Lieutenant General Sir Henry James Kt FRS MRIA FGS (1803 – 1877) was a Royal Engineers officer who served as the director-general of the Ordnance Survey, the British Government mapping agency, from 1854 to 1875.

[5] Sir Henry spent most of his life working for the Ordnance Survey and after becoming its head he introduced the new science of photography.

His appointment to head of the Ordnance Survey was controversial, as his father-in-law, Major General Edward Watson, RE, aided him above two more obvious candidates.

[9] This was taken up by many foreign governments who were suitably impressed, the Queen of Spain making him a member of the Order of Isabella the Catholic in 1863; which he added to his knighthood of 1860 for services to science.

Due to failing health Sir Henry retired in 1875 at the age of 72, having been Director General of the Ordnance Survey for 21 years.

His retirement was welcomed by his colleagues and soon after his departure a thinly veiled attack on his running of the survey was released in the Hampshire Independent in 1875.