Herbert Armitage James - Works and Interests

Works and Interests

His publications included an edition with English notes of Cicero's Pro Plancio (1871) and a collection of sermons from his time at Rossall School, published as School Ideals (1887). He was very highly regarded as a preacher, being appointed as Select Preacher for Oxford University in 1894, 1897 and 1900; he was said to be "undoubtedly one of the best preachers of his day, at school and elsewhere". He was a keen cricketer and golfer, and had been captain of the Lincoln College XI when a student there. He was also said to have been a useful member of the St John's College XI, both for his batting and his slow bowling. The story was told at the 1926 dinner in his honour that he had taught A G Steel how to bowl a "twister", and that Steel had gone on to take many wickets in test matches against the Australians as a result. He was devoted to philately and had what was regarded as one of the best stamp collections in England. On his death, it was estimated as being worth between £5,000 and £6,000 (approximately £250,000 to £300,000 as of 2013), despite the fact that he had dispersed much of his collection before his death.