Birthplace of William James (Father of the Railway System)

Born in Henley-in-Arden on 13th June 1771, he was the second of seven children of William and Mary James. His father was a solicitor and after being educated at The Kings School in Warwick, he trained and qualified as a solicitor in Birmingham, subsequently returning to Henley-in-Arden to work in his father’s practice. In 1793 he married Dinah Tarleton, the daughter of a local landowner and they lived at the Yew Trees in Henley-in-Arden and had eight children. The family’s fortune was detrimentally affected by the financial crisis of 1797 and James started a new career as a land agent representing many local estates, including the Earl of Warwick. Using his understanding of geology he advised clients to exploit the mineral wealth of their estates. He became a prominent colliery owner in South Staffordshire, which drew his attention to railways as a means of transport for both freight and passengers. He also had inherited a significant interest in the Stratford Canal.