Walter James, later 4th Baron Northbourne, studied agricultural science at Oxford University and was also an accomplished rower. In 1920 and 1921, he rowed for Oxford in the Boat Race, both times losing to Cambridge. In 1920, James triumphed at Henley in the Stewards’ Challenge Cup for coxless fours and, as a member of the Leander crew, won the silver medal in the eights at the Antwerpen Olympics.
James was a follower of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner and his esoteric spiritual movement called anthroposophy. Based on the ideas of Ehrenfried Pfeiffer on biodynamic agriculture, James converted his estate in Kent to an exemplary farm and also hosted respective conferences and summer schools, calling it organic agriculture, and he later adopted elements of the Perennial Philosophy. He wrote a number of books on his philosophical ideas and also translated works of fellow perennialists.
Great Britain