Mariners on the Margins

David Prior (B.A. M.A., L.L.B.) has always been interested in history. He studied ancient history at school before matriculating to study arts and law at Sydney University. His thesis, completed in 2011, was Pirates Slave Traders Savages or simply misunderstood? Colonial Imagination of the Sealers and the Frustration of Authority. Since then, David's research has led to the publication of Stone Carver: The Life and Times of Franco Vallario, as well as Mariners on the Margins. David is now working on a third manuscript, Beyond Dystopia: The Enduring legacy of the Chief and Missionary. David has reviewed three books on maritime subjects, published in The Great Circle, a journal of the Australian Association for Maritime History. He was recently granted a residency at the Lighthouse Arts Centre at Nobbys in Newcastle. Apart from his interest in Australian colonial history, David is an avid photographer, gardener and plays field hockey at a reasonably high level. He practices part-time as a business family and commercial lawyer.