He was born in Lincoln, England, on 29 February 1820, the son of William Stimpson and Rebecca Dannett. William was lay vicar of Lincoln Cathedral, who moved to Durham Cathedral in 1822, where James became a chorister in 1827.
He married Isabella Mary Clarissa Martin, only child of Mrs O. Branbury, and niece of Major Martin of Guernsey on 10 December 1841 in St George's Church, Southwark.[2] She died on 22 February 1868.[3]
He married secondly Sarah, daughter of John Herdman of Belfast at Fisherwick Place Church, Belfast on 5 January 1869.[4] They had the following children:
^"Marriages". Cumberland Pacquet and Ware’s Whitehaven Advertiser. England. 21 December 1841. Retrieved 9 January 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Deaths". Birmingham Journal. England. 29 February 1868. Retrieved 9 January 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Marriages". Birmingham Journal. England. 9 January 1869. Retrieved 9 January 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Deaths". Aris’s Birmingham Gazette. England. 22 January 1870. Retrieved 9 January 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Mr James Stimpson". Durham County Advertiser. England. 15 July 1836. Retrieved 9 January 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Mr. Stimpson". Carlisle Journal. England. 26 February 1842. Retrieved 9 January 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham. Walter Showell
