Gerald S. Graham
Encyclopedia
Gerald Sandford Graham was Rhodes Professor of Imperial History
at King's College London
from 1949 until his retirement in 1970. He earned a world reputation for his series of in-depth studies of the interrelationship between sea power and the development of the British empire.
In 1929, Graham married Winifred Emily Ware (1907–1990), with whom he had a son. They divorced in 1950 and he married Constance Mary Greey, with whom he had two daughters and a son.
, where he remained until 1936, when he received an appointment as assistant professor of history at Queen's University
. There, he was quickly promoted to associate professor, and then full professor.
For 1940-41, he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship
that resulted in Graham's first major book that showed his shift of research interests to British naval history: Sea Power and British North America, 1783- 1820. Toward the end of 1941, he joined the Canadian Army, but quickly shifted to the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
and was appointed an instructor lieutenant commander
to teach entering officers at Royal Roads Military College
. While teaching there, Graham was able to get first-hand experience of the war at sea, by spending time during academic breaks on board Canadian destroyers in the Atlantic and in torpedo boats at Dover
. Following the allied landings in northern France in 1944, Graham was returned to the Canadian Army as a major, and served with the historical section of the Canadian Army Overseas in London
.
Graham's military assignment to London
was the event that led him to stay in Britain for the remainder of his career. After demobilization, he was appointed lecturer in history at Birkbeck College, London
, and in 1949 was elected to succeed Professor Vincent Harlow as Rhodes Professor of Imperial History at King's College London
.
Gerald Graham served as Rhodes Professor for 29-years until his retirement at the age of 67 in 1970, when he was appointed professor emeritus. While in that academic post, Graham specialized in teaching the history of the British Empire
in the period 1880-1932 and in British colonial history. He traveled and lectured widely through the Commonwealth.
In addition to his teaching, he worked closely with the Royal Commonwealth Society
, to which he had initially been elected in 1928, later becoming a Life Fellow and Vice-President. He was a member of its Library Committee from 1948–1955, its Imperial Studies Committee in 1952-57, and chairman of its Academic Committee, which awarded the Walter Frewen Lord Prize for the best postgraduate essay in imperial history. In addition, revived the Society's monograph series, Imperial Studies, and he edited volumes XXII (1961) through XXIX (1970) of the series. Similarly in working with the Oxford University Press
, Graham served as general editor of its West African History series, most of which became the standard works on this field.
In 1963-64, Queen's University, Belfast honoured Graham by inviting him to deliver the Wiles Lectures, which were published the next year by Cambridge University Press as The Politics of Naval Supremacy. In 1967, Graham delivered the Reid Lectures at Acadia University
, which were published as Tides of Empire: Discursions on the Expansion of Britain Overseas]].
Immediately after Graham's retirement in London, he returned to Canada for two years as to serve as visiting professor of military and strategic studies at the University of Western Ontario
in 1970-1972. After this appointment, Graham returned to his permanent home in England at St Leonards-on-Sea
, where he died at the age of 85 in 1988.
John Flint, 'Graham, Gerald Sandford (1903–1988)' in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2006).
Rhodes Professor of Imperial History
The Rhodes Professorship of Imperial History is one of the senior professorships in History at King's College London and was endowed by the Rhodes Trust in 1919. After the Beit Professorship of Colonial History at Oxford , it is the second oldest chair in its subject in the world.-List of...
at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
from 1949 until his retirement in 1970. He earned a world reputation for his series of in-depth studies of the interrelationship between sea power and the development of the British empire.
In 1929, Graham married Winifred Emily Ware (1907–1990), with whom he had a son. They divorced in 1950 and he married Constance Mary Greey, with whom he had two daughters and a son.
Academic, Military, and Naval Career
On his return from Germany in 1930, Graham was appointed instructor and tutor in history at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, where he remained until 1936, when he received an appointment as assistant 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...
. There, he was quickly promoted to associate professor, and then full professor.
For 1940-41, he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
that resulted in Graham's first major book that showed his shift of research interests to British naval history: Sea Power and British North America, 1783- 1820. Toward the end of 1941, he joined the Canadian Army, but quickly shifted to the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve was a naval reserve force of the Royal Canadian Navy, which replaced the Royal Navy Canadian Volunteer Reserve .-Foundation:...
and was appointed an instructor lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
to teach entering officers at Royal Roads Military College
Royal Roads Military College
Royal Roads Military College was a Canadian military college located in Hatley Park, Colwood, British Columbia near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The facility is currently being used as the campus for Royal Roads University, a public university that offers applied and professional academic...
. While teaching there, Graham was able to get first-hand experience of the war at sea, by spending time during academic breaks on board Canadian destroyers in the Atlantic and in torpedo boats at Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
. Following the allied landings in northern France in 1944, Graham was returned to the Canadian Army as a major, and served with the historical section of the Canadian Army Overseas in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Graham's military assignment to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
was the event that led him to stay in Britain for the remainder of his career. After demobilization, he was appointed lecturer in history at Birkbeck College, London
Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It offers many Master's and Bachelor's degree programmes that can be studied either part-time or full-time, though nearly all teaching is...
, and in 1949 was elected to succeed Professor Vincent Harlow as Rhodes Professor of Imperial History at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
.
Gerald Graham served as Rhodes Professor for 29-years until his retirement at the age of 67 in 1970, when he was appointed professor emeritus. While in that academic post, Graham specialized in teaching the history of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
in the period 1880-1932 and in British colonial history. He traveled and lectured widely through the Commonwealth.
In addition to his teaching, he worked closely with the Royal Commonwealth Society
Royal Commonwealth Society
The Royal Commonwealth Society is an international educational charity and a private members' club. Its mission is to support and promote the modern Commonwealth, its culture and core values...
, to which he had initially been elected in 1928, later becoming a Life Fellow and Vice-President. He was a member of its Library Committee from 1948–1955, its Imperial Studies Committee in 1952-57, and chairman of its Academic Committee, which awarded the Walter Frewen Lord Prize for the best postgraduate essay in imperial history. In addition, revived the Society's monograph series, Imperial Studies, and he edited volumes XXII (1961) through XXIX (1970) of the series. Similarly in working with the Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, Graham served as general editor of its West African History series, most of which became the standard works on this field.
In 1963-64, Queen's University, Belfast honoured Graham by inviting him to deliver the Wiles Lectures, which were published the next year by Cambridge University Press as The Politics of Naval Supremacy. In 1967, Graham delivered the Reid Lectures at 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...
, which were published as Tides of Empire: Discursions on the Expansion of Britain Overseas]].
Immediately after Graham's retirement in London, he returned to Canada for two years as to serve as visiting professor of military and strategic studies at the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
in 1970-1972. After this appointment, Graham returned to his permanent home in England at St Leonards-on-Sea
St Leonards-on-Sea
St Leonards-on-Sea is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre. The original part of the settlement was laid out in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off; it also included a central public garden, a...
, where he died at the age of 85 in 1988.
Published works
A complete bibliography of Graham's historical writings for the years 1930 to 1972 was compiled by George Metcalf and published in Graham's festschrift: Flint and Williams, eds., Perspectives of Empire (1973). The list included the following books:- British Policy and Canada: a study in 18th century trade policy (1930)
- Sea power and British North America, 1783-1820: a study in British colonial policy (1941)
- Britain and Canada (1943)
- Canada: a short history (1950)
- Empire of the North Atlantic : the maritime struggle for North America (1950, 1958)
- The Walker Expedition to Quebec, 1711, Publications of the Navy Records SocietyNavy Records SocietyThe 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 Champlain Society, (1953)
- The Navy and South America, 1807-1823 : correspondence of the commanders-in-chief on the South American station, Navy Records SocietyNavy Records SocietyThe 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...
(1962)
- The politics of naval supremacy : studies in British maritime ascendancy (1965)
- Great Britain in the Indian Ocean: a study of maritime enterprise 1810-1850 (1967)
- The secular abyss: an interpretation of history by Gerald S. Graham and John Alexander (1967)
- A concise history of Canada (1968)
- A concise history of the British Empire (1970)
- Tides of empire: discursions on the expansion of Britain overseas (1972)
- The Royal Navy in the War of American Independence (1976)
- The China station: war and diplomacy 1830-1860 (1978)
Sources
K.O. Dike, 'Gerald S. Graham: teacher and historian', in J.E. Flint and Glyndwyr Williams, eds., Perspectives of Empire: Essays presented to Gerald S. Graham (1973), pp. 1–8.John Flint, 'Graham, Gerald Sandford (1903–1988)' in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2006).