Fred Jacob
Born(1882-10-31)31 October 1882
Elora, Ontario
Died3 June 1928(1928-06-03) (aged 45)
Toronto, Ontario
OccupationJournalist
EmployerThe Mail and Empire

Fred Jacob (occasionally shown as Fred Jacobs in some publications about his work; 31 October 1882 – 3 June 1928[1]) was a journalist with Toronto's The Mail and Empire (now The Globe and Mail), and joined the publication after winning the publication's poetry contest.[2]

He was first a sports reporter but from 1910 on, Jacob was responsible for the literary section of the newspaper; he was also the drama and music critic.[3][2][4] Occasionally, he wrote about drama in the Canadian Magazine.[5][6]

Early years

Jacob was born in Elora, Ontario on 31 October 1882, the son of a lawyer and the nephew of a judge.[7] As a child, he particularly enjoyed lacrosse. Later in life, while living in Toronto, he was the president of a lacrosse club for 16 years.[2]

Fictional works

Jacob wrote two novels, The Day Before Yesterday (published in 1925) and Peevee (1928),[8] both satirical works,[9] and set in a fictional small communities resembling Elora; the first book included some characters resembling residents of the town.[2]

He wrote that his intention in the books was to "preserve an impression of the Canadian scene".[10] A review of the first book provided this comment: "To the structure of Canadian literature Mr. Fred Jacob has contributed not only a substantial brick but a graceful vine."[11]

Jacob also wrote several popular stage plays, including One third of a bill and Autumn Blooming.[12][13][2][14]

Legacy

Jacob suffered from rheumatic fever as a child, and died on 3 June 1928 of a heart attack during a social function.[2][15] An obituary in Saturday Night referred to him as the "ablest critic on drama of the daily press in Toronto", praising "the soundness of his judgements and clearness of his expositions".[16]

References

  1. ↑ Keillor, Elaine (18 March 2008). Music in Canada: Capturing Landscape and Diversity - Elaine Keillor - Google Books. ISBN 9780773533912. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Elora native Fred Jacob's second book was published posthumously". The Wellington Advertiser. 3 July 1928. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  3. ↑ Wagner, Anton (2010). Establishing Our Boundaries: English-Canadian Theatre Criticism. University of Toronto Press. p. 9. ISBN 9781442611832.
  4. ↑ Weber, Ephraim (2006). After Green Gables: L.M. Montgomery's Letters to Ephraim Weber, 1916-1941. p. 74. ISBN 9780802084590.
  5. ↑ Wagner, Anton (January 2010). Establishing Our Boundaries: English-Canadian Theatre Criticism - Google Books. ISBN 9781442611832. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  6. ↑ Canadian Drama. University of Waterloo. 1983.
  7. ↑ Parker, Charles Whately; Greene, Barnet M., eds. (1922). Who's Who in Canada, Volume 16. International Press. p. 584. Retrieved 16 July 2020 – via Google Books.
  8. ↑ Klinck, Carl F.; Bailey, Alfred G.; Bissell, Claude; Daniells, Roy; Frye, Northrop; Pacey, Desmond (15 December 1976). Literary History of Canada: Canadian Literature in English (Second Edition) - Google Books. ISBN 9781487590987. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  9. ↑ Klinck, Carl F.; Bailey, Alfred G.; Bissell, Claude; Daniells, Roy; Frye, Northrop; Pacey, Desmond (15 December 1976). Literary History of Canada: Canadian Literature in English (Second Edition) - Google Books. ISBN 9781487590987. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  10. ↑ Canadian Literature. University of British Columbia. 1981.
  11. ↑ "Canadian books". Canadian Bookman. 7: 212. 1925. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  12. ↑ Library, Toronto Public (5 November 2009). "Annual Report - Toronto Public Library - Google Books". Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  13. ↑ Story, Norah (1967). The Oxford Companion to Canadian History and Literature. Oxford University Press.
  14. ↑ Montgomery, Lucy Maud; Weber, Ephraim (January 2006). After Green Gables: L.M. Montgomery's Letters to Ephraim Weber, 1916-1941 - Lucy Maud Montgomery, Ephraim Weber - Google Books. ISBN 9780802084590. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  15. ↑ "Fred Jacob Dies at Toronto Home". Times Colonist. Toronto. 4 June 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 16 July 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ Wagner, Anton (1 January 2010). Establishing Our Boundaries: English-Canadian Theatre Criticism. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-1-4426-1183-2.
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