Eric James, Baron James of Rusholme

Who was Eric James, Baron James of Rusholme?

Eric John Francis James, Baron James of Rusholme Kt., was a prominent British educator.

He was educated at York Place Secondary School, Brighton, Taunton's School, Southampton and Queen's College, Oxford. He taught science at Winchester College from 1933 to 1945, and was High Master of The Manchester Grammar School from 1945 to 1962. He then became the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of York, serving from 1962 to 1973.

He had well-known and controversial views on the importance of meritocracy and took very seriously "the University's obligation to be a cultural and educational force in the region". His three cardinal principles for the University of York were:

it should be collegiate in character

it should deliberately aim to limit the range of subjects

much of the teaching should be by tutorials and seminars

Knighted in 1956, James was created a life peer as Baron James of Rusholme, of Fallowfield in the County Palatine of Lancashire, in 1959.

He was married to Cordelia Wintour, paternal aunt of the fashion magazine editor Anna Wintour and the British journalist Patrick Wintour.

He was the father of Professor Oliver James, a leading British hepatologist and pro-vice chancellor of the Newcastle University.