About

About Mark Chirnside

Mark Chirnside in RMC Decouverté.Mark is a maritime historian based in the United Kingdom, focusing on the great White Star and Cunard liners of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.   You can keep track of his latest articles, books and presentations by subscribing to his Updates blog on this website.

‘I am not exaggerating to say that you are one of the best lecturers I’ve heard…’

He has authored many critically acclaimed books, including Olympic, Titanic & Britannic: An Illustrated History of the ‘Olympic’ Class Ships (2012), The ‘Big Four’ of the White Star Fleet: Celtic, Cedric, Baltic & Adriatic (2016) and Oceanic: White Star’s ‘Ship of the Century’’ (2018) and contributed to many more.  His works are ‘extraordinarily researched’ and ‘highly recommended’: ‘Once you see the author’s name on the cover you know it’s worth buying’.  He has won no fewer than four ‘Ship of the Month’ awards from Ships Monthly.

He appears regularly on television and radio in the United Kingdom and internationally, including ‘Antiques Road Trip’ on BBC 1, the History Channel, RMC Decouverté; BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Ulster.  Mark also lectures on the subject: ‘I am not exaggerating to say that you are one of the best lecturers I’ve heard…; so articulate, precise and unassuming as you share your in-depth and impeccably referenced knowledge’. 

He is a graduate in History and Politics from the University of Leicester. 

Mark Chirnside in the RMS Olympic's Lounge for an interview on Antiques Road Trip.
Antiques Road Trip: Steven Moore (left) and Mark Chirnside (right) in conversation surrounded by panelling from Olympic’s first class lounge, installed at the White Swan Hotel in Alnwick, Northumberland (United Kingdom). Filming took place in September 2020. (© BBC / STV Productions)

 

A montage of promotional material from some of the televised programmes which have featured Mark Chirnside.
A montage of promotional material from some of the televised programmes which have featured Mark Chirnside.