F. G. Loring
Encyclopedia
Frederick George Loring was an English naval officer, wireless expert, and writer.
, Portsmouth in 1819–37, and his great-grandfather, Joshua Loring
(1716-1881), a colonial American commodore in the Royal Navy, who moved to London after 1776. In 1896 he married Charlotte Elizabeth Arbuthnot (1862–1933), daughter of the Hon. James Edward Arbuthnot of Mauritius
; they had two daughters, Evelyn Frances and Iris. In 1949 he remarried, to Margaret Mackenzie, daughter of Montague S. Napier. Loring died on 7 September 1951 in Foots Cray
, Kent,
in 1891. As a lieutenant he was on HMS Victoria
when she was rammed and sunk by HMS Camperdown
off Tripoli
on 22 June 1893 with much loss of life, and was awarded a bronze medal by the Royal Humane Society
for saving two lives.
In 1896, he qualified as a torpedo lieutenant and joined the staff of HMS Defiance
, the schoolship, at Devonport
, where he was among the first to specialize in wireless telegraphy
. He was put in charge of Admiralty shore wireless stations, and in 1904 selected to accompany Guglielmo Marconi
to America for wireless experiments. He retired in December 1909 with the rank of commander, having transferred to the Post Office, where he was inspector of wireless telegraphy responsible for the operating staff until his retirement in 1930. He was appointed a civil OBE
in 1926 for his services to the development of radio. In 1930, he continued his career in the International Marine Radio Company, where he became a director. He finally retired from the company in 1950.
.
Loring also wrote poetry and short stories, of which "The Tomb of Sarah" gained acclaim as a classic vampire story after it appeared in the Pall Mall magazine in December 1910. It tells what happens when the tomb of the evil of Countess Sarah, murdered in 1630, is disturbed during the restoration of a church. Along with Hume Nisbet
's "The Vampire Maid" and E. F. Benson's "Mrs. Amworth", it is among the foremost early 20th-century stories to feature a female vampire.
The story soon began to be anthologized. Later it was included in the 1939 Everyman
Ghost Stories, the 1977 Citadel Press Dracula Book of Great Vampire Stories, and the Oxford University Press
anthologies Victorian Ghost Stories (1991) and The Young Oxford Book of Supernatural Stories (1997). Ray Danton
's 1972 film Crypt of the Living Dead was an uncredited adaptation of this.
Family
Loring was born on 11 March 1869 in Ryde, Isle of Wight, the eldest son of Admiral Sir William Loring (d. 1895), and his wife, Frances Louisa Adams. His grandfather, Sir John Wentworth Loring (1775–1852), had been the lieutenant-governor of the Royal Naval CollegeRoyal Naval Academy
The Royal Naval Academy was established at Portsmouth Dockyard as a facility to train officers for the Royal Navy. The founders' intentions were to provide an alternative means to recruit officers and to provide standardised training, education and admission.-Training:In 1773, a shore side...
, Portsmouth in 1819–37, and his great-grandfather, Joshua Loring
Joshua Loring
Joshua Loring was an 18th century colonial American naval officer in British service. During the French and Indian War, he served as a commodore in the Great Lakes region and was active during much of the Ontario and Quebec campaigns.-Biography:Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Loring was apprenticed...
(1716-1881), a colonial American commodore in the Royal Navy, who moved to London after 1776. In 1896 he married Charlotte Elizabeth Arbuthnot (1862–1933), daughter of the Hon. James Edward Arbuthnot of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
; they had two daughters, Evelyn Frances and Iris. In 1949 he remarried, to Margaret Mackenzie, daughter of Montague S. Napier. Loring died on 7 September 1951 in Foots Cray
Foots Cray
Foots Cray is a place in the London Borough of Bexley, near the town of Sidcup, in southeast London, England, United Kingdom.It took its name from Godwin Fot, a local Saxon landowner recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, and from the River Cray that passes through the village. It lay on the old...
, Kent,
Career
Loring served as a sub-lieutenant he served in the royal yacht Victoria and AlbertHMY Victoria and Albert II
HMY Victoria and Albert, a 360 foot steamer launched 16 January 1855, was a Royal Yacht of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom until 1900, owned and operated by the Royal Navy. She displaced 2,470 tons, and could make 15 knots on her paddles...
in 1891. As a lieutenant he was on HMS Victoria
HMS Victoria (1887)
HMS Victoria was the lead ship in her class of two battleships of the Royal Navy. On 22 June 1893, she collided with near Tripoli, Lebanon during manoeuvres and quickly sank, taking 358 crew with her, including the commander of the British Mediterranean Fleet, Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon...
when she was rammed and sunk by HMS Camperdown
HMS Camperdown (1885)
HMS Camperdown was an Admiral-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan of Camperdown.She was a full sister to , and was an improved version of the earlier and . In comparison to these earlier ships, she had an increased thickness of barbette armour, and a...
off Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
on 22 June 1893 with much loss of life, and was awarded a bronze medal by the Royal Humane Society
Royal Humane Society
The Royal Humane Society is a British charity which promotes lifesaving intervention. It was founded in England in 1774 as the Society for the Recovery of Persons Apparently Drowned, for the purpose of rendering first aid in cases of near drowning....
for saving two lives.
In 1896, he qualified as a torpedo lieutenant and joined the staff of HMS Defiance
HMS Defiance (1861)
HMS Defiance was the last wooden line-of-battle ship launched for the Royal Navy. She never saw service as a wooden line-of-battle ship. In 1884 she became a schoolship.- Design :...
, the schoolship, at Devonport
Devonport, Devon
Devonport, formerly named Plymouth Dock or just Dock, is a district of Plymouth in the English county of Devon, although it was, at one time, the more important settlement. It became a county borough in 1889...
, where he was among the first to specialize in wireless telegraphy
Wireless telegraphy
Wireless telegraphy is a historical term used today to apply to early radio telegraph communications techniques and practices, particularly those used during the first three decades of radio before the term radio came into use....
. He was put in charge of Admiralty shore wireless stations, and in 1904 selected to accompany Guglielmo Marconi
Guglielmo Marconi
Guglielmo Marconi was an Italian inventor, known as the father of long distance radio transmission and for his development of Marconi's law and a radio telegraph system. Marconi is often credited as the inventor of radio, and indeed he shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with Karl Ferdinand...
to America for wireless experiments. He retired in December 1909 with the rank of commander, having transferred to the Post Office, where he was inspector of wireless telegraphy responsible for the operating staff until his retirement in 1930. He was appointed a civil OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1926 for his services to the development of radio. In 1930, he continued his career in the International Marine Radio Company, where he became a director. He finally retired from the company in 1950.
Writings
Loring's writing abilities appeared first as a technical journalist and as naval correspondent for the Western Morning NewsWestern Morning News
The Western Morning News is a politically independent daily regional newspaper founded in 1860 and covering Devon and Cornwall and parts of Somerset and Dorset.-Organisation:...
.
Loring also wrote poetry and short stories, of which "The Tomb of Sarah" gained acclaim as a classic vampire story after it appeared in the Pall Mall magazine in December 1910. It tells what happens when the tomb of the evil of Countess Sarah, murdered in 1630, is disturbed during the restoration of a church. Along with Hume Nisbet
Hume Nisbet
James Hume Nisbet was a Scottish-Australian author and artist.Nisbet was born at Stirling, Scotland. At 16 years of age he came to Australia and stayed about seven years, during which he travelled widely. On returning to Scotland he was for eight years art master in the Watt College and the old...
's "The Vampire Maid" and E. F. Benson's "Mrs. Amworth", it is among the foremost early 20th-century stories to feature a female vampire.
The story soon began to be anthologized. Later it was included in the 1939 Everyman
Everyman's Library
Everyman's Library is a series of reprinted classic literature currently published in hardback by Random House. It was originally an imprint of J. M. Dent , who continue to publish Everyman Classics in paperback.J. M. Dent and Company began to publish the series in 1906...
Ghost Stories, the 1977 Citadel Press Dracula Book of Great Vampire Stories, and the Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
anthologies Victorian Ghost Stories (1991) and The Young Oxford Book of Supernatural Stories (1997). Ray Danton
Ray Danton
Ray Danton , also known as Raymond Danton, was a radio, film, stage, and television actor, director, and producer whose most famous role was The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond...
's 1972 film Crypt of the Living Dead was an uncredited adaptation of this.