James Galloway Weir (6 July 1839 – 18 May 1911)[1][2] was a Scottish businessman and Liberal Party politician.[3][4][5]

James Galloway Weir

Biography

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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]

General election 1892: Ross and Cromarty Shire[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Galloway Weir 3,171
Liberal Unionist N. McLean 2,413
General election 1895: Ross and Cromarty Shire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Galloway Weir 3,272
Conservative Randle Jackson 2,413
General election 1900: Ross and Cromarty Shire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Galloway Weir 3,554
Liberal Unionist I.D. Fletcher 1,651
General election 1906: Ross and Cromarty Shire[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Galloway Weir 3,883
Conservative J.C. Watt KC 1,773
General election Jan 1910: Ross and Cromarty Shire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Galloway Weir 4,430
Liberal Unionist Neil Maclean 1,418
General election Dec 1910: Ross and Cromarty Shire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Galloway Weir unopposed

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Askaroff, Alex I. "James Galloway Weir, sewing manufacturer to her majesty The Queen, incorporating Chas. Raymond Sewing Machines". Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  2. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 2)
  3. ^ "More on Weir". International Sewing Machine Collectors Society. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  4. ^ "WEIR, James Galloway". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. December 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  5. ^ "Obituary: Mr. Galloway Weir". The Times. 19 May 1911. p. 11.
  6. ^ "Election intelligence", Manchester Guardian, 20 June 1889
  7. ^ Drummond, Andrew (2020), A Quite Impossible Proposal: How Not to Build a Railway, Birlinn, p. 204,
  8. ^ The London County Council Election, The Times, 7 March 1892, p. 10
  9. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  10. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  11. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  12. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Ross and Cromarty
1892 – 1911
Succeeded by