James was born in 1887 (1) in Cardiff, Glamorgan. He married Isabell Maude Moore in Cardiff in 1908. (2)

Isabel Maude Moore was born in 1887 (3) in Newport, Monmouthshire. He father Edwin Moore was from Gibralta and her mother Lillie Driver was from Constantinople.

In 1911 James was working at the Bute Docks in Cardiff, the couple were living in the Splott area of Cardiff and had two children.