The son of Sir Denis Brogan and Olwen Phillis Francis (Lady Brogan), Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, archaeologist and authority on Roman Libya, he was educated at Street Faith"s School, Cambridge, Repton School, and Street John"s College, Cambridge, graduating Bachelor in 1959 and Master of Arts in 1964.
Street John"s College.
As a young man he was apparently interested in Hobbits, as evidenced by a letter in reply to him from J.R.R. Tolkien, dated 7 April 1948. Brogan was on the staff of The Economist from 1960 to 1963, and was elected a Harkness Fellow in 1962, then was a fellow of Street John"s College, Cambridge, from 1963 to 1974. He was then part of the department of history at the University of Essex from 1974 to 1998, first as a lecturer, then a reader, and finally as Professor of History from 1992 to 1998.
