, 2002.
- Nelson. Pitkin Biographical Guide. Hampshire: Jarrold Publishing, 2003.
- Nelson, the new letters. Woodbridge: Boydell Press in association with the National Maritime Museum, 2005.
- Nelson: the Admiral. Stroud: Sutton, 2005.
- The Trafalgar captains: their lives and memorials. Colin White and the 1805 Club1805 ClubThe 1805 Club was founded in 1990 to accomplish three objectives:* To assist in the preservation of monuments and memorials relating to Vice- Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson and the seafaring people of the Georgian era....
. London: Chatham, 2005.