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Draft:John James (businessman and philanthropist)

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John James
CBE
Born25 July 1906
Bedminster, Bristol, England
Died31 January 1996
Clifton, Bristol, England
SpouseMollie Stevens (m. 1932–1971) Margaret Parkes (m.1972-1991)
Children4
Websitejohnjames.org.uk

John James CBE (25 July 1906 – 31 January 1996) was an English businessman and philanthropist.[1][2]

Early life and education

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James was born at 96 Philip Street, Bedminster, Bristol.[3] His father, Jack James. originally was a miner and then a docker[3]: 1–2  at Avonmouth docks. In 1918, James won a scholarship to study at the Merchant Venturers' Technical College (now known as Cotham School where he excelled academically.[3]: 10–16  In the same year his mother, Emily, died in the great influenza epidemic.[3]: 2–17 

Career

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In 1923, he lied about his age to join the RAF and was posted to Malta where he developed his skills as a wireless operator[3]: 19–22 . He had a brief spell as a salesman before he joined the Royal Aircraft Establishment in 1938 and became a Squadron Leader working on the development of radar at Farnborough during World War II.[3]: 19–28 

On demob in 1946, he bought his first shop in Broadmead, Bristol and went on to develop the Broadmead Wireless Company.[3]: 27–28  The company expanded rapidly and by 1952 there were 115 shops and 750 employees, having branched into television as well.[3]: 29–44 

His management skills and shrewd business acumen in achieving such substantial growth without the benefit of capital was commented on in Harry Miller's analysis of 21 post war British firms written for the Institute of Economic Affairs.[4]

In 1957, James bought the John Murdoch[5] chain of 90 shops and his company was confirmed as the "biggest single ownership retail radio TV business in the world".[6] In December 1959, he sold the business to Charles Hayward's Firth Cleveland Industrial Holdings for £5.8 million.[3]: 45–51 

James branched out into property development with the formation of the Hyndewood Development Company in 1959 as part of the John James Group.[7] The emphasis was on high quality design and construction with a modern design aesthetic.[8][9] The consulting architect was Norman Starrett and the designs were open plan and sympathetic to their surroundings.[10] One of the developments was at Forest Hill in London.[11][12] When mortgages became hard to get, the company offered cheap mortgages on their properties.[13][14]

In 1962, James went into partnership with Norman Williams to create a new way of buying furniture.[15] In comparison to existing shops which sold by creating 'rooms' within the store, the new venture (called Williams Supermarkets) was crammed with samples of every kind of table, chair, wardrobe, etc. and deliveries were made from an off-site warehouse.[16] They were able to offer 36-hour delivery instead of the 2 weeks or more that their competitors were offering, and by buying in bulk from the manufacturers were able to offer better prices.[17][18][19]

The John James Group, a publicly quoted company, was set up in 1964 as a holding company for small ambitious companies in the South West, Midlands and South Wales concentrating on light engineering, building and manufacturing, including footwear.[20][21] Sir Ted Leather was appointed Managing Director, but they disagreed about methods and Ted Leather resigned in 1967.[22] The group was sold in 1979 to Wolseley Hughes for £23.7 million.[23]

James was also a leading member of Harlech Television which made a successful bid for Independent Television's contract for Wales and West in 1968.[24][3]: 65–67 

Philanthropy

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James made numerous private donations and was actively involved in the Dawn James Charitable Foundation, a charity set up in 1966, following the death of one of his daughters,[25] and the John James Bristol Foundation, set up in December 1983. After his death, the two funds amalgamated in 1998. His main areas of philanthropy were the elderly, education and health.

Bristol Old Folks' Festival

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In 1963, John and Mollie James suggested that the old folks of Bristol should have something to look forward to in the summer in the same way that Christmas was looked forward to each year, and they donated £10,000 to the Bristol Post to meet the cost of the first Festival which provided free entertainment for anyone over 70 within the greater Bristol area for a week during May.[26] From 1966, it was funded through the Dawn James Charitable Foundation, and the festival adopted a motto: "The old are never alone when someone remembers them".[27] There were variety shows at the Colston Hall[28] and the Bristol Hippodrome,[29] coach trips to resorts, river trips, cinema visits and trips to Bristol Zoo.[30] Gift food parcels were provided for those that were housebound and unable to attend.[3]: 93  The variety shows continued until 1980 and the trips until 1996, and in total it is estimated that over 270,000 people attended the variety shows and 500,000 enjoyed free excursions.[3]: 92–95 

Health

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In 1980, James donated £300,000 to Harefield Hospital to maintain their transplant programme[31] and £500,000 to the creation of St Peter's Hospice in Bristol.[32] In 1985, £1 million was donated to purchase the first MRI machine for Bristol at Frenchay Hospital[33][34] and three years later, a further £1 million to buy a shock wave lithotripter machine for Southmead Hospital.[35] £1 million donations were also made to purchase an ultra sound scanner for the ante natal clinic at Southmead and towards the creation of the new Bristol Children's Hospital.[36]

Education

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Following the cessation of the direct grant scheme in 1976, he made significant donations to all of the ex direct grant schools in Bristol to provide bursaries or assisted places to enable children of similar backgrounds to his own to have the same start in life and he also provided funding for bursaries for the existing three independent schools.[37] He challenged the ten comprehensive schools to raise up to £100,000 each which he would match to create enrichment funds to support worthwhile activities and develop the personal qualities of every pupil.[38]

As of June 2024, the John James Bristol Foundation has made donations in excess of £45 million.[39] As a result, the following are some of the places named after him: John James Theatre at Aerospace Bristol,[40] the John James staircase at the Bristol Old Vic,[41] the John James Theatre of Curiosity at We The Curious,[42] retirement housing at John James Court,[43] a library and one of the Houses at Bedminster Down School,[44] and a hydrotherapy pool at Claremont Secondary School.[45]

Honours and recognition

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James was very proud of, and was celebrated in, Bristol - a five-part profile was published in the Bristol Evening Post under the banner 'Men of Fortune' by their London editor Don Hatwell in 1977.[46][47][48][49][50] In 1974 his life was the subject of a BBC West programme 'The Quiet Millionaire', later shown on BBC Two as part of the 'Network' series.[51] In 1981 he was awarded the CBE for services to charity[52] and in 1983 awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Bristol.[53][54] In 1987 he became an Honorary Member of the Society of Merchant Venturers[55] and in 1987 became the first Honorary Member of the Guild of Guardians.[3]: 115–116 

In 1999 the readers of the Bristol Evening Post were invited to vote for the Person of the Century. James won by a landslide gaining 59% of the votes, with his nearest rival only taking 5%.[56] In 2006 a blue plaque was erected in his memory on the walls of Windmill Hill City Farm.[57][58][59][60]

There were many obituaries celebrating his life,[61][62][63][64] including an entire letters page in the Evening Post devoted to him,[65] and his memorial service at St Mary Redcliffe Church was packed out.[66]

References

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  1. ^ Faith, Nicholas (19 February 1996). "Obituary: John James". The Independent. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Obituaries: John James". The Times. 16 February 1996. p. 21. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Avery, Roy (2001-04-05). The Sky's the Limit. Bristol, United Kingdom: John James Bristol Foundation. p. 1. ISBN 0954131606.
  4. ^ "Formats and Editions".
  5. ^ "John G. Murdoch and Co - Graces Guide".
  6. ^ "Up and up". Electrical & Radio Trading. 22 June 1957.
  7. ^ Spicer, John (5 January 1962). "Mr James to Enter Property Market". Evening World.
  8. ^ "Built to Order". The Lady: 893. 14 June 1962.
  9. ^ "A Show House at Chislehurst". Estates Gazette. 26 May 1962.
  10. ^ Powell, Audrey (15 December 1963). "Building for the housewife". The Observer Weekend Review.
  11. ^ "The Modern House: Hyndewood II". The Modern House. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Modernist Estates". Tumblr. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  13. ^ "For sale: Houses with a mortgage". Daily Mail. 10 July 1965.
  14. ^ "Mortgages at 6¼ %". The Scotsman. 10 July 1965.
  15. ^ "Supermarket plan for furniture". The Times. 18 January 1962.
  16. ^ Munro, Meg (26 September 1963). "Meg Munro looks at furniture fashion". Glasgow Evening Times.
  17. ^ "Mr. John James in plan for furniture supermarkets". Financial Times. 17 January 1962.
  18. ^ "A Wardrobe from the Supermarket". Sunday Times. 21 January 1962.
  19. ^ Powell, Emma (19 November 1962). "Madam, this is the trend". The Evening News & Standard.
  20. ^ "John James Group Offer Details". Financial Times. 9 June 1964.
  21. ^ "John James Group's Interests Extended". Investors' Guardian. 14 August 1964.
  22. ^ Jacobson, Philip (26 September 1967). "Ted Leather quits John James board". The Times.
  23. ^ Moore, John (30 June 1979). "Wolseley-Hughes puts up £23m for John James". Financial Times.
  24. ^ Thomas, Alston (12 June 1967). "Programme Puzzle : These are the men of Harlech". Bristol Evening Post. p. 5.
  25. ^ "A Million for a Memory". Daily Express. 21 April 1964.
  26. ^ "It's a Festival". Bristol Evening Post. 1 January 1963.
  27. ^ "Never alone...". Bristol Evening Post. 22 May 1980.
  28. ^ Casson, Dennis (9 May 1964). "Stars galore for the old folk's show". Bristol Evening Post. p. 11.
  29. ^ Hendry, Julie (28 May 1980). "Magic of the Music Hall". Bristol Evening Post.
  30. ^ "Bus firm call in aid for Festival Week". Bristol Evening Post. 23 May 1963.
  31. ^ Randall, Colin (18 March 1980). "£300,000 donation for Harefield transplants". The Daily Telegraph.
  32. ^ Wright, Mary (23 September 1980). "The rich man with a heart of gold". Western Daily Press.
  33. ^ Randall, Colin (21 November 1985). "Philanthropist's £1m for hospital scanner". The Daily Telegraph.
  34. ^ "£1m gift, but John James saves pennies". Western Daily Press. 30 June 1987.
  35. ^ Smith, Pat (14 June 1988). "Shock Tactics". Bristol Evening Post.
  36. ^ "Dawn James Annual Festival - a message from the trustees". Bristol Evening Post. 7 August 1996.
  37. ^ "£1 million gift to schools for poor children". Bristol Journal. 27 May 1983.
  38. ^ "All-in Benefactor - £100,000 pledge for school". Newspapers.com. 7 January 1981. Retrieved 22 October 2024.  
  39. ^ "Our grantmaking".
  40. ^ "The John James Theatre and the Studio Space".
  41. ^ "John James Bristol Foundation receives prestigious..."
  42. ^ Forster, Jen (14 October 2020). "'John James Theatre of Curiosity' to open in Bristol's We The Curious". wethecurious. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  43. ^ "John James Court".
  44. ^ "John James".
  45. ^ "John James/Starfish Hydrotherapy Pool, Claremont SEN School | Hatcher Prichard".
  46. ^ Hatwell, Don (11 February 1977). "A day in the life of a happy tycoon". Bristol Evening Post.
  47. ^ Hatwell, Don (14 February 1977). "Sacrifice and saving - the two lessons of childhood". Bristol Evening Post.
  48. ^ Hatwell, Don (16 February 1977). "How I made that first million". Bristol Evening Post. p. 4. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  49. ^ Hatwell, Don (18 February 1977). "Message from a millionaire - live within your means". Bristol Evening Post.
  50. ^ Hatwell, Don (21 February 1977). "Why I would outlaw strikes". Bristol Evening Post.
  51. ^ "Schedule - BBC Programme Index".
  52. ^ Whitby, Simon (31 December 1980). "Royal honours come west". Bristol Evening Post.
  53. ^ "Honorary degrees". University of Bristol Newsletter, Vol 13, No 14 ISSN0143-1951. 28 April 1983.
  54. ^ Moran, Tina (15 July 1983). "Thanks a million, Dr James". Bristol Evening Post.
  55. ^ "Mr Money's rare honour". Newspapers.com. 25 April 1987. Retrieved 22 October 2024.  
  56. ^ Borno, Zahra (24 February 1999). "John's the man". Bristol Evening Post. pp. 8–9.
  57. ^ "Plaque honour for philanthropist". BBC News; England. 19 March 2006. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  58. ^ "List of Blue Plaques in Bristol".
  59. ^ Byrne, Niamh; Wallace, Joanne (22 March 2006). "A man in a million". Bristol Evening Post. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  60. ^ "A fitting tribute to a Bristol great". Bristol Evening Post. 14 March 2006. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  61. ^ Dando, Nigel (7 February 1996). "Caring tycoon dies at 89". Bristol Evening Post. p. 1.
  62. ^ Harrison, David (7 February 1996). "The modest millionaire". Bristol Evening Post. p. 16.
  63. ^ Robinson, Derek (8 February 1996). "He made millions, and gave them away". Western Daily Press. p. 7.
  64. ^ Harrison, David (8 February 1996). "Those were the days - the John James show". Bristol Evening Post. p. 32.
  65. ^ "Postbag". Bristol Evening Post. 21 February 1996. p. 10.
  66. ^ Drew, Mark (4 May 1996). "City's tribute to top Samaritan John". Bristol Evening Post.

Biography

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  • Avery, Roy (2001). The Sky's the Limit. John James Bristol Foundation. ISBN 0954131606
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