He was born in Bransford, (district Christchurch) Hampshire in January 1882. His parents were John Henry and Catherine Mary (nee Walters) Selfe, who had married 6 April 1875 at Christchurch, Hampshire. His known brothers and sisters were Catherine Mary, b. 1876, Lucy, b. 1878, and John Henry, b. 1880. In 1891, he lived in Bristol, Gloucesteshire, England, with his parents John Henry, a haulier born about 1843 in Hampshire, and Catherine, born about 1841 in "England." In 1901, the family still lived in Bristol and his mother Catherine was listed as the head of the household. James was described as a carpenter aged 19. His sister Catherine, 25, was a dressmaker, his sister Lucy, 22, was a tailoress and his brother Henry, 21, was an upholsterer. James Selfe left England as a third class passenger on the steamer Lake Champlain 21 (?) March 1905 and came to St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, 3 April 1905. He was bound for Toronto, Ontario. He married Marion Florence Carle 21 April 1906 in Toronto, Ontario. Bride and groom both belonged to the Church of England. At some point after their marriage they went back to England and stayed there for some time. He left Southampton, England, 21 March 1908 as a second cabin passenger on the steamship Philadelphia together with his wife Marion Florence and came to New York 29 March 1908. Their last place of permanent residence was Bristol, England, and they were both able to read and write. Mr. Selfe was noted as a married carpenter aged 26. Mr. and Mrs. Selfe were going to Toronto, Ontario, where Mrs. Selfe's brother lived at 23 Benerly (Beverly?) Street. In 1911, Mr. and Mrs. Selfe lived at 431 Green (?) Street in Toronto, in the household of Mrs. Selfe's brother and sister-in-law, George, a cabinet maker, and Margaret Carle, and their three children Reginald, Maude, and Elaine. Mrs. Selfe's brother Edgar also lived with them. James Selfe was described as a carpenter working for the city of Toronto at the time. In 1915, they lived at 203 Ossington Avenue, Toronto. He was a carpenter and having been out of employment for a long time, he decided to return to his relatives at Cheltenham Road, Bristol, England, there being good prospects for work in that city. The Cunard Line stated he was 33 years old in 1915 and gave his point of origin as simply 'Canada.' James Selfe was lost together with his wife when the Lusitania went down.