Mystery Mercedes

Sir,
I refer to your photograph captioned “Mercedes Reception” on page 51 of January 1988’s Motor Sport, “A Mr FT Jane” is the Mr Jane, who started the Janes Fighting Ships series. He was also very involved in Conservative and Unionist politics in Portsmouth, appealing to the workmen in the dockyard to support his party in the name of patriotism, especially in the building of more Dreadnoughts. This of course also appealed to their self-interest. How these campaigns built on anti-German feeling (“we want eight and we won’t wait”) square with driving a Mercedes I just don’t know.

Jane must be pictured on one of his campaign tours, perhaps the January 1910 General Election, in which Lord Charles Beresford won a massive victory for the Conservatives.

Stephen Sadler, Sidlesham Common, Sussex