Naval brass honour Exeter historian

Leading scholars who have worked with Dr Duffy, including former Exeter Professor Nicholas Rodger (now at All Souls College Oxford), and Professors Andrew Lambert and Richard Harding, as well as past and present Exeter staff and students, will explore themes surrounding management in naval and maritime history. Professor Jonathan Gosling and Dr Roger Morris analyse the Napoleonic period, while Exeter academic Duncan Redford will discuss how the various sub cultures and hierarchies of engineering, supply, executive, submarine and aviation view each other within the modern Royal Navy. Based on his personal experience of serving in the Royal Navy his research illuminates the complexities of the organisation.

As a tribute to his contribution to the field the Royal Navy and the South West Maritime History Society are supporting this conference.

Dr Duffy’s research interests cover all aspects of the British response to the French Revolutionary and Napoleon. Having worked at the University for 40 years, Dr Duffy was Director of the Centre for Maritime Historical Studies between 1991 and 2007 and led the field in building this area of research at Exeter. Under Dr Duffy’s guidance Exeter was the first university in the UK to offer a Masters in Naval History.

The Centre seeks to promote research into economic, social, political, naval and environmental aspects of the British maritime past from the earliest times to the present day, drawing on European and international experience.

Dr Maria Fusaro, the current Director of the Centre for Maritime Historical Studies at Exeter said, “Mike Duffy’s contribution to British Naval and Maritime history has been truly unique. In the course of the last 40 years, in addition to his own important contribution to research and scholarship, he has been a caring and challenging mentor for generations of historians at Exeter and elsewhere. Throughout his long career Mike has tirelessly supported Naval and Maritime history at regional, national and international level becoming one of the most recognizable and esteemed figures in the field. The topic of the conference – leadership – is indeed a fitting tribute to his work and vision.”

He also made significant contributions as the former editor of The Mariner’s Mirror, a journal for nautical research. As a Fellow of Royal Historical Society, chair of the council of the Navy Records Society and council member of the Society for Nautical Research and the South West Maritime History Society, Dr Duffy has been at the forefront of all aspects of this area of study.

Dr Duffy said of his experience within the field: “I have always considered the founding of the Centre for Maritime Historical Studies as one of my most useful contributions to the study of history. In the eighteen years of its life so far it has been a tremendous success and through its students, its conferences, its publications and its websites has given us a niche which has help Exeter gain an international reputation in maritime studies.”

The words of Lord Admiral Nelson, ‘Thank God, I have done my duty.’ seem fitting in describing the impact Dr Duffy has had on Maritime Historical Studies.