Arthur Hood James

[*Sandra*]

Commonwealth War Graves Commission are appealing for relatives of Pilot Officer Arthur Hood James- died 23 September 1940 - Royal Air-Force Volunteer Reserve. Regt No:- 88733

The private memorial marking the grave of Pilot Officer Hood no longer provides adequate commemoration. The commission is in the process of producing a headstone to mark his grave.

FIND A GRAVE

Warriston Cemetery Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland
PLOT   L 452

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/151919692/arthur-hood-james

Sadly...

P/O Arthur H. JAMES - 88733 - the Statutory Deaths Register on the Scotland's People website records that he committed suicide by hanging, being discovered at 8.00 a.m. at the Royal Hotel, Dunfermline.

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?1350-400923-Unaccounted-airmen-23-9-1940&highlight=JAMES&p=128610#post128610

https://twitter.com/FOWarristonCem/status/1316474068812652545

Sandra

[Forfarian]

From the indexes at Scotland's People.

It looks as if he was born in Edinburgh in 1901.

The index to the 1911 census lists in Edinburgh St George ED23 p 8
Alexander James, 74
Robert H James, 46
Arthur H James, 9
Gertrude H James, 8
Douglas H James, 5
Margaret J James, 1

Gertrude Hood James was born in 1903 and died in 2000
Douglas Hood James was born in 1907 and died in 1991
Interestingly, neither of their death certificates indexes a mother's maiden surname. Nor are there records of them marrying in Scotland.

Robert Hood James died in 1944 aged 80. He married Margaret G Johnston in 1900 and Annie Davina Fairbairn in 1915. Margaret Goldie Johnston or James died in 1910 aged 40. Annie Davina Fairbairn or Hood died in Galashiels in 1964 aged 73.

There are two deaths with mother's maiden surname Fairbairn
Elizabeth Murie James, other surname Ogilvie, died in 2002 aged 86. Born 1916, married 1941 to John Ogilvie.
Laura Millicent James, other surname Glover, died 2004 aged 86. Born 1918, married 1941 to John Hardie Glover.

Margaret Johnston James, other surname Aitchison, mother Johnston, died in 1993 aged 83.

Arthur Hood James was married twice; to Norah Elliot Graham in 1925 and to Julia Margaret Morris in 1928. Norah Elliot Graham or James died in 1926 aged 26.

Margaret Graham James, other surname Adams, mother's surname Graham, died in Stirling in 2020, aged 93. However I can't find a marriage or birth of Margaret Graham James so she may have been Adams married to a Mr James.

All events in Edinburgh or Leith unless otherwise stated.

[DonM]

Scotsman - Suddenly, on 23rd September 1940 Pilot officer Arthur Hood James, R.A.F. elder son of Robert Hood James, 25 Inverleith Terrace, Edinburgh, age 39.  Funeral Private

Don

[jwi45]

Last family member standing: Gertrude Hood JAMES (unmarried)
She was cremated 21 January 2000.
Couldn’t see a Will for her so unsure who would have inherited family papers/photographs.
Would dearly love to have copies of photos of my JAMES ancestors.  So if anyone can help with that I would be eternally grateful. 
Thank you.
PS Douglas Hood JAMES also unmarried. Uncles Alexander and Robert inherited from him.

[Forfarian]

Last family member standing: Gertrude Hood JAMES (unmarried)
She was cremated 21 January 2000.
Couldn’t see a Will for her so unsure who would have inherited family papers/photographs

Where did you look for her will?

If in any of the online sources, be aware that although various of these talk about 'UK Probate records' there is no such thing as 'UK Probate'; and there is no such thing as 'probate' in Scots Law'.

The corresponding process in Scoptland is Confirmation. If someone domiciled in Scotland dies leaving property in England or Wales, the E and W courts accept the Scottish Confirmation, and it is merely 'sealed' in an E and W court, rather than having to go through the whole rigmarole of Probate as well as Confirmation. In this case the will of the Scottish resident will be listed (as Sealed) in the E and W Calendar of Probate. 

If, however, someone domiciled in Scotland dies owning no property in E and W, their testament is Confirmed in the Scottish courts but is not listed in the E and W Calendar of Probate. For a testament Confirmed in Scotland from 2000 onwards you need to contact  the Commissary Department, Edinburgh Sheriff Court, 27 Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1LB.

See https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/wills-and-testaments for a fuller explanation of how to find wills in Scotland.

[jwi45]

Looked on Scotlandspeople for Will.

[Crumblie]

The Fife Free Press dated 2 Dec 1950 has a marriage for a son of the late Mr and Mrs Arthur Hood James of Edinburgh. It can be viewed on FindMyPast.

[Forfarian]

Looked on Scotlandspeople for Will.

Scotland's People only has wills from 1513 to to 1925.

[jwi45]

They have testaments 1926-1999 though.