Julian Jackson (geographer) facts for kids

Julian Jackson (born 1790, died 1853) was a British geographer. He also served as a colonel in the Russian army.

Early Life and Military Career

Julian Jackson was born on March 30, 1790. His parents were William Turner Jackson and Lucille. He was baptized in London at St. Anne's Church, Westminster a couple of months later.

He studied at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. In 1807, he was chosen to join the Bengal cadetship by Sir Stephen Lushington. He became a second lieutenant in the Bengal Artillery in 1808, and then a first lieutenant in 1809.

Joining the Russian Army

In 1813, Jackson left his position in India. He wanted to join the army of the Duke of Wellington, but he arrived too late.

However, on June 2, 1815, Emperor Alexander I of Russia gave him a new role. Jackson joined the quartermaster's staff of the Russian imperial suite as a lieutenant. A quartermaster's staff helps manage supplies and movements for the army.

He worked with the Russian army in France until 1818. This army was part of the allied forces occupying France after a war. In November 1818, he moved to Russia and became a staff-captain.

Promotions and Retirement

In 1819, Jackson joined the quartermaster-general's staff of the Lithuanian army corps. He was assigned to the grenadier brigade. He served with this part of the army for most of his time in Russia.

He was promoted to captain in 1821. Then, in 1825, he became a lieutenant-colonel. By 1829, he was promoted to colonel on the general staff of the army. He retired from the Russian service in September 1830.

Life After the Military

After retiring, Jackson continued to work with Russia. Georg von Cancrin, who was Russia's finance minister, appointed him as a commissioner in London. His job was to represent the Russian department of manufactures.

In 1841, Jackson became the secretary of the Royal Geographical Society in London. This society focuses on geographical research and exploration. He held this important position until February 1847.

Around the same time, he lost his Russian job and faced some financial challenges. However, Sir Roderick Murchison helped him get a clerkship with the council of education. He kept this job for the rest of his life. Also, Nicholas I of Russia gave him a small pension, which is like a regular payment after retirement.

Achievements and Recognition

Julian Jackson was recognized for his contributions to knowledge. In 1845, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very respected group of scientists. He was also a member of other learned societies. He received an honor called the Knight of the Order of Saint Stanislaus.

He passed away on March 16, 1853, after a long illness.

Written Works

Jackson wrote several books and articles. One of his well-known works was Guide du Voyageur (Traveler's Guide), published in Paris in 1822. It was very popular and had many French editions. It was also published in English as What to Observe; or the Traveller's Remembrancer starting in 1841. This book helped travelers know what to look for and remember during their journeys.

He also wrote a short book about National Education. Another work was Minerals and their Uses, published in London in 1848. He also wrote a paper on Cartography, which is the art of making maps. Besides these, he wrote many reviews for different publications.

Jackson contributed to the Bibliothèque universelle de Genève from 1830 to 1832. He also wrote for the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society. He translated and edited a book called Military Geography by Théophile-Sébastien Lavallée from French, making many changes to it. He also created an index for the first ten volumes of the Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society.

Family Life

Julian Jackson was married to Sarah Ogle. They had several children together.