1961 born 16th March in Newcastle upon Tyne
1965-72 Clinton Merton Church Primary School
1972-79 Bideford Grammar School/Bideford School & Community College.
1980-84 BA/MA Medieval & Modern Languages (Combined Honours, French & Spanish, St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University English
1984-97 Working for philatelic and fine art auction houses as expert specialist
1997 Founded Grosvenor Auctions, Strand, London
Joined the school at a time of rapid change, 1972 being the first year of acceptance of girls. Hair was grown longer, attitudes becoming more liberal and school caps were thrown onto the school roof. Teaching standards however remained high and James was grateful for the after-hours efforts of, in particular, Stewart Philp and Mike Whateley (sadly deceased in 2006) for his preparation for the Oxbridge entrance examinations.
At university James studied under noted academic Robert Pring-Mill and specialised in Latin American studies but an intended year working abroad in Buenos Aires was thwarted by the Falklands Conflict.
In 1997, having gained experience at a series of auction houses, he founded with a group of colleagues Grosvenor Auctions, specialising in the sale of stamps and postal history, and is today its sole proprietor, directing its activities from his home in south west France, where he moved in 2005.
His personal specialisation is the history of the former British Empire, ironically with a particular interest in the Falkland Islands & Antarctica.
