Laughton, John Knox, 1830-1915

Professor Sir John Laughton (1830-1915) was born in Liverpool, England, on April 23, 1830. He served in the Baltic War and other naval operations until 1866, when he began teaching at the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth in England. In 1866, he married Isabella Carr (b. ca. 1837 in Dunfermline, Scotland, d. 1884). In 1873, the college moved to Greenwich, and Laughton became the Head of the Department of Meteorology and Marine Surveying. He left the navy in 1885 and became a Professor of Modern History at King's College in London, a position he held until 1914. He married his second wife, Maria Josefa [Josepha] de Los Angeles di Alberti (ca. 1863-1946) in 1886. One of its founders, Laughton was named the Secretary of the Navy Records Society in 1893. He was knighted in 1907. Throughout his later career, Laughton wrote many sources on British naval history. He is considered to have a "leading role in the development of academic naval history in Britain" (Andrew Lambert, "Laughton's legacy: naval history at King's College London, Historical Research 77 (196), 274-288). In addition, he edited works for others on the subject. Laughton died on September 14, 1915 in Wimbledon, England.

From the description of J.K. Laughton research notes on British vessels and British naval history, ca. 1865. (Georgia Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 86108096

Epithet: naval historian; Knight 1907

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000133.0x00003b