Welcome to the British Commission for Maritime History

We aim to enhance knowledge and understanding of human societies’ relationship with the sea throughout the past, a subject area that embraces a wide variety of historical topics including social, political, economic, naval, coastal, and technological history, as well as nautical archaeology.

To achieve this objective, BCMH encourages enthusiasts, historians, and students to engage in research and learning in maritime history by:

• awarding prizes to undergraduates, MA and PhD students.
• organising a public lecture series at King’s College London and Lloyd’s Register.
• convening the annual 'New Researchers in Maritime History' conference.

We welcome enquiries about our activities but please note that we are unable to answer individual requests for research. For general information on maritime history please visit our Resources page.