Herbert Armitage James, CH (3 August 1844 – 15 November 1931) was a Welsh cleric and headmaster of three leading public schools, who ended his "remarkable scholastic career", as it was later described by Austen Chamberlain, by becoming President of St John's College, Oxford.

He left Rugby School in 1909 to become President of St John's College, Oxford, a position he held until his death 22 years later.

At a dinner in his honour held to mark this award, attended by over 200 friends and former students, he was described by Austen Chamberlain (the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs) as "one of the greatest and most forceful characters who had ever devoted himself to education".

The Lord Chancellor, Viscount Cave, also spoke at the dinner to praise James's directness in his opinions and decisions, his weighty judgment, his high character and his kindly nature.

[3] He was appointed a Fellow of St John's College in 1869 and was President of the Oxford Union Society in 1871 (where he nominated H. H. Asquith to the Standing Committee).

[1] He was also described in his obituary in The Times as having "once more showed himself a complete master of his profession, equally effective and esteemed in the class-room and the pulpit, in the School House of Dr. Arnold, and on the playing fields.

[1][10] He returned to Oxford in 1909 as President of St John's College (having been made an honorary fellow in 1895) and held this position until his death in 1931.

[1] He was regarded during this time as a leader for the causes of the church and the Conservative Party, and was described as "winning all hearts with his geniality, his good sense, and his readiness to help all with whom he was brought into contact.

[1] Lord Cave praised James's directness in his opinions and decisions, his weighty judgment, his high character and his kindly nature.

He said that membership of the Companionship of Honour had been given only to a few who had rendered "special social service" to the country, and he rejoiced that James had been "enrolled" in this "select band".

[14] He added that St John's College and Oxford University owed James a "debt of gratitude" for his "wise advice and guidance".

One stanza was later quoted in the obituary of James published by The Times:[1] Unversed in any of the arts   That aim at winning mass approval,He found his way into our hearts   From which he still defies removal.He played our games; he gained our trust;   He was both honoured and respected,For he was vigorously just,   And absolutely unaffected.Chamberlain said that James had had a "remarkable scholastic career" and had exercised a "great and powerful influence" in the schools that he had served, leaving behind "a memory dear to all who had known him".

"[14] The dinner itself was reported as a news item in The Times on the following day, with a list of the principal attendees and summaries of the main speeches, and of James's response, in which he said that he regarded the honour he had received as one bestowed on teaching.

[1] After his brother's death, his estate was to pass to St John's College to assist undergraduates and to support the work of the choir.