John Charles Horsey James
Encyclopedia
John Charles Horsey James (30 January 1841 in Rome
, Italy
– 3 February 1899 in Perth, Western Australia
) was a magistrate in Western Australia and the inaugural president of the Western Australian Cricket Association
from 1885.
He was the son of Rev. John H. James of Highfield, rector of Avington, Berkshire
and his second wife Theodosia Mary Tennant, of 'Romansleigh' in North Devon
. He was educated at Rugby School
, Warwickshire
between 1854 and 1860, and later at Oxford University where he was awarded his law degree in 1864. At Rugby he sat under Dr Frederick Temple
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
and at Oxford played cricket
in the first eleven of Exeter College
.
Choosing law as his profession, he enrolled at the Inner Temple
and was called to the bar in November 1866 where he practised on the Oxford circuit. In 1875 the Secretary of State for the Colonies
, Earl Carnarvon
offered James the position of Commissioner of Titles for Western Australia, with the task of implementing the Torrens title
transfer of lands system at that colony. He accepted the offer becoming one of the last imperial appointments to colonial administrative positions made direct from the home government.
At times, James acted as Registrar of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
, Registrar in bankruptcy, and Stipendiary Magistrate of Perth. He was gazetted as a Justice of the Peace
for the colony in 1886 and Police Magistrate in June 1897. In June 1887 he was appointed as the fourth nominee member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
during the absence of Sir John Forrest
in London. He sat for two sessions and retired in February 1888. He also held positions of Resident Magistrate, Guildford from September 1887 for a time and again between about 1897 and 1898. He was acting Puisne Judge between February 1898 and January 1899.
Together with George Parker (brother of Stephen Henry Parker
) and Josceline Amherst, James established the Western Australian Cricket Association
in 1884, obtaining a 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) grant the following year on the foreshore at East Perth
and the 'Association Ground'. He held the presidency of the Association from 1884 to 1899.
He married Rebecca Catherine Clifton, eldest daughter of Charles Hippuff Clifton at St George's Church in Perth on 16 September 1885. They had seven children, the youngest being actor and soldier M. E. Clifton James
.
As well as having an avid interest in cricket, James was involved in a number of other sports and sporting associations including being a steward of the Western Australian Turf Club from 1887 to 1897. He was also president of the Swan River Mechanics' Institute
from 1887 and was involved in the arts with an interest in amateur Shakespearean theatre as well as in music, painting and sculpture. Socially, he was a leading figure in the community.
After his father's death died in 1886, he inherited the family Gloucester and Devon estates. James built a grand English style residence in Guildford, Western Australia
called Romansleigh, named after the Devon property. He was a member of the Carlton Club
in London
and Hurlingham and Royal Yacht Clubs of England.
John James died in Perth on 3 February 1899 after a short illness and was buried at East Perth Cemeteries
.
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
– 3 February 1899 in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
) was a magistrate in Western Australia and the inaugural president of the Western Australian Cricket Association
Western Australian Cricket Association
The Western Australian Cricket Association is the governing body for cricket in Western Australia.-History:The WACA was formed on 5 November 1885...
from 1885.
He was the son of Rev. John H. James of Highfield, rector of Avington, Berkshire
Avington, Berkshire
Avington is a hamlet in Berkshire, England. Its nearest town is Hungerford, which lies approximately west from the hamlet.The parish church of St Mark and St Luke is Norman and consists only of a chancel and nave. There is some rich Norman carving inside....
and his second wife Theodosia Mary Tennant, of 'Romansleigh' in North Devon
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
. He was educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
between 1854 and 1860, and later at Oxford University where he was awarded his law degree in 1864. At Rugby he sat under Dr Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple was an English academic, teacher, churchman and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1896 until his death.-Early life:...
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
and at Oxford played cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
in the first eleven of Exeter College
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
.
Choosing law as his profession, he enrolled at the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
and was called to the bar in November 1866 where he practised on the Oxford circuit. In 1875 the Secretary of State for the Colonies
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
, Earl Carnarvon
Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon
Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon, PC, DL, FSA, FRS , known as Lord Porchester from 1833 to 1849, was a British politician and a leading member of the Conservative Party...
offered James the position of Commissioner of Titles for Western Australia, with the task of implementing the Torrens title
Torrens title
Torrens title is a system of land title where a register of land holdings maintained by the state guarantees an indefeasible title to those included in the register...
transfer of lands system at that colony. He accepted the offer becoming one of the last imperial appointments to colonial administrative positions made direct from the home government.
Western Australia
James arrived in Western Australia in July 1875 with the task of expanding and improving the Titles Office. He held the position until his death in 1899.At times, James acted as Registrar of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
Supreme Court of Western Australia
The Supreme Court of Western Australia is the highest state court in the Australian State of Western Australia. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the state in civil matters , and hears the most serious criminal matters.The Supreme Court consists of a General Division The Supreme Court of Western...
, Registrar in bankruptcy, and Stipendiary Magistrate of Perth. He was gazetted as a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for the colony in 1886 and Police Magistrate in June 1897. In June 1887 he was appointed as the fourth nominee member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
during the absence of Sir John Forrest
John Forrest
Sir John Forrest GCMG was an Australian explorer, the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia's first federal parliament....
in London. He sat for two sessions and retired in February 1888. He also held positions of Resident Magistrate, Guildford from September 1887 for a time and again between about 1897 and 1898. He was acting Puisne Judge between February 1898 and January 1899.
Together with George Parker (brother of Stephen Henry Parker
Stephen Henry Parker
Sir Stephen Henry Parker KCMG was a lawyer and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia from 1906 to 1914.-Early life:...
) and Josceline Amherst, James established the Western Australian Cricket Association
Western Australian Cricket Association
The Western Australian Cricket Association is the governing body for cricket in Western Australia.-History:The WACA was formed on 5 November 1885...
in 1884, obtaining a 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) grant the following year on the foreshore at East Perth
East Perth, Western Australia
East Perth is an inner suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located next to the Perth CBD.Primarily an industrial area in the early twentieth century, it was the location of the East Perth gas works, East Perth Power Station , the East Perth railway yard, and East Perth engine sheds.A considerable...
and the 'Association Ground'. He held the presidency of the Association from 1884 to 1899.
He married Rebecca Catherine Clifton, eldest daughter of Charles Hippuff Clifton at St George's Church in Perth on 16 September 1885. They had seven children, the youngest being actor and soldier M. E. Clifton James
M. E. Clifton James
Meyrick Edward Clifton James was an actor and soldier, notable for his resemblance to Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery...
.
As well as having an avid interest in cricket, James was involved in a number of other sports and sporting associations including being a steward of the Western Australian Turf Club from 1887 to 1897. He was also president of the Swan River Mechanics' Institute
Swan River Mechanics' Institute
Established in 1851, the Swan River Mechanics' Institute was the Swan River Colony's first cultural centre and housed an extensive and well-used subscription library and a natural history collection including botanical, zoological and mineral specimens. In 1909 it was renamed Perth Literary...
from 1887 and was involved in the arts with an interest in amateur Shakespearean theatre as well as in music, painting and sculpture. Socially, he was a leading figure in the community.
After his father's death died in 1886, he inherited the family Gloucester and Devon estates. James built a grand English style residence in Guildford, Western Australia
Guildford, Western Australia
Guildford is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 13 km northeast of the city. Its Local Government Area is the City of Swan.-History:Guildford was established in 1829 on the Swan River, being sited near a permanent fresh water supply...
called Romansleigh, named after the Devon property. He was a member of the Carlton Club
Carlton Club
The Carlton Club is a gentlemen's club in London which describes itself as the "oldest, most elite, and most important of all Conservative clubs." Membership of the club is by nomination and election only.-History:...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Hurlingham and Royal Yacht Clubs of England.
John James died in Perth on 3 February 1899 after a short illness and was buried at East Perth Cemeteries
East Perth Cemeteries
East Perth Cemeteries is a now disused complex of seven independently administered cemeteries in East Perth, Western Australia. It is estimated that as many as 10,000 people were buried there between 1830 and 1919; however, only around 800 gravesites have been identified...
.