D. M. Schurman
Encyclopedia
Donald Mackenzie Schurman (born 2 September 1925 in Sydney
, Nova Scotia
, Canada
) was a professor of history at Queen's University
, Kingston
, Ontario
, and also served at the Royal Military College of Canada
. In the Festschrift published in his honour in 1997, the editors hailed D. M. Schurman as the "founder of the serious study of naval history in Canada".
and became a flying officer in 1945. After demobilisation, he attended Acadia University
, where he earned his bachelor of arts degree in 1949. Going on to graduate studies at Sidney Sussex College, he completed his Ph.D. in history in 1955 with a thesis on Imperial defence, 1868-1887'.
. Schurman's research on this subject had a profound effect on the study of naval history in Canada, and influenced a new generation of naval historians in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Schurman joined with John Matthews, Professor of English at Queens University, to start a search in 1972 for the letters of Benjamin Disraeli as a sabbatical project. Their success in tracking down many previously undiscovered manuscript letters led to the establishment in 1975 of the Disraeli Project. They were joined in their effort by Professor J. A. W. Gunn
, Professor (and at that time Head) of the Political Science Department at Queen’s. Professor Matthews was appointed Senior Editor, and Schurman joined in editing the first two volumes of the project. When the funding ended after the first two volumes, the project became dormant, but has since continued on the foundation that Matthews and Schurman initially laid.
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) was a professor of history at Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
, Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and also served at the Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
. In the Festschrift published in his honour in 1997, the editors hailed D. M. Schurman as the "founder of the serious study of naval history in Canada".
Early life and education
The son of Bertrand Lloyd Schurman, a civil servant, and his wife, Mabel P. Mackenzie, Donald Schurman joined the Royal Canadian Air ForceRoyal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
and became a flying officer in 1945. After demobilisation, he attended Acadia University
Acadia University
Acadia University is a predominantly undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada with some graduate programs at the master's level and one at the doctoral level...
, where he earned his bachelor of arts degree in 1949. Going on to graduate studies at Sidney Sussex College, he completed his Ph.D. in history in 1955 with a thesis on Imperial defence, 1868-1887'.
Career
Schurman began his work as an historian of the British Empire, but this topic became unpopular as a scholarly subject so Schurman translated his interest in imperial history to naval history. His 1965 book 'The Education of a Navy, The Development of British Naval Strategic Thought, 1867-1914' (London: Cassell, 1965), focusses on the development of strategic thinking in the Royal Navy, created a new approach to the subject that linked naval thinkers and their personalities with British imperial naval policy and strategy. He followed this with a biography of the important strategic thinker, Sir Julian CorbettJulian Corbett
Sir Julian Stafford Corbett was a prominent British naval historian and geostrategist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, whose works helped shape the Royal Navy's reforms of that era...
. Schurman's research on this subject had a profound effect on the study of naval history in Canada, and influenced a new generation of naval historians in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Schurman joined with John Matthews, Professor of English at Queens University, to start a search in 1972 for the letters of Benjamin Disraeli as a sabbatical project. Their success in tracking down many previously undiscovered manuscript letters led to the establishment in 1975 of the Disraeli Project. They were joined in their effort by Professor J. A. W. Gunn
J. A. W. Gunn
John Alexander Wilson "Jock" Gunn is Sir Edward Peacock Professor Emeritus in the Department of Political Studies, Queen's University, Canada. In 2001, Dr. Gunn retired after forty years of service to the University...
, Professor (and at that time Head) of the Political Science Department at Queen’s. Professor Matthews was appointed Senior Editor, and Schurman joined in editing the first two volumes of the project. When the funding ended after the first two volumes, the project became dormant, but has since continued on the foundation that Matthews and Schurman initially laid.
Published works
- Catalogue of the Corbett papers, compiled by Brian Tunstall; assisted by Peter M. Stanford and D.M. Schurman. (1958)
- The education of a navy: the development of British naval strategic thought, 1867-1914. (1965)
- Julian S. Corbett, 1854-1922 : historian of British maritime policy from Drake to Jellicoe. (1981)
- Benjamin Disraeli Letters, Volume One: 1815–1834, ed. J. A. W. Gunn, John Matthews, Donald M. Schurman, and M. G. Wiebe (1982).
- Benjamin Disraeli Letters, Volume Two: 1835–1837, ed. J. A. W. Gunn, John Matthews, Donald M. Schurman, and M. G. Wiebe (1982).
- A bishop and his people: John Travers Lewis and the Anglican Diocese of Ontario, 1862-1902. (1991)
- Imperial defence, 1868-1887 ¨by Donald Mackenzie Schurman; edited by John Beeler. (2000)
Contributions
- A. M. J. Hyatt, ed., From Dreadnought to Polaris (1973)
- 'Historians and Britain's Imperial Strategic Stance in 1914', in John E. Flint and Glyndwr WilliamsGlyndwr WilliamsGlyndwr Williams has been Professor of History at Queen Mary, University of London since 1974 and has specialized in this history of exploration and the history of Europe overseas. He was appointed a professor emeritus of the University of London in 1997.-Academic career:Williams earned his...
, eds. Perspectives of Empire: Essays Presented to Gerald S. GrahamGerald S. GrahamGerald Sandford Graham was Rhodes Professor of Imperial History at King's College London from 1949 until his retirement in 1970...
, (1973)
- Gerald Tulchinsky, ed., To Preserve and Defend (1976)
- Gerald Jordan, ed., Warfare in the Twentieth Century. (1977)
- 'Julian Corbett's Influence on the Royal Navy's Perception of its Maritime Function,' in James GoldrickJames GoldrickRear Admiral James Vincent Purcell Goldrick AM, CSC is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy, author, and a naval historian. He currently holds the position of Commander Joint Education, Training and Warfare-Early life and education:...
and John HattendorfJohn HattendorfJohn Brewster Hattendorf is an American naval historian. He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of more than forty books on British and American maritime history and naval warfare. In 2005, the U.S...
eds., Mahan is Not Enough: The Proceedings of a Conference on the Works of Sir Julian CorbettJulian CorbettSir Julian Stafford Corbett was a prominent British naval historian and geostrategist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, whose works helped shape the Royal Navy's reforms of that era...
and Admiral Sir Herbert RichmondHerbert RichmondAdmiral Sir Herbert William Richmond KCB was a prominent naval officer, who also served as Vere Harmsworth Professor of Imperial and Naval History at Cambridge University and Master of Downing College, Cambridge...
(1993)
- 'Introduction' by John HattendorfJohn HattendorfJohn Brewster Hattendorf is an American naval historian. He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of more than forty books on British and American maritime history and naval warfare. In 2005, the U.S...
and D. M. Schurman' in Julian S. Corbett, Maritime Operations in the Russo-Japanese War, 1904-05. (1994)
- 'Imperial Naval Defence: The and Now' in K. Neilson and E.J. Errington, eds., Navies and Global Defence (1995)
Festschrift
- Far-flung lines: essays in imperial defence in honour of Donald Mackenzie Schurman, edited by Greg Kennedy and Keith Neilson. (1997)