He was born 1st January 1894 at Byker the son of James and Eliza Law (nee Stephenson), of 29, Romily Street, South Shields.
His father died when he was about 5, and he lived with his mother, school teacher Martha Cummins Bell.
At the age of 16 he was a Bursar with the Board of Education.
He was aboard the S.S. Strathcona when it was sunk by U-78 on the 13th April 1917. Master, chief engineer and third engineer were taken prisoner.
The vessel was carrying coal from the Tyne to Marseille with a crew of 9.
James Law is remembered at Harton on H104.03 and on our List of Ships’ crews