Submitted by Val Hiscock on
It is with profound sadness that we have just learned of the death of H.E. the Chevalier David James on 13th November 2023
David was admitted to the Order in May, 1984 at the rank of Officer (OLJ) and promoted to accolade rank in 1990. The then Grand Master, The Most Excellent Don Francisco de Borbon y Escasany, 5th Duke of Seville, elevated him to the rank of Knight Grand Cross in 1999 and bestowed upon him the Grand Collar in 2005. For a number of years he held the office of Grand Commander of the Order until the election of the 49th Grand Master, H.E. the Chevalier Carlos Gereda y de Borbon, Marquis of Almazan, when he retired and was granted the title of Emeritus Grand Commander of the Order.
Additionally, David worked very closely with the late 13th Earl Ferrers GCLJ and Canon Jeremy Haselock (then ECLJ), Bernard Barton GCLJ and Gareth Vaughan (then KCLJ) in bringing the former Paris Obedience jurisdictions of The Norwich Group (Austria, England & Wales, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Romania, Slovakia) into reunification with the Order. Following a Chapter-General of The Norwich Group jurisdictions in Vienna (deliberately held exactly one week before the Chapter-General of the Order in Manchester on 12th September, 2008) at which David James appointed H.E. the Chevalier David Gibb GCLJ to represent him as observer, an Historic Final Agreement of Reunification was ratified in Manchester on 13th September in the presence, and with the signature, of the newly elected 49th Grand Master, thus bringing the above named jurisdictions of The Norwich Group into membership of the legitimate Order. The importance of the part played by David James in gaining the trust and confidence of The Norwich Group jurisdictions, engaging with the various personalities and facilitating the arrangements to make this possible cannot be underestimated.
His was a life of distinguished and devoted service to our Order and he will be greatly missed. He is survived by his widow HE Dame Anne James GCLJ.
Chev. Norman Hunter Rose KCLJ
Deputy Grand Information Officer