Source Material Related to

Augustus Frederick James (1842-1912) and Katharine Anne Geale (1835-1903)

Augustus Frederick James (1842-1912), also known as "Nunks" or "Uncle Dick", was the youngest brother of my great-grandfather George Coulson James. His wife Katharine Anna Geale (1835-1903), known as "Kitty", was an artist. (N.B. Her first name is variously spelt Katharine or Katherine in different sources, but in her Will (AFJ/12) it is generally (though not exclusively) spelt with an underlined 'a', which I have taken as definitive.)

John Barnard
Updated 16 January 2022
Number
& Link 		Description Location
AFJ-01 List of pictures by Kitty Geale prepared by Bob James. Further discussed with table of her pictures Original MS held by John Barnard
AFJ-02 E-mail concerning Kitty Geale's pictures from Mike Harrisson to Jean Barr (5 Nov 2015). Discuses his purchase of some of them from their brother David, reframing the pictures and gives information on the original framer's name in Plymouth, and an identification label compiled by Margaret Harrisson.
 Also cc'd to John Barnard and Antonya Cooper
AFJ-03 Correspondence prior to AFJ's marriage to KAG. The letters also involve AFJ's brother William ("Bill") Carkeet James (WCJ) and his wife Ellen (née Leah) ("Nell"), who was also the brothers' second cousin.
  1. "Willie" [? KAG's uncle] to KAG, 31 May 1898, headed "Copy Chancery Registrar's Office
  2. AFJ to Nell dated "Wednesday" [? early summer 1898] - AFJ is determined to go ahead with his marriage despite Nell's misgivings
  3. KAG to "Mrs James" [? Nell] dated "Wednesday, Freiburg" [?July 1898] - "your letter was a joy to me"
  4. AFJ to Nell - undated [? July 1898] - financial aspects of marriage to KAG
  5. WCJ to AFJ 1 Aug 1898 - offering financial support at £15 per annum; also mentions letter from "Tom" (probably Nell's brother Thomas Leah, who was married to the AFJ and WCJ's sister Catherine Coulson James) and discusses approaching "nephews" (presumably Henry Rosher James, Lionel James and Noy Leah).
  6. AFJ to Nell, 5 Aug 1898
  7. AFJ to Nell, 14 Aug 1898
  8. AFJ to WCJ, 16 Aug 1898
  9. AFJ to Nell, 21 Aug 1898
  10. AFJ to Nell, 29 Aug 1898
  11. AFJ to Nell, 14 Sep 1898
  12. AFJ to Nell, 18 Sep 1898
  13. AFJ to WCJ, 20 Sep 1898
  14. AFJ to Nell, 25 Sep 1898 - "the sands of my bachelorhood are running out"
  15. List of ? wedding presents in hand of AFJ
 Original MSs held by John Barnard
AFJ-04 Correspondence before and after Katharine Anna James's [KAJ] death in November 1903. The letters also involve AFJ's sister in law (and second cousin) Ellen James (née Leah) [Nell]
  1. KAJ to Nell, 21 Jan [1903]
  2. Envelope franked Fierenze 28 [?01] [19]03 addressed to Mrs Wm C James (i.e. Nell)
  3. AFJ to Nell, 2 Feb 1903
  4. KAJ to Nell, ? 2 Feb [?1903]
  5. AFJ to Nell, 1 Dec 1903
  6. AFJ to Nell, 14 Dec 1903
  7. AFJ to Nell, 26 Dec 1903
  8. AFJ to WCJ, 9 Jun 1904, Freiburg
 Original MSs held by John Barnard
AFJ-05 Letter from AFJ to "Harry" [probably his nephew Henry Rosher James], 8 January 1890 - probably immediately before Harry's departure for India Original MS held by John Barnard
AFJ-06 Invitation to AFJ from Royal Marine Light Infantry for Friday 31 Jul 1896 "with Captain Scott's Compliments" [probably Fitzroy Tufton Holt Scott, who married AFJ's niece Margaret Leah on 27 Jan 1897] Original held by John Barnard
AFJ-07 Letter to Ellen James (née Leah) from Lilian Culley (widow of Edward Hugh Culley, the former headmaster of Monmouth School) dated 14 Apr [1912] describing the death of AFJ, which occurred on Good Friday, 5 Apr 1912. Original MS held by John Barnard
AFJ-08 Typescript copies of "Copy from Dick's Notebooks": memoirs of Augustus Frederick James
  • Two copies of typescript on foolscap paper with handwritten note in unknown hand dated Sep 1968 (38pp each)
  • Two copies retyped on A4 paper by RCT James with introductory note by RCTJ dated 27 Jan 1985 (1+33pp each)
  • Four additional copies of RCTJ's introductory note
 Held by John Barnard
AFJ-09 Manuscript in the hand of AFJ
  • Poem in memory of Katharine Anna James (pp. 1-3)
  • Memoirs of KAJ, telling her life story, and of their meeting in Freiburg
 Original MS held by John Barnard
AFJ-10 Letter from AFJ to Ellen James (née Leah), 29 Mar 1912 (marked "Dick's last letter") Original MS held by John Barnard
AFJ-11 Two photographs of Augustus Frederick James (probably from around 1906-10 when he was living at Monmouth School) Original prints held by John Barnard
AFJ-12 Will of Katharine Anna James (née Geale), dated 1 Mar 1899, died 17 Nov 1903 at Florence, Italy, proved 9 Mar 1904 by Thomas Noy Leah, Executor. Gross value £248:0:11 (equivalent to about £30,000 in 2020).  Life interest to husband Augustus Frederick James, then to sister Elizabeth Kay and after her to niece Evelyn Kay. PDF obtained from Probate Office by John Barnard, Mar 2021
AFJ-13 Will of Augustus Frederick James Copy on order from Probate Office Mar 2021
AFJ-14Original Katherine Anne James (née Geale) pictures held by family members.See table of pictures