High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Eric John Francis James, Baron James of Rusholme (13 April 1909 16 May 1992) was a prominent British educator. He was educated at Taunton's School, Southampton and Queen's College, Oxford. He taught science at Winchester College from 1933 to 1945, and was High Master of Manchester Grammar School from 1945 to 1962. He then became the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of York, serving from 1962 to 1973. He had well-known and controversial views on the importance of meritocracy and took very seriously "the University's obligation to be a cultural and educational force in the region".