William James

Writer and Poet

William James, writer, was buried on 2nd July 1663 in the south aisle of the nave of Westminster Abbey but he has no marker. He was the son of the Reverend Henry James of Dorset and his wife Barbara (Sutton) and was born about 1635 at Machen in Monmouthshire. At Westminster School he was a Kings Scholar under the famous Head Master Dr Richard Busby. He then went onto Oxford university and came back to the School as an usher and in 1661 became Second Master. As well as translating various works he published a grammar for use at the School and wrote English and Latin verses. He died unmarried. 

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004

The Record of Old Westminsters compiled by G.F. Russell Barker & A.H. Stenning, 1928

Archives in the Busby Library at Westminster School

Buried

2nd July 1663

Occupation

Writer; poet

Location

Nave

William James
The Nave

This image can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library

Image © 2024 Dean and Chapter of Westminster