Welcome! I’m a maritime historian specializing in technology in its historical context. My published work integrates Atlantic, maritime economic, and technological history with the technical history of the ship and both traditional nautical and experimental archaeology. I also have training and experience in public history and preservation. On this site you’ll find information about my publications, project updates and events, consulting services, a current CV, and contact information. Thanks for visiting.

My newsletter, Leeway: Past people, their technology, and us is now available here (link will open in new tab).

My second book, A Boston Schooner in the Royal Navy, 1768–1772: Commerce and Conflict in Maritime British America, is now available for “pre-order” (hardcover only) from Boydell & Brewer; it comes out in April. An e-book version will also be available at a substantially lower price. For a preview or to reserve a copy, click here (link will open in new tab).

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About

I am an independent scholar based in Wilmington, North Carolina, USA. I work in Atlantic World history, maritime history, and the history of technology. So far, my scholarship has focused on merchant ship technology in the 17th and 18th centuries, especially in the British Atlantic. With sailing and diving experience and enthusiasm in hand, I first studied maritime history and nautical archaeology at East Carolina University (M.A. 1998), where I wrote my thesis on the German bark Peking. I worked in the museum and historic site world, taught history as an adjunct for ten years, restored and outfitted a 1977 Pearson 28 sloop, and published several magazine articles about that and other cruising sailboats. I began doctoral study in maritime history in 2012 and received my PhD with distinction from Memorial University of Newfoundland in May 2017.

My first book, The Merchant Ship in the British Atlantic: Continuity and Innovation in a Key Technology, was published by Brill in April 2020. My second,A Boston Schooner in the Royal Navy, 1768–1772: Commerce and Conflict in Maritime British America, will be published by Boydell & Brewer in early 2023. Please see the Publications page for a list of all published and forthcoming work.

I am available for consulting on a variety of historical projects; please see the Consulting Services tab for more information.

My newsletter, Leeway: Past people, their technology, and us is now available here.

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Contact

Please e-mail queries to phillipfrankreid [at] gmail.com.

 

 

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