Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/James, Thomas (1748-1804)
JAMES, THOMAS (1748–1804), head-master of Rugby School, was born on 19 Oct. 1748 at St. Ives, Huntingdonshire. In 1760 he was sent to Eton, was subsequently elected a scholar there, and won a reputation by his Latin and Greek verses, specimens of which are in the ‘Musæ Etonenses.’ For a Greek translation of one of his smaller poems, beginning ‘Whoever thou art,’ Mark Akenside presented him with a copy of Homer's ‘Iliad.’ In February 1767 James proceeded as a scholar to King's College, Cambridge, became fellow in February 1770, and graduated B.A. in 1771 and M.A. 1774. He obtained in 1772 the first members' prize for a Latin essay awarded to middle bachelors, and in 1773 that awarded to senior bachelors. He was ordained and chosen tutor of his college. While still an undergraduate he wrote ‘An Account of King's College Chapel’ for the benefit of Henry Malden, the chapel clerk, under whose name it was published in 1769. In May 1778 he was elected head-master of Rugby School. When James went to the school, there were only fifty-two boys. He at once instituted a thorough reform in the discipline and system of teaching, and introduced the Etonian method. His exertions were soon successful; in its best days under his rule the school numbered two hundred and forty-five. Among his more distinguished pupils were Samuel Butler, afterwards bishop of Lichfield, and W. S. Landor. Rather than publicly expel Landor for repeated acts of rebellion and insolence, James quietly sent him home (Forster, Life of Landor, i. 14, 18, 31, 195–7). In 1786 he proceeded D.D., and in the same year founded two 5l. prizes for Latin declamations by scholars of King's. Upon his resignation of his head-mastership in 1794 the trustees presented him with a handsome piece of plate, and at their next meeting wrote to Mr. Pitt, then prime minister, requesting some church preferment for him. James was accordingly appointed in May 1797 to a prebend in Worcester Cathedral, and was instituted to the rectory of Harvington in the same county. He died suddenly at Harvington on 23 Sept. 1804, and was buried in Worcester Cathedral, where there is a monument to his memory. Another monument by Chantrey was erected in 1824 in the chapel of Rugby School, with a Latin inscription by Bishop Butler. His portrait was engraved by an old pupil, Matthew Haughton of Birmingham, from a miniature by Englehart.
James married first, on 21 Dec. 1779, Elizabeth (1757?–1784), eldest daughter of John Mander of Coventry, by whom he had a son and a daughter; and secondly, on 27 March 1785, Arabella (d. 1828), fourth daughter of William Caldecott of Catthorpe, Leicestershire, by whom he had, with five other children, John Thomas James [q. v.], bishop of Calcutta. Besides the little work already mentioned James published a ‘Compendium of Geography’ and ‘The Principal Propositions of the Fifth Book of Euclid demonstrated Algebraically’ (1791), both for use in Rugby School, as well as two sermons (both in 1800).
[Harwood's Alumni Eton. p. 347; Bloxam's Rugby, pp. 63–4; Short Memoir of T. James, reprinted with additions from Public Characters, 1856; William Birch's School Master; Colvile's Worthies of Warwickshire, pp. 463–7; Rugby School Reg. i. xi–xii.]