James Thursfield
Encyclopedia
Sir James Richard Thursfield (16 November 1840 – 22 November 1923) was a British naval historian and journalist. As well as being an authority on naval matters, he was also the first editor of the Times Literary Supplement.
Thursfield was born in Kidderminster
and educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
and Corpus Christi College, Oxford
, where he obtained a first-class degree in Literae Humaniores
in 1863. He was appointed to a fellowship of Jesus College, Oxford
in 1864, holding this until 1881, when he was obliged to resign because of his marriage in 1880. He was then appointed by Thomas Chenery
, editor of The Times
, as a leader writer. He soon established himself as an authority on naval matters, publishing works such as The Navy and the Nation (1897), Nelson and other Naval Studies (1909), and Naval Warfare (1913). He also lectured on naval strategy to the Staff College, Camberley
and the Royal United Service Institution.
Thursfield was close to successive First Lords of the Admiralty, of various political views, and to Jackie Fisher in Fisher's campaign for navy reforms. Fisher regarded Thursfield as "a great student of naval affairs", saying that his articles were "close and precisely reasoned, unadulterated by vituperation". Prince Louis of Battenberg, who served for a time as director of naval intelligence, praised Thursfield for never being afraid to state a contrary view.
Thursfield worked in other areas apart from naval matters, taking charge of The Timess "Books of the week" in 1891, which became the Times Literary Supplement in 1902, of which he was the first editor. He wrote a biography of Robert Peel
in 1891. He was made an honorary fellow of Jesus College in 1908. He was knighted
in the 1920 New Year Honours.
He died at his home in Golders Green
on 22 November 1923. His son, Henry George Thursfield, became a Rear-Admiral and later followed his father as naval correspondent for The Times between 1936 and 1952.
Thursfield was born in Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
and educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
Merchant Taylors' School is a British independent day school for boys, originally located in the City of London. Since 1933 it has been located at Sandy Lodge in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire ....
and Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
, where he obtained a first-class degree in Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
in 1863. He was appointed to a fellowship of Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
in 1864, holding this until 1881, when he was obliged to resign because of his marriage in 1880. He was then appointed by Thomas Chenery
Thomas Chenery
Thomas William Chenery was an English scholar and editor of the British newspaper The Times.-Biography:Chenery was born in Barbados to John Chenery, a West Indies merchant. He was educated at Eton and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge...
, editor of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, as a leader writer. He soon established himself as an authority on naval matters, publishing works such as The Navy and the Nation (1897), Nelson and other Naval Studies (1909), and Naval Warfare (1913). He also lectured on naval strategy to the Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
and the Royal United Service Institution.
Thursfield was close to successive First Lords of the Admiralty, of various political views, and to Jackie Fisher in Fisher's campaign for navy reforms. Fisher regarded Thursfield as "a great student of naval affairs", saying that his articles were "close and precisely reasoned, unadulterated by vituperation". Prince Louis of Battenberg, who served for a time as director of naval intelligence, praised Thursfield for never being afraid to state a contrary view.
Thursfield worked in other areas apart from naval matters, taking charge of The Timess "Books of the week" in 1891, which became the Times Literary Supplement in 1902, of which he was the first editor. He wrote a biography of Robert Peel
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
in 1891. He was made an honorary fellow of Jesus College in 1908. He was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in the 1920 New Year Honours.
He died at his home in Golders Green
Golders Green
Golders Green is an area in the London Borough of Barnet in London, England. Although having some earlier history, it is essentially a 19th century suburban development situated about 5.3 miles north west of Charing Cross and centred on the crossroads of Golders Green Road and Finchley Road.In the...
on 22 November 1923. His son, Henry George Thursfield, became a Rear-Admiral and later followed his father as naval correspondent for The Times between 1936 and 1952.