James Buchanan-Jardine
He was born in 1946 and is the son of Lady Prudence Audrey Haggie and Sir John William Buchanan-Jardine, the last family owner of the giant Hong Kong trading company Jardine Matheson. Educated in Stowe School, Buckinghamshire (England) he read at Trinity College, Cambridge University (England) where he qualified as an architect.
Registered as a Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) he continued working until, as he says, “he needed to make money” and decided to change career and become a stock broker instead. He spent seven years with Jardines in Hong Kong and then 20 years in the UK with Strauss Turnbull and NCL Investments.
However, upon the death of his mother in 2001, James inherited the beautiful Moulin de la Mourachonne that had been her home since 1953. The two events changed James’ career yet again and he relocated to Mouans-Sartoux with his second wife, Irmgard Margarethe, and turned his hand at farming.
Set amidst green open fields and pretty orchards, the watermill takes its name from La Mourachonne river that flows through the property. Once a working watermill owned by the monks of the Iles de Lérins it fell into dis-use at the time of the Black Death. Then, like most of the region and Europe as a whole, Mouans-Sartoux was made desolate by this terrible plague. By the time the plague had run its course, between 25% and 50% of the population of Europe was dead. Homes fell silent and into disrepair - and the Moulin de la Mourachonne was no exception.
With the onset of the French Revolution (1789-1799) the property was claimed by the local people who sectioned off different parcels of land - some as pasture for their animals, others to cultivate watercress that grew along the banks of the river.
In the 1920s, an Englishman travelling through the area discovered the run-down Moulin de la Mourachonne and fell in love with the site and crumbling old building. So started the long and arduous task of renovating the property which he kept until 1951 when he sold it to the Buchanan-Jardine.
It has remained their home ever since and today is still being cared for and renovated. The River Mourachonne, once known as one of the most polluted rivers in France, is now clean and environmentally friendly - thanks in part to the intervention of the Buchanan-Jardine family.
James’s interest and subsequent commitment with the Cannes branch of the British Association is very much due to his mother. A short time after Lady Prudence bought Moulin de la Mourachonne she found herself involved with the small community of British families living in the South of France and set about organizing a number of benefit functions, many which were held in the grounds of her home. Her involvement was such that in 1957 she was instrumental in founding the British Association of the Alpes Maritimes.
Its aim was, and still is today, to help people of the British and Commonwealth community suffering from loneliness, infirmity or lack of funds for their day-to-day needs. Sickness, accident, loss of employment and even divorce can change a person’s whole life but when this happens in a foreign country it can turn a distressing event into a terrible ordeal. The British Association thus provides a support line and practical advice for such emergencies and continues to help, even today, numerous people regain control of their lives and their dignity.
While the first British Association was founded in 1936 in Monaco, today there are four branches in the Alpes-Maritimes: Cannes, Nice, Menton and, created 7 years ago, the Var - now the biggest association of them all.
Even prior to becoming Chairman, James's involvement with the Cannes Branch of the British Association had been ongoing for quite a while. From the sidelines he ably assisted his mother with benefit functions and administrative tasks and thus it was a natural progression to take on the mantle when his mother died. After joining the committee in December 2001, he was elected Chairman at the Annual General Meeting in April 2002.
James has also been instrumental in creating and producing a newsletter that is published four times a year. This has met with great success and has enabled members - both new and old - to be better informed of the association’s many social activities and welfare programmes.
And if the Association and Moulin de la Mourachonne are not enough to keep him busy, James Buchanan-Jardine is also actively involved with the Sunny Bank Association and its exciting project to build a medicalised nursing home. If accepted, Sunny Banks hopes to re-open its doors as a nursing home with 92 bedrooms primarily, but not exclusively, for the elderly Anglophone community of the Cote d’Azur.
To this end, a vast tract of land has already been purchased in Mouans-Sartoux, close to Casino and Botanic Garden Centre and talks are presently underway to start construction work.
With the active support and guidance of James Buchanan-Jardine we believe the Cannes Branch of the British Association will go from strength to strength. Their involvement with the welfare and well-being of the Anglophone community is to be both applauded and commended.
Contact details:
Chairman
James Buchanan-Jardine
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