Dr David J Starkey

Director - Maritime Historical Studies Centre Wilson Family Lecturer in Maritime History

DAVID J STARKEY graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in Economic History. He then gained an MA in the History of the Atlantic Economy at the University of Exeter, which led to doctoral research into the character, scale and significance of British privateering in the eighteenth century. This interest in an activity that was both a branch of the shipping industry and a privately-funded arm of Britain's naval force encouraged him to focus on the maritime dimensions of the historical process.

Having gained his PhD, Dr Starkey was appointed Research Fellow in the Maritime History of Devon project at the University of Exeter, an appointment that was followed by two further research fellowships in maritime history at Exeter. In 1994, Dr Starkey joined the History Department at Hull when he became the holder of the first permanent lectureship to be dedicated to maritime historical studies in the UK university sector. This post – the Wilson Family Lectureship in Maritime History – was complemented in 1998 by the establishment of the Philip Nicholas Memorial Lectureship in Maritime History (currently held by Dr Richard Gorski). On the basis of this unique institutional commitment to maritime history, the Department founded the Maritime Historical Studies Centre, which is based in its own building, Blaydes House, in the heart of Hull's Old Town. Dr Starkey is Director of the MHSC.

Research Interests and Projects

Dr Starkey has researched into many facets of maritime history – which might be defined as the history of the interaction between human societies and the marine environment. His research has yielded a range of publications, including:

British Privateering Enterprise in the Eighteenth Century. Exeter, University of Exeter Press, 1990, 344pp, ISBN 0-85989-312-X.

'Concentration and Dependency? The Distribution of Britain's Maritime Industries, 1870-1914' in Leo M. Akveld, Frits R. Loomeijer & Morten Hahn-Pedersen, eds., Financing the Maritime Sector. Esbjerg, Fiskeri- og Sofratsmuseets, 2002: 261-84. ISBN 87-90982-03-7.

'Growth and Transition in Britain's Maritime Economy 1870-1914: The Case of South West England' in David J Starkey & Alan G Jamieson, eds., Exploiting the Sea: Aspects of Britain's Maritime Economy since 1870 . Exeter, University of Exeter Press, 1998: 7-36. ISBN 0-85989-533-5.

'A Restless Spirit. British Privateering Enterprise, 1739-1815' in David J Starkey, Els van Eyck van Heslinga & J A de Moor, eds., Pirates and Privateers: New Perspectives on the War on Trade in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Exeter. University of Exeter Press, 1997: 126-40. ISBN 0-85989-481-9.

Dr Starkey is, or has been, engaged in the following major research projects:

The History of Marine Animal Populations (HMAP)
(2000-ongoing)
This international, multi-disciplinary project forms part of the Census of Marine Life initiative. Conceived as a ten-year research programme, the Census is designed to assess what did, what does, and what will live in the world's oceans. HMAP is the historical component of this major initiative. Based at three centres – the universities of Hull, Southern Denmark, and New Hampshire – the project draws upon the expertise and techniques of historians, ecologists and natural scientists to examine the long-term impact of human fishing activity on selected marine ecosystems.

England's Sea Fisheries
(1997-2000)
This project brought together 25 contributors and culminated in: David J Starkey, Chris Reid & Neil Ashcroft, eds., England's Sea Fisheries: The Commercial Sea Fisheries of England & Wales since c.1300. London, Chatham Press, 2000, 272pp, ISBN1-86176-124-4.

Shipping Movements
(1993-1998)
Rendering accessible the port-by-port statistics pertaining to the traffic handled by the UK's ports in the 1871-1913 period, this project resulted in the publication of David J Starkey, with Richard Gorski, Sue Milward & Tony Pawlyn, eds., Shipping Movements in the Ports of the United Kingdom, 1871-1913: A Statistical Profile. Exeter, University of Exeter Press, 1999, 359pp, ISBN 0-85989-616-1

Teaching

Dr Starkey teaches various modules on three programmes, as follows:

Certificate in British Maritime History

• Trade, Shipping and Ports, 1550-1850
• The Sea Transport Industries since 1850

BA in History/BA in History with Maritime History

• 20372 : Piracy, Privateering and the Atlantic Economy, c.1560-1856
• 20338 : Sea Change: Britain's Maritime Interests since 1890
• 20403 : Shipowning and Seafaring, 1830-1914 - the case of Hull

MA in Maritime History

• 20609 : Sources & Methods for Maritime History
• 20704 : British Merchant Shipping since 1786

Postgraduate Supervision

Dr Starkey supervises a number of part-time and full-time PhD students researching into various aspects of maritime history.

Departmental Responsibilities

• Director, Maritime Historical Studies Centre
• Director, Blaydes House
• Director, Reach-out

External Responsibilities & Committee Membership

• Editor, International Journal of Maritime History
• Editor, Studia Atlantica (North Atlantic Fisheries History Association
• Steering Group, European Census of Marine Life
• International Steering Group, HMAP
• Council, SS Great Britain Trust
• British Commission for Maritime History
• Steering Committee, North Atlantic Fisheries History Association