Mr. William James was born at Maidstone, Kent, England, in 1839, and was brought up to the coachbuilding trade. He arrived at Lyttelton, by the ship “Ramsey,” on the 21st of June, 1870. Soon afterwards he started in business in Christchurch under the style of Elmslie, Denham and James, coachbuilders. This partnership existed for about three years, when it was dissolved, and Mr. James started at Addington on his own account. Three years later he entered the hotel business, with which he was associated for many years, and will long be remembered as a popular landlord. Mr. James owned in succession the Ellesmere Bridge Hotel, Doyleston Hotel, Crown Hotel, and Star and Garter Hotel, in Christchurch, the “Somerset” in Ashburton, and the “Masonic” in Christchurch. Mr. James recently took a trip to the Old Country, where he revisited the scenes of his youth. He now lives in retirement in a pretty villa in Cashel Street Linwood. As a Freemason, Mr. James was initiated in the Crown Lodge, Christchurch. He was married in England, and has a family of six sons and two daughters.