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James Burns (Scottish shipowner)

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98:, general merchants in Glasgow. After six years, the two brothers moved into shipping, joining with Hugh Mathie of Liverpool to establish a small shipping line of six sailing vessels plying between the two ports. The Clyde was then the leading waterway for steam navigation; within a year James and George Burns had ordered their first steamer, and they quickly replaced all their sail ships by steamboats. While George was mainly interested in the technical aspects of the ships, it was James who was the chief commercial influence in the business, supervising the day-to-day transactions, the negotiation of cargoes and contracts. 33: 101:
The Mathie connection with Liverpool was replaced in 1830 by a new arrangement with two Liverpool-based Scots, David and Charles MacIver, to form the Glasgow Steam Packet Company. This arrangement allowed James and George Burns to extend their steamship business to Londonderry, Larne, and Belfast. As
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and raised ÂŖ270,000 in subscriptions to establish the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. This company secured a seven-year contract from the Admiralty to carry the American mails by steamship. James and George, with the MacIvers, were founding partners and shareholders with
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in the new venture. While this took George's attention south to Liverpool, James concentrated on the Glasgow business, and in 1845 G. and J. Burns acquired an interest in the developing west highland steamer services by purchasing the Castle Line. This however was quickly re-sold to their nephew
132:, and Bloomhall in Dunbartonshire. He spent much time on improvements and was a liberal supporter of religious and philanthropic enterprises. He died on 6 September 1871 at Kilmahew Castle, Cardross, Dumbarton, and was succeeded in his estates by his only son, John Burns. 105:
While the Irish Sea trade was their first and main business, two other avenues opened up to James and George Burns. In 1839 the Liverpool connection was greatly strengthened when George Burns was introduced to
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Burns was married twice: first, to Margaret Smith and, second, to Margaret Shortridge, who predeceased him. With Margaret Shortridge he had one son,
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before, George concentrated on the shipping department, while James was mainly responsible for the mercantile side of the business.
149: 75: 91: 55:(1744–1839), minister of the Barony parish of Glasgow, and his wife, Elizabeth, nÊe Stevenson. His eldest brother, 143: 124:
He retired from active business and developed an interest in estate improvement, acquiring the estates of
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The Old Country Houses of the Old Glasgow Gentry. John Guthrie Smith and John Oswald Mitchell, 1878.
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Unlike his older brothers, James Burns turned to commerce, and was joined by his younger brother,
142: 129: 59:, became the first professor of surgery in the University of Glasgow, and his second brother, 166: 125: 17: 204: 195: 107: 68: 116:
David Macbrayne, their shipping clerk David Hutcheson, and his brother Alexander.
112: 79: 32: 189: 64: 43:(9 June 1789 – 6 September 1871), was a shipowner born in Glasgow. 31: 78:, who inherited his estates and became chairman of the 194:Memories and Portraits of 100 Glasgow Men, 1886. 8: 153:. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 158: 196:This title on Glasgow Digital Library 190:This title on Glasgow Digital Library 63:, became physician to the empress of 7: 246:19th-century Scottish businesspeople 241:18th-century Scottish businesspeople 94:(1795–1890), in 1818, setting up as 226:Scottish businesspeople in shipping 25: 150:Dictionary of National Biography 144:"Burns, James (1789-1871)"  51:Burns was the third son of the 27:Scottish shipowner (1789-1871) 1: 92:Sir George Burns, 1st Baronet 221:Businesspeople from Glasgow 262: 231:Scottish company founders 167:"G&J Burns Timetable" 36:James Burns (Shipowner) 18:James Burns (1789-1871) 37: 35: 120:Later life and death 171:theglasgowstory.com 53:Revd Dr John Burns 38: 96:J. & G. Burns 57:Dr John Burns FRS 16:(Redirected from 253: 182: 181: 179: 177: 163: 154: 146: 21: 261: 260: 256: 255: 254: 252: 251: 250: 201: 200: 185: 175: 173: 165: 164: 160: 141: 138: 122: 88: 49: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 259: 257: 249: 248: 243: 238: 233: 228: 223: 218: 213: 203: 202: 199: 198: 192: 184: 183: 157: 156: 155: 137: 134: 121: 118: 87: 84: 48: 45: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 258: 247: 244: 242: 239: 237: 234: 232: 229: 227: 224: 222: 219: 217: 214: 212: 209: 208: 206: 197: 193: 191: 187: 186: 172: 168: 162: 159: 152: 151: 145: 140: 139: 135: 133: 131: 127: 119: 117: 114: 109: 108:Samuel Cunard 103: 99: 97: 93: 85: 83: 81: 77: 72: 70: 69:St Petersburg 66: 62: 58: 54: 46: 44: 42: 34: 30: 19: 174:. Retrieved 170: 161: 148: 123: 104: 100: 89: 73: 50: 40: 39: 29: 236:Ship owners 216:1871 deaths 211:1789 births 130:Cumbernauld 80:Cunard Line 61:Allan Burns 41:James Burns 205:Categories 136:References 76:John Burns 126:Kilmahew 86:Shipping 176:13 May 113:Cunard 65:Russia 47:Family 178:2011 67:at 207:: 169:. 147:. 128:, 82:. 71:. 180:. 20:)

Index

James Burns (1789-1871)

Revd Dr John Burns
Dr John Burns FRS
Allan Burns
Russia
St Petersburg
John Burns
Cunard Line
Sir George Burns, 1st Baronet
J. & G. Burns
Samuel Cunard
Cunard
Kilmahew
Cumbernauld
"Burns, James (1789-1871)" 
Dictionary of National Biography
"G&J Burns Timetable"
This title on Glasgow Digital Library
This title on Glasgow Digital Library
Categories
1789 births
1871 deaths
Businesspeople from Glasgow
Scottish businesspeople in shipping
Scottish company founders
Ship owners
18th-century Scottish businesspeople
19th-century Scottish businesspeople

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