Correspondence of Lieutenant Commander Jack F Blackburn

This material is held atSchool of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Archives, University of London

Scope and Content

Letters, 1927-1941, of and relating to Jack F Blackburn, mainly comprising his letters to his mother Margaret Blackburn in Guildford, 1927-1941, concerning his activities and discussing family affairs, describing visits as a naval officer to the ports of Singapore, Malaya, Cairo, and Aden, and including information on his work with the Chinese Maritime Customs; also including two letters from well-wishers to his mother congratulating her on Blackburn's behaviour on HMS LADYBIRD in 1941.

Administrative / Biographical History

Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy until 1933; joined the Marine Department of the Chinese Maritime Customs, 1934; initially stationed at Shanghai, visiting different Chinese ports while supplying stores to lighthouses along the coast; transferred to the Yangtze River staff, where he was responsible for keeping the river clear for shipping, 1935; transferred to Hankow, 1936; left the Chinese Maritime Customs, 1937; rejoined the navy; Commander of the gunboat HMS LADYBIRD, which bombarded the port of Bardia (Libya), 1941.

Access Information

Open

Acquisition Information

Purchased in 1994.

Related Material

The School of Oriental and African Studies holds papers of Edward Charles Mackintosh Bowra and Cecil Arthur Verner Bowra (Ref: MS 201813, now ref PP MS 69), Sir Robert Hart (Ref: PP MS 67, MS 211081 and MS 211351), and Sir Frederick Maze (Ref: PP MS 2) relating to the Chinese Maritime Customs.

The bombardment of Bardia by HMS LADYBIRD featured in the press, including The Times, 13 Jun 1941.