Frederick James "F.J." Camm (6 October 1895 – 18 February 1959) was an English technical author and magazine editor. He founded several radio and electronics titles, including ''

Practical Mechanics ''Practical Mechanics'' was a monthly British magazine devoted mostly to home mechanics and technology. It was first published by George Newnes, Ltd., in October 1933, and ran for 352 issues until the magazine's termination in August 1963. ''P ...

'', ''

Practical Motorist ''Practical Motorist'' was a British car magazine founded on 12 May 1934 (as ''The Practical Motorist'') by George Newnes Ltd George Newnes Ltd is a British publisher. The company was founded in 1891 by George Newnes (1851–1910), considered ...

'', ''

Practical Television ''Practical Television'', later known as ''Television'' and subsequently ''Television & Consumer Electronics'', was a UK magazine for the electronics/TV servicing trade, enthusiasts, and the general public. The chief editor was F.J. Camm and ...

'', and ''

Practical Wireless ''Practical Wireless'' is a British amateur radio magazine, published monthly by Warners Group Publications. History and profile The magazine was founded in 1932 (as a supplement to ''Hobbies'' magazine) by Frederick James Camm, F.J. Camm of Georg ...

'', some of which are still in circulation.

Biography

Camm was born in

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, the second child of twelve. The eldest, Sydney Camm, became a famous aircraft designer. He shared with Sydney an early interest in building model aeroplanes and this led him to move to

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

in 1918. Here, he became a technical editor for

Benn Brothers Ernest Benn Limited was a British publishing house. Sir John Benn Founded by Sir John Benn as Benn Brothers in 1880, it started as the publisher of the trade journal, ''The Cabinet Maker''. Ernest Benn After Sir John was elected to Parliamen ...

in aviation and engineering. From there he worked for Pitmans Publishers and moved eventually, with his friend Molloy, to

George Newnes Sir George Newnes, 1st Baronet (13 March 1851 – 9 June 1910) was a British publisher and editor and a founding figure in popular journalism. Newnes also served as a Liberal Party Member of Parliament for two decades. His company, George Newne ...

. It was there that he was to produce the ''Hobbies'' journals. In 1932, his supplement to ''Hobbies'' magazine, ''

'' was launched as an independent title, with F.J. as editor. Thus began a highly productive period, marked by his creation and stewardship of the ''Practical'' series of magazines for Newnes. These were often known as "Camm's Comics:" * '' Practical Engineering'' (published weekly from 27 January 1940) * '' Practical Home Money Maker'' (published monthly from October 1957) * '' Practical Householder''Remembered in a BBC Radio broadcast of 2004
(Feb. 1957– 1970) * ''

'' (1933–1963) * ''

'' (1934–1997) * ''

'' (1934–1938, 1950–2008) * ''

'' (1932–present) (In addition, Newnes' parent company, IPC, started ''

Practical Electronics ''Practical Electronics'' (previously known as ''Everyday Practical Electronics'') is a UK-published magazine that is available in print or downloadable format. Publication history ''Practical Electronics'' was founded in 1964 by IPC Magazines ...

'' in 1964; it remains in publication.) At least 12 editions were produced of the ''Wireless Constructor's Encyclopaedia'' from about 1932 to 1957, mostly or entirely written by F. J. Camm. He went on to write or edit over a hundred technical books in such fields as

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmi ...

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot a ...

, and automotive engineering. Grave of Frederick James Camm in Twickenham Cemetery

Camm died of bronchial

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

at his home in Windsor in 1959 and is buried in the family grave at

Twickenham Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...

Cemetery.

References

Notes

Sources consulted

*Cullingham, Gordon G. (1996), ''F.J. Camm, The Practical Man'' (Thamesweb Publishing, Windsor, UK). {{DEFAULTSORT:Camm, FJ 1895 births 1959 deaths 20th-century non-fiction writers British non-fiction writers British male writers People from Windsor, Berkshire Male non-fiction writers