Editing M. R. James (section)

==Early life==
James was born in a [[clergy house]] in [[Goodnestone, Dover]], [[Kent]], England, although his parents had associations with [[Aldeburgh]] in [[Suffolk]]. His father was Herbert James, an [[Evangelical Anglicanism|Evangelical Anglican]] clergyman, and his mother, Mary Emily (''née'' Horton), was the daughter of a naval officer.<ref name="mc">[[Michael Cox (novelist)|Cox, Michael]] (1987). "Introduction". ''Casting the Runes and Other Ghost Stories'' by M. R. James. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. xi–xxx. {{ISBN|978-0-19-281719-8}}</ref> He had two older brothers, Sydney and Herbert (nicknamed "Ber"), and an older sister, Grace.<ref name="mc" />

[[Sydney James (priest)|Sydney James]] later became [[Archdeacon of Dudley]]. From the age of three (1865) until 1909 James's home, if not always his residence, was at the Rectory in [[Great Livermere]], Suffolk.<ref name="mc" /> This had previously been the childhood home of another eminent Suffolk antiquary, [[Thomas Martin of Palgrave]] (1696–1771). Several of James's ghost stories are set in Suffolk, including {{"-}}[['Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad']]{{-"}} ([[Felixstowe]]), "[[A Warning to the Curious]]" (Aldeburgh), "Rats" and "[[A Vignette]]" (Great Livermere).

In September 1873, he arrived as a boarder at [[Temple Grove School]] in [[East Sheen]], west London, one of the leading boys' preparatory schools of the day.<ref name="dj">Jones, Darryl (2011). "Introduction". ''Collected Ghost Stories'' by M. R. James. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. xii. {{ISBN|978-019-956884-0}}</ref>

From September 1876 to August 1882, he studied at [[Eton College]],<ref name="eak1">James, M. R. (1925). ''Eton and King's''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 13–97. {{ISBN|978-1-108-03053-3}}</ref> where he claimed to have translated the ''[[Book of Baruch]]'' from its original Ethiopic in 1879.<ref name="eak2">James, M. R. (1925). ''Eton and King's''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 41–42; {{ISBN|978-1-108-03053-3}}</ref> He lived for many years, first as an undergraduate (1882–1885),<ref name="eak3">James, M. R. (1925). ''Eton and King's''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 106–195; {{ISBN|978-1-108-03053-3}}</ref> then as a [[University don|don]] and [[Provost (education)|provost]], at [[King's College, Cambridge]],<ref>{{acad|id=JMS882MR|name=James, Montague Rhodes}}</ref> where he was also a member of the [[Pitt Club]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Benson |first1=Edward Frederic |author-link1=E. F. Benson |title=Our Family Affairs, 1867–1896 |url=https://archive.org/details/ourfamilyaffairs0000bens |year=1920 |publisher=Cassell and Company, Ltd. |location=London, New York, Toronto, and Melbourne |page=[https://archive.org/details/ourfamilyaffairs0000bens/page/231 231] }}</ref>

The university provides settings for several of his tales. Apart from medieval subjects, James toured Europe often, including a memorable 1884 tour of France in a [[Cheylesmore]] tricycle,<ref name="eak4">James, M. R. (1925). ''Eton and King's''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 151–153; {{ISBN|978-1-108-03053-3}}</ref> studied the classics and appeared very successfully in a staging of [[Aristophanes]]' play ''[[The Birds (play)|The Birds]]'', with music by [[Hubert Parry]]. His ability as an actor was also apparent when he read his new ghost stories to friends at Christmas time.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}