Research papers and microfilms relating to French privateering, 1689-1713 and to proposals for manning the British Navy, ca. 1660-1860. Related Material MSS/91/007.

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Administrative / biographical background
John Bromley was Professor of Modern History at the University of Southampton from 1959 until his retirement in 1977. He was a student at New College, Oxford and was later appointed to a lectureship at the University of Liverpool, to which he briefly returned after war service with HM Treasury. He became a lecturer and fellow of Keble College until being appointed chair of modern history at Southampton. He joined the Society for Nautical Research whilst at Keble and was elected Honorary Vice-President in 1981. He is best remembered for his masterly edition of volume VI in the NEW CAMBRIDGE MODERN HISTORY series. His major maritime interest was privateering and produced many essays on the subject. He was the principal founder of SNR South, and its first chairman in 1963. Amongst others, he published the following essays and pamphlets: 'Away from impressment : the idea of a Royal Naval Reserve, 1696-1859' (1978), 'The British Navy and its seamen : notes for an unwritten history' (1981), 'The Channel Island privateers in the war of the Spanish succession' (1949), 'French traders in the South Sea : the journal of Lieutenant Pitouays, 1706-1709' (1979), 'Jacques-Winoc Plets, armateur en course (c1650-1716)' (1983), 'The North Sea in wartime (1688-1713)' (1977), 'The Profits of naval command : Captain Joseph Taylor and his prizes' (1978) and 'Quelques reflexions sur le fonctionnement des classes maritimes en France 1689-1713' (1982). He edited the Navy Records Society publication, 'The manning of the royal navy : selected public pamphlets 1693-1873' (1974).