Commodore Sir William James, 1st Baronet, FRS (c.1721 – 16 December 1783) was a British naval commander known for his successful campaigns against Indian native navies.
A poor Welsh miller's son from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, James ran away to sea in 1732 and by 1738 was commanding his own ship and serving in the West Indies. Nine years later, in 1747, he joined the East India Company and was appointed commodore of its Bombay Marine naval forces four years later.
He is particularly associated with an action on 2 April 1755 when, commanding the Bombay Marine Ship Protector he attacked and destroyed the fortress of Tulaji Angre (also spelt Tollagee Angria; son of Kanhoji Angre, described by English revisionists as a "pirate", by locals as the admiral of the Maratha Empire navy) at Severndroog (an English representation of the latter part of Janjeera Soowumdroog or Suvarnadurg), in Konkan, along the western coast of India, between Mumbai and Goa. He had initially been instructed only to blockade the stronghold, but through his intimate knowledge of the rocky coastline was able to get close enough to blow up the fortress. Although the East India Company had spent considerable sums providing protection from piracy, he only received £100 in reward.
In February 1756, he supported the capture of Gheriah (now Vijaydurg) by Colonel Robert Clive and Admiral Watson, and was active in numerous skirmishes against the French, helping to consolidate the British position in India.
He returned to England in 1759, settling in Eltham in south-east London, and later became chairman of the directors of the East India Company, a governor of Greenwich Hospital and a fellow of the Royal Society for his contribution to navigation.[1] Created a baronet in 1778, he died of a stroke at his daughter's wedding in 1783, and was buried at Eltham. The following year a folly, Severndroog Castle (designed by East India Company architect Richard Jupp), was built as a memorial to him by his wife, Lady James of Eltham, on nearby Shooter's Hill in south-east London. His title passed to his son Edward William and became extinct on the latter's own death.[2]
Leigh Rayment's List of Baronets
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James Townsend William Graves |
Member of Parliament for West Looe with Charles Ogilvie 1774–1775 John Rogers 1775–1780 John Buller 1780–1782 John Somers Cocks 1782–1783 1775–1783 |
Succeeded by John Somers Cocks John Buller |
| Baronetage of Great Britain | ||
| New title | Baronet (of Eltham, Kent) 1778–1783 |
Succeeded by Edward William James |