John William Fortescue

For other uses, see John Fortescue (disambiguation).

Fortescue arms

Sir John William Fortescue, KCVO (28 December 1859 – 22 October 1933) was a British military historian. He was a reputed historian of the British Army and served as Royal Librarian and Archivist at Windsor Castle from 1905-26.

Early life

Fortescue was born on 28 December 1859 in Madeira, the 5th son of Hugh, 3rd Earl Fortescue by his wife Georgina, Countess Fortescue (née Dawson-Damer). His family owned much of the area around Simonsbath on Exmoor since the twelfth century, thus he joined the North Devon Yeomanry Cavalry latterly serving as a major.

Fortescue was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge later lecturing at Oxford (DLitt (Oxon)).

Career

Fortescue is best known for his major work on the history of the British Army, which he wrote between 1899 and 1930. Between 1905 and 1926 he worked as the Royal Librarian at Windsor Castle.

In 1911, Fortescue delivered the Ford Lectures at Oxford University. He served as President of the Royal Historical Society from 1921 to 1925 and was elected an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.

Fortescue was appointed KCVO in 1926.

Personal life

In 1914 Fortescue married Winifred Beech, daughter of the Revd Howard Beech, Rector of Great Bealings, Suffolk; they had no children. Lady Fortescue (who died in 1951) was a writer and actress. He died in Cannes.

Works

• 1897 The Story of a Red Deer
• 1899–1930 A History of the British Army (in thirteen volumes, taking the story up to 1870)
• 1930–1932 Royal Army Service Corps: A History of Transport and Supply in the British Army

See also

• Earl Fortescue

External links

• Biography from a site about his wife, Lady Fortescue
• Works by John William Fortescue at Project Gutenberg

Academic offices
Preceded by Charles Oman	President of the Royal Historical Society 1921–1925	Succeeded by Thomas Frederick Tout