Sir James Lumsden (1808-1879)

Sir James Lumsden

by Colin Campbell

The son of a previous Lord Provost of the City, James Lumsden was born in 1808. After attending the Glasgow Grammar School (now High School), he matriculated at Glasgow University in 1861, followed by training in a city “Counting House”.  In 1843 he entered his father’s business which was a big supplier of stationery. He travelled extensively on Company business in the 1830’s.

In 1835 he married Eliza Pinkerton; they were to have three daughters and one son.

In 1860 he was elected Lord Dean of Guild of the Merchants’ House. He became member of the Town Council and was elected to the post of Lord Provost from 1866 until 1869.

His business interests were wide. He was a Director of the Glasgow and South Western Railway from 1849, (Chairman in 1871) and a Director and Chairman of the Clydesdale Bank.

In 1867 he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Lanarkshire and in 1869 a Deputy Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire.

He played host to the Prince and Princess of Wales when they visited Glasgow to lay the foundation stone of the new Glasgow university in 1868. He entertained them the following day to a Civic Lunch. He was subsequently knighted in commemoration of that visit.

He had a town house at 194 Bath Street and 1867 he acquired the estate of Arden on the western shores of Loch Lomond and constructed Arden House one of the biggest mansions in the west of Scotland.

He died on 22 March 1879; his wife having died the previous year. Both he and his wife are buried in the Lair in Compartment Omega along with a daughter, Jessie, 15 years old.

(Ack: One Hundred Glasgow Men (image), the Glasgow University Story, ScotlandsPeople)

Sir James Lumsden