He was professor of international history at Nottingham Trent University, a prolific writer, editor of the History of Technology book series since 2002 and frequent contributor to Taiwan's Taipei Times, and South China Morning Post.

Beginning in the early 1970s, he wrote many books and articles on the influence of scientific and technological change on the course of global history since the 18th century, with particular focus on the UK and Japan, and was a frequent commentator on international relations.

Born in Warrington, England, raised in Khartoum, Edinburgh, Lowestoft, and Harlow, educated in England, he had university faculty positions in UK, Australia, Japan, and Taiwan.

He alternated between living in Bloomsbury, London and in L’Escala (Spain), residing and working in Taiwan.

This article about an English historian or genealogist is a stub.