Montagu Burrows (1819-1905) was born in Hadley, Middlesex, England. He entered the Royal Naval College as a Cadet in August 1832. In October 1834 he joined the "Andromache" as a Midshipman; he passed through the College as a Mate in 1842. During his period of active service, 1834-1846, he received the English and Turkish medals and clasp (for his service on the "Andromache" and other ships), and was involved, under (Sir) Henry Ducie Chads, in suppressing piracy in the Straits Settlements and slavers on the west coast of Africa. In November 1846, he was appointed Gunnery Lieutenant on the training-ship "Excellent"; for his service on this ship he was promoted to Commander in 1852.

In 1853, Burrows entered the University of Oxford where he had decided to study until being called to active service. On graduating he engaged in private teaching, mainly in law and modern history, and in 1860 published Pass and Class , a handbook for Oxford schools on the subjects of literae humaniores, mathematics, natural science, and law and modern history (3rd edition, 1866). In 1862, Burrows became a retired post-Captain and gave up the navy. In the same year he was elected to the Chichele professorship of modern history at the University of Oxford and three years later was elected a fellow of All Souls College. He was also an examiner at the University for the School of law and modern history (1867-1868), and was chairman of the modern history board (January 1889 to March 1893).