James Richard Thursfield

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.

Biography 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. While at Oxford he approached William Morris in 1877 to ask if he would be prepared to stand for the position of Professor of Poetry at Oxford. Morris declined the invitation. After leaving Oxford, Thursfield was 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 lectured on naval strategy to the Staff College, Camberley and the Royal United Service Institution. He was made an honorary fellow of Jesus College in 1908.

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.