William was educated at Manchester Grammar School, Owen’s College, Manchester and Manchester University – entering in 1886 as a Student of Medicine, qualifying M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. in 1890. William had been a member of the Manchester City Council from 1895 to 1906. After acting as assistant medical officer and house-surgeon at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, he went into practice at Manchester, becoming an honorary anesthetist at the cancer pavilion of the Victoria Dental Hospital, and had been an anesthetist at the Eye and Ear Hospital and at the Christie Hospital and Cancer Pavilion. On 18th November 1911 he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Army Medical Corps (T.F.), 2nd East Lancashire Field Ambulance. He served Egypt and Gallipoli, with two of his brothers, Major H.W. Pritchard and Hon. Captain and Quartermaster S. Pritchard, were serving under him at Gallipoli. James was fatally wounded at Cape Helles, dying from his wounds on a hospital ship and was buried at sea. He was the son of Alderman Pritchard of All Saints’ Ward, Manchester, Lancashire.