Sir James Wilfrid Stubbs, KCVO, TD (1910–2000) was an English

freemasonry Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

administrator. He was Grand Secretary of the

United Grand Lodge of England The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) is the governing Masonic lodge for the majority of freemasons in England, Wales, and the Commonwealth of Nations. Claiming descent from the Masonic Grand Lodge formed 24 June 1717 at the Goose & Gridiron ...

from 1958 to 1980.

Early life and education

Born on 13 August 1910,"Sir James Stubbs", ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

'' (London), 4 April 2000, p. 25. Stubbs was the elder son of Elizabeth, ''née'' Pope, and the Rev. Wilfrid Thomas Stubbs (born 1875), the vicar of

Barkway Barkway is a village and civil parish in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England, about five miles south-east of Royston, 35 miles from London and 15 miles from the centre of Cambridge. The Greenwich Prime Meridian passes a ...

and the son of the Anglican bishop

William Stubbs William Stubbs (21 June 182522 April 1901) was an English historian and Anglican bishop. He was Regius Professor of History (Oxford), Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford between 1866 and 1884. He was Bishop of Ches ...

. He had two younger brothers (Thomas Arthur and Hugh William) and a sister (Katherine Muriel Rose). One of his uncles was the colonial administrator Sir

Edward Stubbs Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs (; 13 October 1876 – 7 December 1947) was a British colonial administrator who served as governor of four British territories during his career, including Hong Kong and Ceylon. Early life and education Reginald ...

. A. C. Fox-Davies,
Armorial Families
', 7th ed. (London: Hurst and Blackett, 1929), vol. 2, p. 1873. James Stubbs attended

Charterhouse Charterhouse may refer to: * Charterhouse (monastery), of the Carthusian religious order Charterhouse may also refer to: Places * The Charterhouse, Coventry, a former monastery * Charterhouse School, an English public school in Surrey London ...

and then

Brasenose College, Oxford Brasenose College (BNC) is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It began as Brasenose Hall in the 13th century, before being founded as a college in 1509. The l ...

, where he studied

classics Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek literature, Ancient Greek and Roman literature and ...

. In 1931, he joined the

Apollo University Lodge Apollo University Lodge No 357 is a Masonic Lodge based at the University of Oxford aimed at past and present members of the university. It was consecrated in 1819, and its members have met continuously since then. University of Oxford Membersh ...

, becoming a

freemason Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

Career and retirement

After graduating from Oxford, he was employed as a teacher at St Paul's School. He served in the

Royal Corps of Signals The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals – abbreviated to R SIGNALS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communications an ...

during the Second War and ended his service with the rank of lieutenant colonel. After a period teaching again at St Paul's, he successfully applied to be principal assistant to

Sydney White ''Sydney White'' is a 2007 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Joe Nussbaum and written by Chad Gomez Creasey based on the fairy tale of "Snow White" by the Brothers Grimm. The film, starring Amanda Bynes in the title role, Sara Paxto ...

, the Grand Secretary of the

, the governing

Masonic Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

lodge Lodge is originally a term for a relatively small building, often associated with a larger one. Lodge or The Lodge may refer to: Buildings and structures Types * Lodge, a dwelling for a beaver, an aquatic mammal * Lodge, a building for t ...

for most of the country. He was promoted to Assistant Grand Secretary in 1948, Deputy Grand Secretary six years later and then succeeded White as Grand Secretary in 1958. During this period, he assisted with the establishment of the Grand Lodge of India in 1961 and the 250th anniversary of the English Grand Lodge in 1967. Stubbs was appointed a Knight Commander of the

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the m ...

in 1979 and retired in 1980. He was given the Order of Service to Masonry in 1996. An avid traveller, Stubbs wrote ''The Four Corners'' (1983), as well as an autobiography, ''Freemasonry in My Life'' (1985), and ''The Government of the Craft'' (1982). He died on 7 March 2000; his wife Richenda (''née'' Streatfeild, sister of

Noel Streatfeild Mary Noel Streatfeild OBE (24 December 1895 – 11 September 1986) was an English author, best known for children's books including the "Shoes" books, which were not a series (though some books made references to others). Random House, the U.S. ...

) had died in 1995.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stubbs, James 1910 births 2000 deaths Freemasons of the United Grand Lodge of England People educated at Charterhouse School Alumni of Brasenose College, Oxford Royal Corps of Signals officers Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order