This page catalogues material relating to my maternal grandfather, Lionel James, and his wife, Ethel de Pearsall Clabburn, and their family. Several of the items relate to their children, or to other people associated with them, where it is more appropriate to include them here (e.g. photographs with multiple people). The catalogue is now reasonably complete so far as items I hold myself are concerned.
The original items are held by various family members, having been passed down through the generations (not necessarily directly). Some come from the large collection of papers found in 2010 at Challonsleigh, the house near Tavistock formerly owned by Lionel's nephew Eric Trevenen James, and were given to me by Eric's stepson, Geoffrey Fox (of Fox's Safaris in Tanzania), who still owns the house. A few items from publicly-available sources are also included.
| Number & Link |
Description | Location |
|---|---|---|
| LJ-1 | Letter to his brother, 8 Aug 1912, announcing his engagement to Ethel Clabburn | Original manuscript retrieved from Challonsleigh, summer 2010, and held by John Barnard. Annotated transcript prepared by John Barnard. |
| LJ-2 | Letter from his sister Edith to their brother dated 8 Aug 1912. 8pp. with annoated transcription. Edith expresses her concerns about the financial commitments to Ethel's family resulting from his proposed marriage; arrangements for the wedding; death of cousin (by marriage) William Bennett (husband of Belinda Rosher). | Original manuscript retrieved from Challonsleigh, summer 2010, and held by John Barnard. |
| LJ-3 | Letter from his sister Edith to their brother dated 9 Sep 1912. 6pp. with annotated transcription. Describes Leo and Ethel's wedding day. | Original manuscript retrieved from Challonsleigh, summer 2010, and held by John Barnard. |
| LJ-4 | Letter from Ethel James to James's brother HR James dated 26 Sep 1912 | Original manuscript retrieved from Challonsleigh, summer 2010, and held by John Barnard. |
| LJ-5 | Letter to his brother dated 15 Aug 1913 | Original manuscript retrieved from Challonsleigh, summer 2010, and held by John Barnard. |
| LJ-6 | Letter to his brother dated 21 Aug 1913 | Original manuscript retrieved from Challonsleigh, summer 2010, and held by John Barnard. |
| LJ-7 | Letter to his brother dated 29 Aug 1913, with attached photos | Original manuscript retrieved from Challonsleigh, summer 2010, and held by John Barnard. |
| LJ-8 | L. James, "School prayers in war-time", Religion in Education, 8 (2) 51-56 (April 1941) | DOI: 10.1080/4108556445 |
| LJ-9 | Jubilate Deo. A Sequence of Daily Prayers for Schools. Selected and arranged by Lionel James. Oxford University Press, 2nd edition 1932 | Author's own copy of 2nd edition, with extensive annotations, signed and dated May 1932, held by John Barnard. Copy of 1st edition inscribed "Robert C. T. James from Mother, Easter 1927" held by Pip Buth. |
| LJ-10 | Lares
and Penates. Notebook compiled by Lionel James containing
lists of household goods (furniture, pictures, books etc.) and notes on their proposed distribution to his children. Inscribed in a binding proof for a pocket edition of his sister's book on Bologna (which has blank pages). |
Original document held by Rosie Plummer. |
| LJ-11 | Obituary from Westminster Magazine | Original cutting held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-12 | Obituary from The Radleian, 20 Jun 1948 | Original cutting held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-13 | Article about James's retirement from Monmouth School (unidentified, but probably from local newspaper) | Original cutting held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-14 | Newspaper announcements of wedding, one identified as Morning Post, 12 Sep 1912 | Original cuttings held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-15 | Letter from Ethel James to her sister-in-law Edith
Emily Coulson James (Edie), dated 24 May 1913 (14pp handwriting). The letter was written on return to the School House in Monmouth from a holiday in the Scilly Isles, about 8 months after her wedding to Lionel. It covers various items of news, including an account of her own scare with a lump in her breast, her brother-in-law Henry Rosher James's (unspecified) problems in India, and his journey to Simla, and a possible visit from his children (Harold, Mollie and Eric). A covering letter to RCT James from Gulielma (Gelma) James (widow of Eric Trevenen James), dated 9 Jan 1991 notes that the 1913 letter was found while rummaging in a drawer. |
Original document held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-16 | Portrait of James aged early 20s | Original print held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-17 | L. James, A forgotten Genius: Sewell of St Columba's and Radley. London, Faber and Faber, 1945. | Copy presented to his wife Ethel "with love and gratitude" by the author, and held by John Barnard |
| LJ-18 | Winner's medals for Oxford University Association Football Club Intercollegiate Challenge Cup ("Cuppers"), awarded to Lionel James, who was a member of the victorious Christ Church college teams in 1890 and 1891 [The History of OUAFC 1872-1998 by Colin Weir, Yore Publications, 1998] | Original medals in original boxes given to John Barnard by Pip Buth (who inherited them from Bob James), March 2019 |
| LJ-19 | Article from Monmouth School Website concerning visit of Jill Trew to Monmouth School, 15 Nov 2010, with notes on her grandfather Cyril Pearson and great-uncle Lionel James | http://www.oldmonmothians .co.uk/omnewsarchive.html |
| LJ-20 | Letters from RCTJ (2000) to Westminster School re Lionel memorabilia deposited at the school. | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-21 | Letter from RCTJ (1997) to Swan Hellenic Cruises re Lionel's photos of Greece, 1900-1910 deposited with them | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-22 | Birth certificates | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-23 | Graduation certificates | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-24 | Day-by-day account of walking tour in the Midlands, 22 May - 4 Jun 1884 (original postcards to his mother and transcripts by RCTJ) | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-25 | Memoir of Lionel James from The Monmouthian, Jan 1962, page 41 | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-26 | Leaflet with "Hints on Latin Prose" by LJ, apparently published after his retirement | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-27 | Leaflet with "Hints on Running" by LJ, apparently published after his retirement | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-28 | Testimonials for LJ's applications for the Headmastership of Monmouth School in 1906 and (?) of Westminster School in 1919 | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-29 | Letters from his brother Henry Rosher James ("Bobbie"), Apr 1930 | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-30 | Letters to his wife from Albania, Ithica and Greece, 1930 | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-31 | Times Literary Supplement review of Sewell biography (28 Jul 1945) | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-32 | Marriage certificate, 1912 | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-33 | Several letters (undated - poss Nov 1912) from his wife, at 3 Queen Anne Street, Cavendish Square | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-34 | Letter to his wife (apparently visiting daughter) dated 19 Nov 1947 | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-35 | Letters of condolence to his widow (including one from Alec Bethune Morgan) | Held by Rosie Plummer |
| LJ-36 | Photograph of Ethel at Burnthwaite, on their honeymoon | Original print held by John Barnard |
| LJ-37 | Photograph of Ethel at Burnthwaite, on their honeymoon | Original print held by John Barnard |
| LJ-38 | Newspaper
cuttings and photographs concerning "Hitler Youth" camp in field at
Moyses, Five Ashes, July 1935, with annotations by John Barnard
|
Original cuttings and photographs held by John Barnard |
| LJ/39 | Photograph album probably compiled by Lionel and/or Ethel James, containing a wide and rather random selection of photographs, without captions. Some photos appear to be from Monmouth School (including one of Lionel with his uncle Augustus Frederick James), others possibly from Lionel's childhood, at least one showing Ethel's sisters Dorothy and Viva, and others showing Lionel and Ethel's children. | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/40 | Informal photo of Oxford University sports team, with Lionel James (?) in front row with pipe. Printed by Hulls and Saunders, Oxford. Possibly the victorious Christ Church "Cuppers" AFC team from the early 1890s. | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/41 | Photographs of Lionel James:
|
Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/42 | Material related to Lionel's undergraduate friend Bruce
M. Goldie
|
Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/43 | Two photo albums showing views of Monmouth School. Mainly exterior and interior views, but some group photos, some of classes (including one of Lionel teaching a group of boys) and some sports matches. | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/44 | H.A. Ward, Monmouth School 1614-1964. An Outline History, Haberashers Company (1964) | Copy held by John Barnard |
| LJ/45 | Monmouth School Prospectus etc., 1975 | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/46 | Photographs at School House, Monmouth, mainly of Ethel, from 1910s. Some also showing Edith Coulson James. Also postcard of bridge and school | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/47 | Photos of views near Penzance in envelope dated January 1912 (by Lionel James). Includes views of standing stones at Men-an-Tol and of Madron church | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/48 | Postcard of St Paul's Church, Brighton (when Lionel and Ethel were married in Sep 1912) | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/49 | Photos of Ethel on holiday in the Scilly Isles, Easter 1913 | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/50 | Photos of Hilary James and Arthur Gladdish Trevenen James as babies. Two photos also show "Nannie" Beard | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/51 | Photos of Lionel and Ethel's children at the School House in Monmouth in the 1920s | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/52 | Photo of Alice Mary ("Nannie") Beard (nanny to all the James children both at Monmouth and after Lionel and Ethel's retirement, at Moyses) and her husband "Beardie". [As a widow Nannie lived with her blind sister Edith at Coed Ithel, Ringles Cross, Uckfield, Sussex. She died age 79 on 21 Feb 1966 in Brighton; probate Lewes 2 May 1966] | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/53 | Photos of the James family at Moyses, mainly 1930s | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/54 | Photos of Sennen Cove and lands End, Cornwall, 1936 (mainly views from a family holiday, some including family members) | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/55 | Photos of Lionel and Ethel James's children as young adults (including original negative of James boys in Westminster "toppers") | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/56 | Photo of "Tevabyn", Lionel and Ethel's home at Paignton during the war | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/57 | Photos mainly of "The Barn" at Esher, Surrey, Lionel and Ethel's home after the war - exterior and interior views, with various family members | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/58 | Photos of Ethel James at "Two Bridges", Walton-on-Thames, 1950s, with various family members, including visit of Marcus Clabburn from Australia | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/59 | Photos of Ethel James visit to Paris with daughter Margaret Harrisson to see her son Trev James, May 1955 | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/60 | Photos of Lionel and Ethel James's children at family gatherings in the 1970s, including ones taken at Harley Street, London (Trev's home in London) and Willoughby (Margaret's home in Weybridge) | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/61 | Formal school photos from Mayfield School, attended by Lionel and Ethel's daughters, Pascha and Margaret in the 1930s | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/62 | Westminster School photos, probably from Grant's House in the 1930s, and presumably showing Hilary, Trevenen and Robert James in some of them | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/63 | Album of Westminster School photos, some showing Hilary, Trevenen and Robert James (in some cases marked with X) | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/64 | Three photographs, unidentified, but probably showing Lionel James's children (? at least one at Moyses), 1930s | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/65 | Set of photos and postcards associated with Buxted and Mayfield in Sussex, including photographs of nuns from Mayfield school (where Lionel's daughters were educated) | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/66 | Set of photos and postcards, mainly of churches, found in Lionel James's papers. Some identified in his hand, including St Enoder and Sennen in Cornwall, and Kilpeck in Herefordshire. | Held by John Barnard |
| LJ/67 | Photograph of Lionel James and Ethel Clabburn's wedding, 9 Sep 1912, Brighton. The image shows (L to R) Rosey Clabburn (bride's mother), Ethel James (bride), Lionel James (groom), Edith E. Coulson James (groom's sister) and Dorothy Clabburn (bride's sister) | A4 print taken from scan held by John Barnard (original print mislaid 2021) |
| LJ/68 | 1921 Census Return for Monmouth School House. Completed in his handwriting, it shows Lionel James (headmaster, 51), his wife Ethel (42), their 5 children (aged between 2 and 6), the school matron (Edith Saunders, 42) and her daughter (Maisie Saunders, 14), “Nannie” (Alice Mary Smith, 34), a governess (Dorothy Hill, 30), a visitor (Margaret Edwards, 15), a guest (Thomas Bridson, 43), 8 domestic servants (aged between 16 and 32) and 30 schoolboy boarders (aged between 12 and 17). From Lionel’s numbering of the original entries there may be a missing page image with 15 additional persons (probably more boarders). | 6 images from The National Archives, downloaded from https://www.findmypast.co.uk/1921-census March 2022 |