Navy Records Society

Publications

Men, Mariners, Gunners
From the Anthony Roll

The Navy Records Society regularly publishes volumes of all kinds of records relating to naval history. So far, it has published more than 150. See a complete list of NRS volumes.

Documents are transcribed, translated where necessary, and indexed. A scholarly introduction provides context and a guide to interpretation. About half the Society's volumes are in print. Find out how to buy them and how to find those that are out of print.

NRS volumes

There are four types of volume:

  1. Personal papers
  2. Themed volumes
  3. Naval miscellanies
  4. Special volumes

1. Personal papers

Many of the Society's volumes consist of personal papers of important naval figures. Among the major figures covered are: Nelson, Fisher, Beatty, St Vincent, Jellicoe, Somerville, Cunningham, Keyes, Collingwood, Anson, Hawke, Hood and Vernon. See the list of personal papers.

2. Themed volumes

Some volumes consist of papers covering a particular period or topic, such as the defeat of the Spanish Armada, the Russian fleet in the reign of Peter the Great and the Submarine Service during the First World War. See the list of themed volumes.

3. Miscellanies

These are collections of mainly hitherto unpublished documents, diaries and letters, put together by one of the Society's editors. They are idiosyncratic, rather in the way of a commonplace book. You never know what aspect of naval history you may come across in the naval miscellanies.

4. Special volumes

These are some of the most popular volumes. They include the illustrated Anthony Roll of Henry VIII's navy and a volume of documents covering British naval history from 1204 to 1960. Read more about the special volumes.