First of all can I say a huge thanks for the very prompt responses. I also realise that I wasn't as clear as I could have been in the original note so here goes.....
Edward James appeared out of nowhere to marry Ethel Brown in the UK in 1918, He claimed to be 48 and a widower. His father was Edward, deceased, a stockbroker.
Ethel died some years later and he married Mary Wall (my grandmother) in the UK in 1931. He now claims to be 56. Same father and same profession.
He dies in 1936 in the UK where his age is recorded as 64.
He appears on the UK 1911 census as aged 45.
His job and address are consistent for all dates and times.
Given his alleged age on the documents I have he could have been born (in order of the above) in 1870, 1875, 1872 or 1866.
Given the age of his two wives in comparison to his age it's likely he lied about his age when he married. Both women were much younger than him so I am inclined to go along with the 1911 census age. He is shown on that document to be single but he is a widower 7 years later when he marries Ethel Brown. He has also twice mentioned the same father (Edward, deceased) and that his fathers profession was 'Stockbroker'.
As the 1911 UK census is the first sighting of him I am thinking he may not have been here very long.
Again, any help would be much appreciated.
The citizenship is very interesting, thanks for that. I wasn't aware of it.
As an aside, which may be of passing interest, Mary Wall (his second wife) is related to William Wall, hanged in 1830. His wife was transported and I have been in contact with a whole swathe of distant connections over there in Australia.
Thanks again for the help so far.