Doctor Christopher Hall
Nationality: United Kingdom
Year: 1996
Subject Area: Arts and Humanities
As a military historian confined to a wheelchair, a major hurdle for me has always been gaining access to the necessary documents to pursue my research. My situation worsened considerably when my mother, on whom I relied for mobility, also became severely disabled. This was the state of affairs when I applied for a Wingate scholarship to help me complete a book considering British naval power and the Peninsular War (1807-1814). Approximately half of the required work had been done previously, but now I found myself housebound and stuck.
Thanks entirely to the resulting Wingate grant, I was able to employ a researcher, who, under my instruction, read and had photocopied the necessary documentation. With this now at hand, I was able to complete the book, ‘Wellington’s Navy’, which was published in 2004. Its completion meant a great deal to me and I shall always be grateful for the assistance I received.