James Brooks (civil servant)
Encyclopedia
Sir James Henry Brooks KCB
(15 April 1863–13 October 1941) was a civil servant in the British
Admiralty
.
Brooks was born in the Seychelles
and was educated at Charterhouse School
. He joined the Admiralty as a higher division clerk in the Controller's Department in May 1883. In 1885 he was transferred to Portsmouth Dockyard, but returned to London nine months later in February 1886 as Private Secretary to the Junior Naval Lord and spent the rest of his career in Whitehall
. He became Private Secretary to the Second Sea Lord
in 1893, second-in-charge of the Legal and Naval Law Branch in January 1901, head of the Appointments Branch in 1906, and head of the Naval Branch of the Secretary's Department in 1907.
In 1911, he was appointed to the post of Director of Victualling, which he was to hold until his retirement in 1923. It was an unusual appointment, as Brooks had no previous service in the Victualling Department, but he proved himself successfully throughout the First World War. The Victualling Department provided food, clothing, cooking and messing equipment, toiletries, tobacco and books to the Royal Navy
, and was thus vital to the successful operation of the fleet. The department's total budget during the war was approximately £45 million.
Brooks was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1909 Birthday Honours and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1920 New Year War Honours. He was also awarded the American Distinguished Service Medal
for his war service.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(15 April 1863–13 October 1941) was a civil servant in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
.
Brooks was born in the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
and was educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
. He joined the Admiralty as a higher division clerk in the Controller's Department in May 1883. In 1885 he was transferred to Portsmouth Dockyard, but returned to London nine months later in February 1886 as Private Secretary to the Junior Naval Lord and spent the rest of his career in Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
. He became Private Secretary to the Second Sea Lord
Second Sea Lord
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the British Royal Navy , and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were...
in 1893, second-in-charge of the Legal and Naval Law Branch in January 1901, head of the Appointments Branch in 1906, and head of the Naval Branch of the Secretary's Department in 1907.
In 1911, he was appointed to the post of Director of Victualling, which he was to hold until his retirement in 1923. It was an unusual appointment, as Brooks had no previous service in the Victualling Department, but he proved himself successfully throughout the First World War. The Victualling Department provided food, clothing, cooking and messing equipment, toiletries, tobacco and books to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, and was thus vital to the successful operation of the fleet. The department's total budget during the war was approximately £45 million.
Brooks was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1909 Birthday Honours and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1920 New Year War Honours. He was also awarded the American Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
for his war service.