Sir William James, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William James
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| Member of Parliament for West Looe |
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| In office 1774–1783 |
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| Preceded by | James Townsend William Graves |
| Succeeded by | John Cocks John Buller |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 September 1721 Milford Haven, Wales |
| Died | 16 December 1783 (aged 62) London, England |
| Spouse | Anne Goddard (m. 1765) |
| Children | 2, including Elizabeth |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  East India Company(1747–1783) |
| Branch/service |  Bombay Marine(1749–1759) |
| Rank | Commodore |
| Commands | HCS Guardian HCS Protector |
| Battles/wars |
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Commodore Sir William James, 1st Baronet (born 5 September 1721 – died 16 December 1783) was a brave naval officer and a politician from Wales. He served in the British Parliament for West Looe from 1774 to 1783. Sir William is most famous for his exciting career in India. There, he was an officer in the Bombay Marine, which was the navy of the powerful East India Company (EIC). He led many successful missions against the Angre family, who often attacked EIC ships.
Contents
Early Life and Sea Adventures
William James was born on 5 September 1721, near Milford Haven, a town in Wales. We don't know much about his parents. Some people said his father was a miller or a farmer. It's believed that William started working at sea when he was only twelve years old.
His first job on a ship was on a coaster that sailed from Bristol. By the time he was sixteen, in 1738, he joined the Royal Navy as a cabin boy. After a few years, William left the navy. He became a sea captain and sailed a merchant ship. This ship traded goods between Britain, Virginia, and the British West Indies.
During a conflict called the War of Jenkins' Ear, William's ship was wrecked. He was captured by the Spanish Royal Navy and put in prison for a while. After being released, he returned to England in the 1740s. Around this time, he got married.
Exciting Career in India
In 1747, William James joined the East India Company (EIC). He first worked as a first mate on two Company ships. In 1749, he became an officer in the Bombay Marine. This was the navy of the EIC. His first command was a warship called Guardian. William was a senior officer in a small group of ships that sailed between Bombay (which the Company controlled) and Goa.
During this time, the Bombay Marine's main job was to protect EIC ships from attacks. These attacks came from ships controlled by the Angre family. William spent time leading groups of EIC ships, called convoys. This helped reduce the number of ships lost to attacks. Because of his great work, William was promoted to Commodore in 1751. He was then put in charge of the Protector, a powerful 44-gun warship. This ship was built by the East India Company to protect their trade routes on the Malabar Coast.
Battles Against the Angre Family
In April 1755, Commodore James took part in an important mission. He led an expedition against the fortress of Severndroog. This fortress was controlled by the Angre family. William led his ships, the Protector, Revenge, and Bombay, into the fortress harbour. He directed a strong naval bombardment from his ships. This attack made the Severndroog defenders give up on 2 April. After capturing the fortress, William quickly gave control to his Maratha allies. He then returned to Bombay to avoid the seasonal monsoons, which could damage his ships.
Seven months later, a Royal Navy group of ships arrived in Bombay. It was led by Charles Watson. They joined forces with William James and Colonel Robert Clive. The British decided to launch another attack against the Angre family. In February 1756, a British force sailed from Bombay to attack a fortress at Gheriah. This fortress was also under the Angre family's control. The British captured the fortress without losing any soldiers. This victory broke the power of the Angre family. Control of the fortress was given to the Maratha forces, who were allies of the British. However, the British took 130,000 rupees worth of treasure.
In 1757, William James was in Bombay. His commanders asked him to tell Watson, who was near the French Indian city of Chandernagore, that a war had started. This was the Seven Years' War between Great Britain and France. Traveling through the Bay of Bengal was dangerous because of the seasonal Northeast monsoon. So, William took a longer route through Sumatra. This allowed him to reach the Hooghly River and tell Watson very quickly. William continued to serve in the Bombay Marine until 1759, when he returned to England.
Life After India
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William James became very rich during his time in India. He made money from his own business deals and from "prize money" (money from captured enemy ships). When he returned to England, William bought a large English country house called Park Farm Place in Eltham, Kent. On 15 June 1765, he married Anne Goddard. William was elected as a director of the East India Company in 1768.
William also became friends with an important politician, John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. This friendship helped him gain more honors. On 22 July 1769, he was made an elder brother of Trinity House. This organization helps keep ships safe. He became deputy master in 1778. During this time, William also served as a governor of Greenwich Hospital. This was a home for retired British sailors.
William also wanted to be a politician. He tried to get elected to Parliament in 1770 but didn't win. In the 1774 British general election, William James was elected to the House of Commons. He represented West Looe.
In Parliament, William supported the Earl of Sandwich and the Prime Minister, Lord North. In 1776, William got a government contract to supply food and other items to British soldiers in Canada. In the same year, he was also elected as a deputy chairman of the East India Company.
On 27 August 1778, William James was given a special title: a baronetcy. This means he became "Sir William James, 1st Baronet." He was also re-elected as deputy chairman on the same day. He was elected chairman again in 1779 and 1781. William James died at his home in Gerrard Street, London on 16 December 1783. He was buried in Eltham six days later.
Family and Lasting Legacy
William James had two children with his second wife, Anne: a son named Edward and a daughter named Elizabeth. Edward was born in 1774. He inherited his father's title but died in 1792 without marrying, so the baronetcy ended. Elizabeth inherited William's property. She married Thomas Parkyns, who later became Baron Rancliffe. They had nine children together.
After William James died, his wife Anne asked an architect named Richard Jupp to build Severndroog Castle. This was a triangular Gothic building, like a fancy tower, built in 1784. It was built on top of Shooter's Hill near Blackheath. Anne wanted it to be a memorial to her husband. She named it after Severndroog, the place where he had his most famous victory. During the First World War, Severndroog Castle was used as a lookout post. Officers watched for incoming air raids over London.
Historians David Cordingly and John Falconer believe that William James' victories over the Angre family were a turning point for the East India Company. These victories helped the Company become very strong at sea in India. Before William arrived, the Bombay Marine had struggled against the Angre family. But after their defeats at Severndroog and Gheriah, the Angre family could no longer threaten Company ships. Historians say William's victories were due to the EIC's better ship-building skills compared to the Angre family.
