James Lumsden (Lord Provost)

James Lumsden (1778–1856) was a Scottish stationer and merchant who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1843 to 1846.

James Lumsden

He was born on 13 November 1778 in Glasgow,[1] the son of James Lumsden, an engraver and publisher, and his wife, Jean Adamson. He was educated at Glasgow Grammar School. Their family publishing firm J. Lumsden and Son was founded in 1783 and specialised in children's books.[2]

When his father retired in 1810, he then took over the publishing firm.

In 1812 he was one of the several people including Henry Bell and Sir Walter Scott on the maiden voyage of the Comet.[3]

He developed the business James Lumsden & Son based at 20 Queen Street in Glasgow.[4] In 1840 he was living at 208 St Vincent Street.

Statue of Lumsden at Cathedral Square, Glasgow

In 1838 he was one of the founders of the Clydesdale Bank.[3] He was Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1843 to 1846,[5] having previously been a Town councillor and baillie, and a commissioner of the City of Glasgow Police.[1]

He retired in 1852 and died on 16 May 1856. He was buried in the churchyard of Glasgow Cathedral. A statue to his memory, designed by John Mossman, stands near the cathedral in front of Glasgow Royal Infirmary, of which both he and his brother Lachlan were major benefactors.[1]

Family

He married Margaret Gourlay. They had two sons, James and George,[1] who both initially joined the family firm. James Jr was head of the Clydesdale Bank from 1851 until his death,[6] and was also Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1866 to 1869. He was knighted in 1868 as Sir James Lumsden of Arden.[7]

References
  1. James Lumsden, 100 Glasgow Men (published 1885)
  2. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: James Lumsden
  3. James Lumsden 1778 - 1856, Gazetteer for Scotland
  4. Glasgow Post Office Directory 1840
  5. James Lumsden (Mitchell Library, Glasgow Collection), The Glasgow Story
  6. Sir James Lumsden (Mitchell Library, The Bailie), The Glasgow Story
  7. Sir James Lumsden, 100 Glasgow Men (published 1885)
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