Edwin James

Early life and education His parents were John James, a solicitor and secondary of the City of London, and his wife Caroline née Combe, niece of Harvey Christian Combe.

He unsuccessfully attempted to establish a career as an actor at an early age, taking lessons from John Cooper. He played at a private theatre in Gough Street, Gray's Inn Road, London and appeared as George Barnwell in The London Merchant at Cooper's Theatre Royal, Bath. But, he lacked the natural good looks to succeed in the theatre, being said by one Cyrus Jay to have "the appearance of a prize fighter". He was a student and admirer of Charles James Fox and followed his style at the Bar with great fidelity.

Career

James practised on the Home circuit and his most famous cases included: The successful prosecution of poisoner William Palmer in 1856. John Simon was James's junior at the trial. The Canadian appeal case of the fugitive slave John Anderson.

James was made QC in 1850 but was not elected a bencher of the Inner Temple as was customary. This may have been because of the Establishment's distaste for his radical sympathies and the nature of his practice. The Spectator described him as:

The New York Times noted that: Mr. James was a man of very brilliant parts and great ability, and was at one time considered by the late Lord Chancellor Campbell the best nisus prius jury lawyer at the English Bar. ).

As an MP, he was a loyal supporter of Palmerston and favoured the introduction of a ballot for parliamentary elections and the abolition of church taxes to support the state church. but on 9 April 1861, he suddenly resigned all his public offices, stating that he needed to devote his time to his professional career. It came to light that he was in dire financial difficulties, owing £100,000 (£7.5 million at 2003 prices

When James' earlier conduct did become known in America, an attempt was made to disbar him there; it failed when he denied the charges on oath and the judges were equally divided as to his culpability. They divorced in 1863, after having emigrated to the United States.

Mr. James is described by his old partner, Mr. Charles Blandy, as a gentleman of the most genial disposition and with an unlimited stock of anecdotes and store of experience. He was a scholar of the first grade, and his knowledge of art, literature, and the classics was as fresh as when he left college. He was odd in his personal tastes, and had a passionate fondness for dogs. He never became accustomed to American habits, and the lack of caste in society was a source of great annoyance to him. He was a man of powerful frame, 6 feet high, with large features, and generally wore an inverness cape, a rough tweed suit, and hobnailed boots, his appearance being that of the typical English country gentleman. and was buried on 6 March 1882 in the James family vault in the western side of Highgate Cemetery.

In popular culture Edwin James served as a basis of the character Stryver in Charles Dickens's 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities.