A. W. H. Pearsall
Encyclopedia
Alan William Halliday Pearsall, (born in Leeds
on 14 November 1925 - died in London
on 31 March 2006) was a naval and railway historian, who served for thirty years from 1955 to 1985 on the staff of the National Maritime Museum
, Greenwich.
at Sheffield University and Manchester University, and his wife Marjorie Williamson
, a lecturer in botany
, was born at Leeds, while his parents were both lecturers at the University of Leeds
. Illness prevented him from attending school between the years of 9 and 13. On completing Grammar School at Morecambe
in 1942, he volunteered to join the Royal Navy
as a 17-year-old and served in India. After demobilisation and a year of recovery from tropical illness, Pearsall went on to Trinity Hall, Cambridge
, where he read history. Completing his degree, he began graduate work in naval history under Professor Gerald S. Graham
at King's College London
, but did not complete his doctorate.
in 1955, rising to become Curator of Manuscripts in the 1960s, and then Historian, before he retired in 1985. On his retirement, he was appointed to the Imperial Service Order
in recognition of his wide-ranging knowledge of five centuries of British naval history and, as one obituarist characterised it, "his extraordinary value as adviser, teacher and scholarly oracle to colleagues at Greenwich, and to the wider specialist communities and information-seeking public that the museum serves". Although he published no major single work of his own, he published a variety of authoritative articles informed by his deep knowledge of archival materials. Most importantly, his scholarly and informative advice was acknowledged in hundreds of works written by three generations of naval historians.
Pearsall was a member of numerous learned organisations associated with his passionate interests in British naval history, railway history, and fortifications. His most important work, however, was done in connection with the Navy Records Society
, which he served as a member of Council and as Vice President, as well as editing 80 pages of documents on the nineteenth century in the Society's Centenary volume published in 1993. In addition, he contributed numerous articles to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004).
Vol. 131 (1993), edited by John B. Hattendorf, R. J. B. Knight
, A.W.H. Pearsall, N. A. M. Rodger, and Geoffrey Till
.
].
http://www.navyrecordssociety.com/newsletters/nrsnl200617.pdf/ Navy Records Society Newsletter, No, 17, Summer 2006, by R. J. B. Knight
].
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
on 14 November 1925 - died 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...
on 31 March 2006) was a naval and railway historian, who served for thirty years from 1955 to 1985 on the staff of the National Maritime Museum
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
, Greenwich.
Early life and education
The eldest son of William Harold Pearsall, (1891–1964), F.R.S., and professor of freshwater biologyFreshwater biology
Freshwater ecosystems are a subset of Earth's aquatic ecosystems. They include lakes and ponds, rivers, streams and springs, and wetlands. They can be contrasted with marine ecosystems, which have a larger salt content...
at Sheffield University and Manchester University, and his wife Marjorie Williamson
Marjorie Williamson
Dame Elsie Marjorie Williamson, DBE was a British academic, educator, physicist and university administrator.-Education:...
, a lecturer in botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, was born at Leeds, while his parents were both lecturers at the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
. Illness prevented him from attending school between the years of 9 and 13. On completing Grammar School at Morecambe
Morecambe
Morecambe is a resort town and civil parish within the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. As of 2001 it has a resident population of 38,917. It faces into Morecambe Bay...
in 1942, he volunteered to join the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as a 17-year-old and served in India. After demobilisation and a year of recovery from tropical illness, Pearsall went on to Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
, where he read history. Completing his degree, he began graduate work in naval history under Professor Gerald S. Graham
Gerald S. Graham
Gerald Sandford Graham was Rhodes Professor of Imperial History at King's College London from 1949 until his retirement in 1970...
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...
, but did not complete his doctorate.
Professional career
Encouraged by Graham, Pearsall took a position as a general assistant at the National Maritime MuseumNational Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
in 1955, rising to become Curator of Manuscripts in the 1960s, and then Historian, before he retired in 1985. On his retirement, he was appointed to the Imperial Service Order
Imperial Service Order
The Imperial Service Order was established by King Edward VII in August 1902. It was awarded on retirement to the administration and clerical staff of the Civil Service throughout the British Empire for long and meritorious service. Normally a person must have served for 25 years to become...
in recognition of his wide-ranging knowledge of five centuries of British naval history and, as one obituarist characterised it, "his extraordinary value as adviser, teacher and scholarly oracle to colleagues at Greenwich, and to the wider specialist communities and information-seeking public that the museum serves". Although he published no major single work of his own, he published a variety of authoritative articles informed by his deep knowledge of archival materials. Most importantly, his scholarly and informative advice was acknowledged in hundreds of works written by three generations of naval historians.
Pearsall was a member of numerous learned organisations associated with his passionate interests in British naval history, railway history, and fortifications. His most important work, however, was done in connection with 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...
, which he served as a member of Council and as Vice President, as well as editing 80 pages of documents on the nineteenth century in the Society's Centenary volume published in 1993. In addition, he contributed numerous articles to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004).
Published works
- North Irish channel services Pamphlet (1962)
- North Irish transport Six Pamphlets
- The Second Dutch War: de tweede Engelse oorlog 1665-1667 Pamphlet (1967).
- 'British convoys in the North SeaNorth SeaIn the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
1781-1782' Article - 'The Bombardment of AcreAcre, IsraelAcre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
, November 3, 1840,' Sefunin, vol 2 (1967-8), pp. 50–55 - ShippingShippingShipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
: a survey of historical records. Edited by Peter MathiasPeter MathiasPeter Mathias is a British economic historian. He attended Colston's School and Bristol Grammar School where he became interested in history. In December 1945, he applied for a scholarship at King's College, Cambridge; instead he won an Exhibition at Jesus College, Cambridge during Summer 1946...
and A. W. H. Pearsall (1971). - 'Bomb vesselBomb vesselA bomb vessel, bomb ship, bomb ketch, or simply bomb was a type of wooden sailing naval ship. Its primary armament was not cannon —although bomb vessels carried a few cannon for self-defence—but rather mortars mounted forward near the bow and elevated to a high angle, and projecting their fire in a...
s', Polar Record, vol 16 (1973), pp. 781–83. - Nicholas PocockNicholas Pocockthumb|Pocock's bird's-eye-view painting of the [[Battle of Copenhagen ]]Nicholas Pocock was a British artist best known for his many detailed paintings of naval battles during the age of sail....
1741-1821 : a selection of his marine works from the collections of the National Maritime MuseumNational Maritime MuseumThe National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
Pamphlet (1975) - Old postcard views from the Walter Dowsett collection : No 1 River ThamesRiver ThamesThe River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
Coauthor (1976) - Old postcard views from the Walter Dowsett collection : the rivers and coast of East AngliaEast AngliaEast Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
Coauthor (1983) - 'Lord Anson: Sailor-Statesman or Not?', in Abigail T. Siddall, ed., Actes du 7e Colloque Internationale d'histoire Militaire, (1984), pp. 270–79.
- 'Naval Aspects of the Landings on the French Coast, 1758', in N. A. M. Rodger, ed., Naval Miscellany, volume 5 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...
, (1985), pp. 207–243. - 'The Royal Navy and Trade Protection, 1788-1714,' Renaissance and Modern Studies, vol. 30 (1989), pp. 109–23.
- 'Some aspects of Irish maritime history', RSA J, Vol. 138 (1990), pp. 843–845
- The HolyheadHolyheadHolyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
steamers of the L. & N. W. R.London and North Western RailwayThe London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
(1991) - British Naval Documents 1204-1960, 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...
,
Vol. 131 (1993), edited by John B. Hattendorf, R. J. B. Knight
R. J. B. Knight
R. J. B. Knight is one of Britain's leading naval historians of the 18th century, a former Deputy Director of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, and author of a distinguished biography of Admiral Lord Nelson....
, A.W.H. Pearsall, N. A. M. Rodger, and Geoffrey Till
Geoffrey Till
Geoffrey Till, FKC is a British naval historian and Professor of Maritime Studies in the Defence Studies Department of King's College London.-Early life and education:...
.
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004), wrote or revised the biographies of the following individuals:
- Sir Richard Bickerton, 1st Baronet (1727–1792), naval officer
- Thomas Brodrick (1704–1769), naval officer
- Thomas Coppack (1895–1981), shipowner
- Andrew DouglasAndrew DouglasAndrew Grant Douglas is a former Republican justice of the Ohio Supreme Court who served in that office from 1985 to 2002.-See also:*Ohio Supreme Court**List of Justices of the Ohio Supreme Court...
(d. 1725), naval officer - Sir William George Fairfax 1739–1813), naval officer
- Sir Thomas Frankland, 5th BaronetSir Thomas Frankland, 5th BaronetAdmiral Sir Thomas Frankland, 5th Baronet was a British naval officer, MP and slave trader. He was the second son of Henry Frankland and Mary Cross...
(1718–1784), naval officer and politician - Samuel GravesSamuel GravesAdmiral Samuel Graves RN was a British Admiral who is probably best known for his role early in the American War of Independence.-Military career:Graves joined the Royal Navy in 1732...
(1713–1787), naval officer - Richard GreenRichard GreenRichard Green may refer to:*Richard Green , American actor*Richard J. Green , American chemist*Richard Green , English cricketer*Richard K...
(1803–1863), shipowner and philanthropist - Alexander Hood (1758–1798), naval officer
- William LockerWilliam Locker (Royal Navy)William Locker was an officer in the Royal Navy, who served with distinction during the eighteenth century. He rose to the rank of captain and held the posts of flag captain and commodore.-Family and early years:...
(1731–1800), naval officer - William MartinWilliam Martin (Royal Navy officer)William Martin was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Wars of the Spanish and the Austrian Successions.Martin rose from obscure origins to see service during the War of the Spanish Succession...
(c.1696–1756), naval officer - Perry Mayne (c.1700–1761), naval officer
- Sir Edmund Nagle (1757–1830), naval officer
- Henry Osborn, (bap. 1694, d. 1771), naval officer
- Baker Philipps (c.1718–1745), naval officer
- Sir Richard PearsonSir Richard PearsonSir Richard Pearson was a British naval officer who was captain of the ship HMS Serapis during the American Revolution. He was defeated by John Paul Jones on September 23, 1779 in the Battle of Flamborough Head. As a lieutenant in the East Indies he did well during the Seven Years War, where he...
(1731–1806), naval officer - Lord Hugh SeymourLord Hugh SeymourVice-Admiral Lord Hugh Seymour was a senior British Royal Navy officer of the late 18th century who was the fifth son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford and became known for being both a prominent society figure and a highly competent naval officer...
, (1759–1801), naval officer - Charles Watson (1714–1757), naval officer
Obituaries
http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article625635.ece/ The Independent, 6 June 2006 by Pieter van der MerwePieter van der Merwe
Pieter van der Merwe is an English writer on aspects of British maritime history, mainly from 1500 to 1914, but which have also included maritime archaeology and medieval shipbuilding. He also writes on the history of Greenwich, marine painting, stage scene-painting and maritime life in art,...
].
http://www.navyrecordssociety.com/newsletters/nrsnl200617.pdf/ Navy Records Society Newsletter, No, 17, Summer 2006, by R. J. B. Knight
R. J. B. Knight
R. J. B. Knight is one of Britain's leading naval historians of the 18th century, a former Deputy Director of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, and author of a distinguished biography of Admiral Lord Nelson....
].