Help encourage new writing in maritime history
The SWMHS Research Prize has been established to recognise and encourage high-quality new research and writing in maritime history.
The prize has been made possible by the generosity of Mike Duffy, for many years a Trustee of SWMHS and a past Head of the Centre for Maritime Historical Studies at the University of Exeter. Mike has made a founding gift of £5,000 to give the prize its start.
We are now asking members and supporters to help build a £10,000 launch fund, enabling SWMHS to offer two annual prizes of £250 and support publication opportunities through the South West Maritime History Journal and other SWMHS channels.
Why your support matters
The prize will encourage new maritime history writing based on original research. It will be open to students, independent researchers, local historians, emerging scholars, SWMHS members and non-members.
The key test will be the quality of the work, not whether the writer is attached to a university or academic institution.
Prizes of this kind can have real impact. The previous SWMHS Essay Prize helped winners take their research further, including work that went on to become the heart of a PhD and eventually a book. We want the new SWMHS Research Prize to encourage the next wave of serious maritime history writing.
Help us reach £10,000
Mike Duffy’s founding gift has already taken us halfway to the target.
If members and supporters can raise a further £2,500, SWMHS Trustees have agreed to set aside up to £2,500 from Society funds to help us reach the full £10,000 launch fund.
If every member gave just £10, we would raise £2,500. Together with Mike’s gift, that would take us to 75% of the target before SWMHS match funding.
Make a contribution
You can make a contribution through our website shop.
This is a voluntary donation to the SWMHS Research Prize Fund. No goods or services are supplied in return.
Thank you
Your contribution will help SWMHS do more than enjoy and publish maritime history. It will help us encourage new research, new writers and new maritime history for years to come.