James Galloway Weir (6 July 1839 – 18 May 1911)[1][2] was a Scottish businessman and Liberal Party politician.[3][4][5]
Biography
Born in Scotland, he was the son of a builder, James Ross Weir. He was a pupil at Dollar Academy before moving with his family to London as a young man. He worked as a travelling salesman for a haberdashery company before he went into business on his own account in 1863 importing sewing machines.[1] He retired from business in about 1879/80 to pursue politics full-time.[1] Weir's brother, John Weir became the secretary of the Fife and Kinross Miners' Association.[6]
He unsuccessfully contested the Falkirk Burghs constituency in 1885, when he got a derisory vote. He was elected for Ross and Cromarty as one of five Crofters' Party MPs in 1892, transferring his allegiance to the mainstream Liberal Party in 1895.[7] He held the seat until his death.
He was also elected to the London County Council in 1892 to represent Islington East as a member of the majority Liberal-backed Progressive Party.[8]
He died at his home in Frognal, Hampstead in 1911 aged 71, and was buried at Marylebone Cemetery.[1]
References
- ^ Askaroff, Alex I. "James Galloway Weir, sewing manufacturer to her majesty The Queen, incorporating Chas. Raymond Sewing Machines". Retrieved 12 May 2014.
- ^
- ^ "More on Weir". International Sewing Machine Collectors Society.
- ^ "WEIR, James Galloway". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. December 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
- ^ "Obituary: Mr. Galloway Weir". The Times. 19 May 1911. p. 11.
- ^ "Election intelligence", Manchester Guardian, 20 June 1889
- ^ Drummond, Andrew (2020), A Quite Impossible Proposal: How Not to Build a Railway, Birlinn, p. 204,
- ^ The London County Council Election, The Times, 7 March 1892, p. 10