Ignatius Frederick "Ian" Clarke (10 July 1918,

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, U.K. – 5 November 2009,

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, U.K.) was a British scholar and professor of English, known for his work on science fiction as a bibliographer, historian and editor, and also, with his wife Margaret, as a translator of early French science fiction. Clarke served in military intelligence during WWII. He received his B.A. in 1950 and his M.A. in 1953 from

Liverpool University The University of Liverpool (abbreviated UOL) is a public research university in Liverpool, England. Founded in 1881 as University College Liverpool, Victoria University, it received Royal Charter by King Edward VII in 1903 attaining the de ...

. From 1953 to 1956 he was head of the English department of the Northumberland Education Committee. In October 1958 he became Senior Lecturer in General Studies in the Department of Industrial Administration at the

Royal College of Science and Technology The Royal College of Science and Technology was a higher education college that existed in Glasgow, Scotland between 1887 and 1964. Tracing its history back to the Andersonian Institute (founded in 1796), it is the direct predecessor instituti ...

(which became part of the

University of Strathclyde The University of Strathclyde () is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal charter in 1964 as the first techn ...

). From 1964 to 1981 he was a professor of English Studies at the University of Strathclyde. Clarke specialized in future-war fiction and his 1966 work ''Voices Prophesying War'' is recognized as a major contribution. From 1970 to 1973 he was the chief editor for the science fiction reprint program of Cornmarket Press. In 1974 he received the

Pilgrim Award The Pilgrim Award is presented by the Science Fiction Research Association for Lifetime Achievement in the field of science fiction scholarship. It was created in 1970 and was named after J. O. Bailey’s pioneering book ''Pilgrims Through Space an ...

from the

Science Fiction Research Association The Science Fiction Research Association (SFRA), founded in 1970, is the oldest, non-profit professional organization committed to encouraging, facilitating, and rewarding the study of science fiction and fantasy literature, film, and other media. ...

. In 1998 he received the

SFRA Pioneer Award The Pioneer Award is given by the Science Fiction Research Association to the writer or writers of the best critical essay-length work of the year. In 2019 it was renamed the SFRA Innovative Research Award. Winners: *1990: Veronica Hollinger, "The ...

for his essay ''Future-War Fiction: The First Main Phase, 1871–1900''. Clarke compiled some important science fiction bibliographies and was the editor for the eight-volume ''British Future Fiction series''. Upon his death, in addition to his wife Margaret, he was survived by two sons and a daughter.

Books

;As bibliographer: * ** ** ;As editor: * ** *edited with John Butt: * * * * ;As translator or editor: * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, Ignatius Frederick 1918 births 2009 deaths Alumni of the University of Liverpool Academics of the University of Strathclyde 20th-century British writers 21st-century British writers British speculative fiction critics British speculative fiction editors British speculative fiction translators Science fiction academics Science fiction critics Science fiction editors Science fiction translators People from Wallasey 20th-century British translators 20th-century British male writers British male non-fiction writers