Sir William James | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament for West Looe | |
| In office 1774–1783 | |
| Preceded by | James Townsend William Graves |
| Succeeded by | John Cocks John Buller |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 September 1721 Milford Haven, Wales |
| Died | 16 December 1783 (aged 62) London, England |
| Spouse | Anne Goddard (m. 1765) |
| Children | 2, including Elizabeth |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  East India Company (1747–1783) |
| Branch/service |  Bombay Marine (1749–1759) |
| Rank | Commodore |
| Commands | HCS Guardian HCS Protector |
| Battles/wars | |
Commodore Sir William James, 1st Baronet (5 September 1721 – 16 December 1783) was a Welsh naval officer and politician who sat in the British House of Commons representing West Looe from 1774 to 1783. James is best known for his career in India, where he served as an officer in the Bombay Marine, the navy of the East India Company (EIC), and led several successful campaigns against forces commanded by the Angre family.
Born on 5 September 1721 near Milford Haven, James went to sea at an early age. Initially serving on a coaster from Bristol, James entertained a brief stint as a Royal Navy cabin boy before becoming a sea captain engaged in the trade between Britain and its colonies. During the War of Jenkins' Ear, James was briefly imprisoned by the Spanish before being released and making his way back to England during the 1740s, when he married.
In 1747, James entered into the service of the East India Company, serving as first mate onboard two Company ships before being appointed as an officer in the Bombay Marine. Commanding the 44-gun warship Protector, James participated in several successful expeditions against fortresses controlled by the Angre family, whose ships frequently launched attacks on EIC merchant shipping. He returned to England in 1759 a wealthy man.
Settling down in England, James remarried and purchased an English country house in Eltham, in addition to being elected several times as a director of the East India Company. Harbouring political ambitions, he was elected to the British Parliament in the 1774 general election. James died in his London home on 16 December 1783, leaving behind his wife and two children. Severndroog Castle was built in 1784 by his widow to memorialise him.