Fred T. Jane
Encyclopedia
John Fredrick Thomas Jane (August 6, 1865 – March 8, 1916) was the founding editor of reference books on warships (All the World's Fighting Ships
) and aircraft (All the World's Airships
). He also once kidnapped Victor Grayson
MP in a political stunt.
Jane was born in Richmond, Surrey
, England
, but worked most of his life in Portsmouth
. His father was a vicar and he attended Exeter School
. He first began to sketch warships in his teens, and was notable in the 1890s for illustrating scientific romance
s by George Griffith
and other authors, as well as for his own novels such as To Venus in Five Seconds
(1897) and The Violet Flame (1899).
An avid miniatures wargamer, Jane first published All the World's Fighting Ships (also known as Jane's Fighting Ships
) in 1898, which identified the warships operated by each country, their armaments, and other details, as a supplement to a game he designed. The book, now an annual series, is a standard reference work. In 1909, he created All the World's Aircraft. Jane later founded what is now Jane's Information Group
.
Jane 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 and gave the pledge. His Portsmouth
home, on Southsea
Common, now bears a plaque recording that he lived there.
In later life Jane lived at Bedhampton
and was instrumental in setting up one of the very first Scout
troops.
Jane's Fighting Ships
Jane's Fighting Ships is an annual reference book of information on all the world's warships arranged by nation, including information on ship's names, dimensions, armaments, silhouettes and photographs, etc...
) and aircraft (All the World's Airships
Jane's All the World's Aircraft
Jane's All the World's Aircraft is an aviation annual publication founded by Fred T. Jane in 1909. It is published by Jane's Information Group....
). He also once kidnapped Victor Grayson
Victor Grayson
Albert Victor Grayson was an English socialist politician of the early 20th century. A Member of Parliament from 1907 to 1910, his sudden and still-unexplained disappearance in 1920 is widely believed to have been the result of his intention to reveal evidence of corruption at the highest levels...
MP in a political stunt.
Jane was born in Richmond, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, but worked most of his life in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. His father was a vicar and he attended Exeter School
Exeter School
Exeter School is a selective independent co-educational day school for pupils between the ages of 7 and 18 located in Exeter, Devon, England. In 2010 there were around 180 pupils in the Junior School and 670 in the Senior School...
. He first began to sketch warships in his teens, and was notable in the 1890s for illustrating scientific romance
Scientific romance
Scientific romance is a bygone name for what is now commonly known as science fiction. The term is most associated with early British science fiction. The earliest noteworthy use of the term scientific romance is believed to have been by Charles Howard Hinton in his 1886 collection...
s by George Griffith
George Griffith
George Griffith , full name George Chetwyn Griffith-Jones, was a prolific British science fiction writer and noted explorer who wrote during the late Victorian and Edwardian age. Many of his visionary tales appeared in magazines such as Pearson's Magazine and Pearson's Weekly before being published...
and other authors, as well as for his own novels such as To Venus in Five Seconds
To Venus in Five Seconds
To Venus in Five Seconds: An Account of the Strange Disappearance of Thomas Plummer, Pillmaker is a science fiction satire written by Fred T. Jane, the author of the original Jane's Fighting Ships and the founder of what would in time become the Jane's Information Group...
(1897) and The Violet Flame (1899).
An avid miniatures wargamer, Jane first published All the World's Fighting Ships (also known as Jane's Fighting Ships
Jane's Fighting Ships
Jane's Fighting Ships is an annual reference book of information on all the world's warships arranged by nation, including information on ship's names, dimensions, armaments, silhouettes and photographs, etc...
) in 1898, which identified the warships operated by each country, their armaments, and other details, as a supplement to a game he designed. The book, now an annual series, is a standard reference work. In 1909, he created All the World's Aircraft. Jane later founded what is now Jane's Information Group
Jane's Information Group
Jane's Information Group is a publishing company specializing in transportation and military topics.-History:It was founded by Fred T...
.
Jane was also involved in politics, standing as an Independent candidate for Portsmouth in the 1906 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
. He was strongly opposed to the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
(especially its left-wing) and when a left-wing Liberal candidate Edward Hemmerde
Edward Hemmerde
Edward George Hemmerde, KC was an English rower, barrister and politician.-Education, the Law and family:Hemmerde was born at Peckham, south London, the son of James Godfey Hemmerde and his wife Frances Hope. His father was a bank manager and was with the Imperial Ottoman Bank. Hemmerde was...
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
Hammock
A hammock is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two points, used for swinging, sleeping, or resting. It normally consists of one or more cloth panels, or a woven network of twine or thin rope stretched with ropes between two firm anchor points such as trees or posts....
ladders should he be elected: Hemmerde fell for this and gave the pledge. His Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
home, on Southsea
Southsea
Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
Common, now bears a plaque recording that he lived there.
In later life Jane lived at Bedhampton
Bedhampton
Bedhampton is a former village, and now suburb, located in the Borough of Havant, Hampshire, England. It is located at the northern end of Langstone Harbour and at the foot of the eastern end of Portsdown Hill....
and was instrumental in setting up one of the very first Scout
Boy Scout
A Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
troops.