James Arrowsmith

James Williams Arrowsmith (6 November 1839 in Worcester – 19 January 1913 in Bristol) was a printer and publisher in Bristol, of the firm Arrowsmith, which he incorporated as a private company, J. W. Arrowsmith Ltd, in 1911.

Logo of Arrowsmith as used in 1891

James was the third son of Isaac Arrowsmith and Louisa Williams.^[1] Isaac started the printing business in 1854. When he died in 1871, James took over the running of the company. He was a supporter of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and was a personal friend of W. G. Grace. However their friendship was tested owing to disagreements as regards how Cricket (1891) a book by W. G. Grace should be produced.^[1]

He played a key role in the erection of a statue to Edward Colston in Bristol in 1895. The statue was proposed by Arrowsmith, the president of the Anchor Society. Several appeals to the public and to Colston-related charitable bodies failed to raise the £1,000 needed for its casting and erection, and Arrowsmith ended up paying the shortfall himself.^[2]

He was a prime mover in the foundation of Bristol University.^[3]

He founded the Bristol Arrow Bowling Club in 1894 and was president until his death in 1913.^[4]