Herbert Armitage James - Death and Memorials

Death and Memorials

James died at St John's College on 15 November 1931 at the age of 87. After a funeral service at St Giles's Church, Oxford, he was buried in Wolvercote Cemetery. In his will, he left £2,000 to the Church in Wales and £200 to the Rector of St Mary's Church, Panteg, to maintain the graves of his parents and for church work in the parish. He also left money to his old school in Abergavenny, Lincoln College, St John's College and the schools at which he had been headmaster. He also left a sum to the Royal Philatelic Society. After other various bequests, he left the residue of his estate to his brother for life – as James had never married, his brother was his next of kin. After his brother's death, his estate was to pass to St John's College to assist undergraduates and to support the work of the choir.

James had been presented with a gold watch and chain when leaving his position as headmaster of Rossall School in 1886. These were sold after his death, and were donated back to Rossall School by the purchaser (a former student of the school) for the use of future headmasters. A memorial tablet to James was erected in 1933 in the chapel of Rossall School; it was unveiled by Lord Derby, president of the Rossall School Corporation. A oak chancel screen was also erected as a memorial to James in St Mary's Church, Panteg, with the unveiling in 1935 being carried out by Lord Trevethin, a friend of James since childhood. Rugby School erected the James Pavilion in his memory, which was opened in 1937 with Sir Pelham Warner, an Old Rugbeian, paying tribute to James's love of cricket.