Fred T. Jane

John Fredrick Thomas Jane (6 August 1865 – 8 March 1916) was an author, war gamer, and founding editor of All the World's Fighting Ships and All the World's Airships.

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Biography

Jane was born in Richmond, Surrey, England, but worked most of his life in Portsmouth. His father was a Church of England vicar. He attended Exeter School.^[1] He first began to sketch warships in his teens. In the 1890s he illustrated scientific romances by George Griffith, as well as for his own science fiction novels, such as To Venus in Five Seconds (1897), and The Violet Flame (1899).

Jane first published All the World's Fighting Ships (known as Jane's Fighting Ships after 1903) in 1898, which detailed the world's navies. It was an immediate success, becoming the standard reference work on the topic. The Naval Warrant Officer's Journal suggested that the book be on every ship, and in 1902 said that it should be available to every naval officer. The Admiralty were less enthusiastic, partly due to Jane's irreverent behaviour - although many ships did acquire copies.^[2]

In 1909, he created All the World's Aircraft.

Jane's firm has passed through a number of ownership entities. IHS is the current publisher.

Jane was an accomplished maritime and naval artist whose works were widely published. Those illustrations are now collectable.

He was also involved in politics, standing as an Independent candidate for Portsmouth in the 1906 general election. He was strongly opposed to the Liberal Party (especially its left wing) and when a left-wing Liberal candidate Edward Hemmerde was nominated in 1910, he arranged a stunt to disrupt their election campaign. At another public meeting, Jane arranged for a sailor to ask Hemmerde to insist on the supply of hammock ladders should he be elected: Hemmerde fell for this gag and gave the pledge. He also once kidnapped MP Victor Grayson in a political stunt.^[3]

His Portsmouth home, on Southsea Common, now bears a plaque recording that he lived there.^[4]

In later life Jane lived at Bedhampton, and was instrumental in setting up one of the first Boy Scout troops.^[5]

Jane's health had been in decline when he contracted an influenza virus in December 1915. Complications of this virus, and congestive heart failure, would shortly prove fatal. On March 8, 1916, Jane passed at his home in Clarence Parade, Southsea, Portsmouth.^[3] He was survived by his second wife Muriel, and his daughter, Dorothy. He was buried with his first wife, Alice, in Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea.^[6]

Jane's Combat Simulations, along with many other titles, use his surname.

References

^ A wealth of knowledge, The Guardian, 31 October 2001
^ Ireland & Grove 1997, p. 7.
^ ^a ^b Brooks, Richard (1997). Fred T. Jane: an Eccentric Visionary. London: Jane’s Information Group. pp. 193–194. ISBN 9780710617514.
^ "Memorials and Monuments in Southsea (Fred T Jane plaque)".
^ Neal, O. (2008) The Centenary History of Bedhampton Scouts, 1st Bedhampton Scout Troop, Bedhampton
^ History of Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea