One of the most outstanding and distinguished Staffordshire men, a Mining Engineer and Doctor of Science, born at Silverdale village in the north of the county on the 7th September 1877, the eldest son of James Cope Cadman M.I.C.E. a Consultant and Mining Engineer, one of the founder members of the North Staffordshire Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers. John Cadman was educated at Audley Grammar School, Newcastle High School and Durham University. He showed an early interest in mining and decided to take it up as a career in 1892, obtaining a Colliery Managers Certificate soon afterwards. John married Lillian Harrigan, daughter of John Harrigan of Trinidad. Later he was appointed Professor of Mining at Birmingham University where he developed a course in oil technology, which was recognised as probably the best in the world. He pioneered the industry in Trinidad, and during the first World War his report on the oil wells of Persia was instrumental in Winston Churchill's decision to change the ships of the Royal Navy from coal to oil-burning. After the war, in 1918, he was knighted in recognition of his work in the coal and oil industries, work that had helped to secure adequate fuel supplies for the 1914-18 war effort. He became Technical Adviser then Director and Chairman of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, he was a close friend of King Faisal of Iraq and for many years acted as his adviser in oil matters. He was in close daily contact with many of the greatest figures in politics and science ranging from Neville Chamberlain to Lord Rutherford and William Blagg and was also called upon to advise King George the Fifth and the Prince of Wales concerning their oil interests. He was adviser to the Cabinet on coal and oil matters. He also continued his long association with Birmingham University, becoming Dean of the Science Faculty. During the 1930s he was widely known for a series of radio talks on the oil industry. In 1937 he received a hereditary peerage to become Baron Cadman of Silverdale, in the following year he received the Freedom of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1940. Baron Cadman died at his country home, Shenley Park on the 31st May 1941.
He was succeeded by his eldest son Basil (second Baron Cadman)
James CADMAN D.S.C. J.P. 1878 – 1947
Born at Silverdale, North Staffordshire on the 11th December 1878, he was the second son of James Cope Cadman M.I.C.E. Mining Engineer, and founder member of the North Staffordshire Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers. James Cadman was educated at Newcastle High School; he lived during his early years at Keele near Silverdale and soon became a successful Timber Merchant, he married Una Mildred Tate daughter of the late Simon Tate of Durham on the 18th September 1906 at Durham, they had one son James Simon in 1909 unfortunately Una died on the 2nd March 1919. James was one of a family of 13 children; his eldest brother was Lord John Cadman. In the first World War he was commissioned in the R.N.V.R. and received the D.S.C. for his bravery in that war. After the war he was active in the coal industry both in North Staffordshire and Cannock Chase. He was Chairman and Managing Director of Norton and Biddulph Collieries, Madeley Collieries and Brereton Collieries, he was also Chairman of the following Companies:-Birchenwood Coal and Coke Plant; J Cadman and Co. Ltd. Newcastle Motors Co. Ltd. Newcastle Saw Mills Ltd. Bucknall Saw Mills Ltd. Palmers Ltd. Cowlishaw Walker and Co. Ltd. G.M.Downings and Co. Ltd. and James Edge Ltd.
James Cadman was High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1933, Member of Staffordshire Territorial Army Association; Joint Master of the North Staffordshire Hunt 1927-30; Member of the Coal Mines National Industrial Board from 1930; and Justice of the Peace for the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. He lived at Walton Hall, near Eccleshall.
He died following a motor accident when travelling home from Grouse Shooting on the Yorkshire Moors; he met with his accident near Harrogate and died in Harrogate Hospital on the 8th September 1947.
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