• Name: Powell, James
• Gender: Male
• Birth Date:
• Death Date:

James Powell was a member of the London Corresponding Society who became a spy for the government.
The Powel entries appear to cover more than one person. The contacts fall into four main groups, two of which we have made identifications for with reasonable confidence while the remaining two groups of entries have been left uncoded.
In 1789, there are two very similar entries where Powel is present at a tea in the company of Helen Maria Williams. We do not have sufficient evidence to identify this Powel at. The two entries suggest a connection with Weston, who might be the antiquary, clergyman and writer Stephen Weston (1747-1830), although we have no confirming evidence.
There is a group of entries 1793-6, where Powel appears as a member of radical circles, are likely to refer to James Powell, the LCS member and spy (who was never identified by the LCS). Some of the events that he attends in 1794 and 1795 do seem to indicate intimate involvement in radical circles, therefore supporting the identification. (See Mary Thale, Selections from the Papers of the London Corresponding Society). See also the DNB entry for Citizen Richard Lee who ran off with James Powell's wife in December 1795, a year in which Lee and Powell seem to have had close contact. The single entry for Gen. Powell in 1794 is not coded. The contacts in 1800-1810, which seem clearly linked to the theatre, have been coded as William Powell. Godwin had some correspondence with William Powell, theatre manager of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in the early 1800s regarding his plays, but there is nothing in the letters that suggests any prior intimacy or acquaintance. (Two letters in Abinger from 23 and 25 September 1801.) The 1801 entry recording a letter from Powel does match the correspondence extant from Powel. Interestingly, the diary suggests that Godwin's reply, although catalogued as to Powel, seems, in fact, to have been sent to Kemble. The two 1810 entries are linked to Cooper, who is visiting Britain in his role as theatre manager.
The final group of contacts is in domestic circles (especially in association with Kenney, in the 1820s. The attribution of these later entries, is difficult. It may be that this is a continuation of contact with William Powell, or it may be Powell, Thomas (1776–c.1863), composer and instrumentalist who returns to London in 1826. Due to lack of any supporting evidence, these entries remain uncoded.

• MS. Abinger c. 7, fols 64r + 65v : 23 Sept. 1801
• MS. Abinger c. 7, fols 64 + 65v : 25 Sept. 1801.
• DNB.
• Mary Thale ed., Selections from the Papers of the London Corresponding Society 1792-99 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ).

This table lists the people this person is most frequently noted with in the diary.