Lieutenant Commander John Blake FRIN RN
Author and speaker on maritime history
Résumé of writing and lectures
Background
John Blake was born in Tenby, Pembrokeshire and went to Chelmsford Hall, Eastbourne and then to Brighton College and on to Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth serving in the Royal Navy and in the Reserve for nearly 16 years as an executive and navigating officer, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander. During his naval time he served extensively in sea-going ships and qualified as a navy underwater diver and a naval air defence specialist. On leaving the service he gained a business diploma and moved into retailing, opening three retail stores in Covent Garden, London; Boston, Massachusetts and later in Osaka, Japan, featuring exclusively British craftsman-made artefacts.
In 1991 John Blake and his wife initiated an Intellectual Property Licensing Agency, Classics Licensing Company Ltd, and in 1996 helped instigate and run the licensing of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office archives, producers of the Admiralty sea charts, as their Licensing Agent for six years under the brand name “The Admiralty Collection®”.
He is a keen maritime historian and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation, has had published or contributed to nine books, writes on maritime history for yachting and maritime magazines and gives lectures. He is a member of the Society of Authors.
Résumé of writing and lectures
Books
John Blake’s first book The Sea Chart, with a foreword by HRH the Duke of York, was published in 2004 by Conway Maritimeand was short listed for the British Book Awards in three categories and for the Mountbatten History prize; it has been reprinted in the UK, and translated, published and reprinted in Germany by Theiss. In 2009 it was reprinted as a softback in the UK and in the US by the Naval Institute Press, taken into the RNLI catalogue and reprinted again in 2010.
A Second Edition of The Sea Chartwas published in hard back in March 2016 by Bloomsbury with a foreword by Sir Ben Ainslie CBE, an additional 55 pages and 44 more illustrations of early sea charts and nautical maps and a beautiful new cover.
His second book Sea Charts of the British Isles, with a foreword by Admiral of the Fleet the Lord Boyce (Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle), was published in November 2005, reprinted in March 2008, and was selected by the RNLI for their autumn 2007, Spring 2008 and Autumn 2008 mail order catalogues. It was re-publishedas a soft-back in December 2016 by Bloomsbury imprint.
His third book Charts of War, published in the UK by Conway Maritime and in the US by Knickerbocker Press in 2007, looks at the role of navigational charts in maritime battle and sea warfare throughout the ages and was short listed for the Mountbatten History prize. It was selected in 2009 by Nauticalia for their mail order catalogue.
John contributed the official entry on Cartography for the Oxford Encyclopaedia of Maritime History, published by Oxford University Press in January 2008, and is one of the contributors for Ship A History in Art and Photography, edited by Professor Andrew Lambert and published by Conway Maritime in 2010. "Ship" brings together 360 of the most famous ships in history and fiction in one stylishly produced volume. Each one has its unique and fascinating tale to tell, the stories so dramatic that they have been immortalised in evocative artworks and captured in startling photography. Themes include exploration and scientific discovery; shipwreck and cannibalism; mutiny and piracy; human endurance and survival.
In 2006 John, in recognition of his authorship and contribution in the field of navigation, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation.
Published in October 2011 wasThe Titanic Pocketbook: A Passenger’s Guide, a compilation from contemporary material on this famous ship describing the her design, launch, passenger facilities, operation and with beautiful colour illustrations of the ship’s inside from a number of archives such as the National Maritime Museum, The National Archives, London Museum, Bodleian Library, Liverpool University, Liverpool Maritime Museum, The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum etc. It has been published in the UK, USA and Canada (Naval Institute Press), Australia (Heron Books) and translated into French and published there by Flammarion. It was reprinted in the UK and USA in March 2012 and reprinted again in 2014, 2015 and 2017. The RNLI included it in their Spring 2012 mail order catalogue and Nauticaliaincluded it in their 2015/16 mail order catalogue. It is now being translated to be published in Germany by Delius in the Spring of 2017
John was a contributor to The Map Book published by Phaidon in September 2015
He is currently working on a handbook on the history and development of sea surveying and navigation and a pocket guide to one of the Royal Navy’s most iconic warships.
Press reviews - a selection from over 90 press reviews
The Sea Chart
History Today– Richard Pflederer - “ … the book is a useful and beautifully produced look at a subject which has important implications in the study of navigation, exploration, whaling, colonisation and empire.”
The Times - Peter Davies – “Distance, speed, and above all, the problem of steering a course, are at the heart of John Blake’s illustrated history of charts. “
Traditional Boats and Tall Ships magazine – “In short, as an introduction to the history of the sea chart, this book would be difficult to beat.”
Classic Boat – “ … in this lustrous work, John Blake …. has assembled a mouth-watering collection with which to illuminate this history of cartography. For just £30 it’s a steal.”
International Hydrographic Review – “A handsome volume ….. the author writes in a style which is attractive to the reader.”
US Naval War College Review -Lawrence Phillips, Editor: The Royal Navy Day by Day
“Just occasionally an author and publisher produce a work of remarkable beauty and excellence. John Blake’s illustrated history of nautical maps and navigational charts, now available in paperback, is one such delight. The Sea Chart’s appeal is to a wider readership than just mariners, leisured or professional - it is a must for all whose interest is in grasping how Earth’s continents and oceans were charted and our world was shaped.”
The South West Maritime Historical Society - David B. Clement, Editor
“Others have written on the history of the Sea Chart, but perhaps none have produced such an eminently readable and very well illustrated book as has John Blake. This is a book that should be in every maritime historian's library.”
US Defense & Foreign Affairs Special Analysis - “The magnificent, enduring legacy which Lt. Cmdr. John Blake, RN, has bequeathed to the world is one of those astonishing volumes which changes lives because it transforms the way history is viewed. I was overwhelmed by the importance of this book, and the inspiration it provides, along with the greater understanding it gives to any historical studies.
Thank you, Lt. Cmdr. Blake. You have become the second Blake to bring nautical greatness to the Royal Navy!”
Sea Charts of the British Isles
Navy News – “The award for the most lavishly-produced book received at the Navy News offices this month must surely go to John Blake’s beautiful Sea Charts of the British Isles.”
The Hydrographic Journal – Geoffrey Haskins - “John Blake is a competent interpreter of academic research for the enjoyment of a general readership, young or old. … this follow-on (from The Sea Chart) is equally as fascinating and provides a clear insight into charting over the centuries.”
Royal Fleet Auxiliary magazine `Gunline’ – “…is a must for all students of navigation history, and will surely make a splendid Christmas present.”
The South West Maritime Historical Society – Review by Adrian Webb
SW Soundings No.68 (Feb 2007)
With the background information on each region touching on physical geography, trade and significant events in the development or demise of the main ports and harbours, this volume provides readers new to the subject with a valuable introduction to the charting of Great Britain. It also provides more experienced readers with the opportunity to see many quality images. With the offer of £2 off and free postage for SWMHS members this is reasonably priced for a wealth of maritime cartographic imagery.
Charts of War
The Times- Peter Davies - "From the Battle of Salamis in the 5th century BC to the Falklands campaign of 1982 ..... and many campaigns in between are illustrated inthis exquisitely produced book ..."
Geographical magazine - David Forrest - "This lavishly illustrated book .... some of the charts are works of art .... the book's range is impressive."
Naval Review – Captain Mike Barritt – “Should the Naval Review reader invest in this book? The answer is an unreserved `Yes’. It delivers what the author promises, and there is much to learn and enjoy.”
The White Ensign Association– “Lt Cdr John Blake has produced another excellent book on this fascinating subject.”
UK Hydrographic Office News – “ ... a fascinating, illustrated account of the role charts have played in planning, preventing, conducting and recording war at sea.”
US Naval War College Review - “John Blake’s book is a masterful short course on the maritime history of Western civilization and chart making as it has evolved through time. Blake’s research was extensive and goes into great detail.”
Ministry of Defence – Focus magazine – Tony Matthews: “John Blake’s new book Charts of War is fascinating ....his book is worthy of any Captain’s cabin on the high seas.”
The South West Maritime Historical Society – Review by Adrian Webb
SW Soundings No.71 (Mar 2008)
This volume provides an excellent introduction to anyone wishing to study charts and war in more depth. This is the third book by this author on the subject of charting and is one of the best. The extensive captions accompanying the imagery, from a wide range of archives and libraries all over the world, provide the reader with a useful source and a book, as are the previous two volumes, which can be referred to time and again.
Lectures
John has been invited to speak at many venues over the last five years and his topics include:
The great naval explorers: Captains Cook, Bligh and Vancouver
Nelson’s sailing strategies
The early history of charts and charting
Sea Charts as the key to success in maritime conflict
Sea Charts as the key to world-wide exploration
The charting of the coast of the British Isles
The earliest charts of the explorers - `the portolans’
The Spice route – trade with India and Asia
Titanic – Pride of Edwardian Britain, sunk through over confidence
Venues include, inter alia:
National Maritime MuseumRoyal Ocean Racing Club
The Darwin Centre, PembrokeshireRoyal Thames Yacht Club
United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (i) Beaufort Society (ii) staff
Royal Southern Yacht ClubNew York Yacht Club
Royal Lymington Yacht ClubLittle Ship Club, London
Marlborough College Summer SchoolBath Sailing Club
Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers Wessex Cruising Association
Indian High Commission (Nehru Centre), London
From Royal Lymington Yacht Club - 2009
“Your lecture last week was fascinating, informative, laced with the right amount of humour and very well received. Thank you very much for visiting us again and for joining us for supper afterwards.”
From Bath Sailing Club - 2010
“What an evening! I really would have liked you to go round the buoy when you finished and start again, your talk wasimmensely interesting and enjoyable.I hope you will come and talk to us again before too long. Thank you again for a really super evening.”