James Runciman

Who was James Runciman?

James Runciman was an English teacher, author and journalist.

He was born at Cresswell, a village near Morpeth in Northumberland, son of Walter Runciman, a coastguardman, and Jean Finlay. He was educated at Ellington school, and then for two years in the naval school at Greenwich, Kent, becoming afterwards a pupil-teacher at North Shields ragged school. After an interval spent at the British and Foreign School Society's Training College for Teachers in the Borough Road, he entered the service of the London School Board, acting as master successively of schools at Hale Street, Deptford, at South Street, Greenwich and at Blackheath Hill.

While still a schoolmaster, he read for himself at night, and attempted journalism. He soon wrote regularly for the Teacher, the Schoolmaster, and Vanity Fair; of the last paper he became sub-editor in 1874. In January 1874, he matriculated at the University of London, and passed the first bachelor of science examination in 1876. About 1880, while continuing his school-work, he was sub-editor of London, a short-lived newspaper, edited by Mr. W. E. Henley.

Subsequently he confined himself solely to the profession of journalism.