James, Lord Inverclyde, was descended from a long line of prominent
Glaswegians. One great-grandfather,
Dr. Burns, was minister of the Barony Parish for sixty-nine years, from 1770, while another, Dr. Cleland, was a magistrate of the city, and in 1807 laid the
foundation stone of
St George's Church. His grand-uncle, James, and his grandfather, Sir George Burns, Bart., were founders not only of the service of Irish steamers and of the West Highland service, but of the
Cunard Line. His father, Sir John Burns, Bart., had the public services of his house recognised with a peerage in 1897 and became the first Lord Inverclyde. James Burns was born at Glasgow in 1864, and educated at
Repton. He was the principal Director of the shipping business of Messrs. G. & J. Burns, Limited, and took a strong interest in everything connected with shipping. He was President of the
Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom in 1899. In 1900, he became Chairman of the Glasgow Shipowners' Association, and was an Honorary Member of the Advisory Committee on New Lighthouse Works to the
Board of Trade. He was a Director of the Cunard Steamship Co., Ltd., and of the
Clydesdale Bank Ltd. He was a member of the Glasgow Committee of
Lloyd's Register, a representative of Glasgow on the London General Committee of Lloyds' Register, and a Director of the Clyde Steamship Owners' Association. He was an Associate of the Institute of Naval Architects and of the Scottish Institute of Engineers and Shipbuilders. He was also involved in the religious and philanthropic life of the city. He became Prime Warden Shipwright of
The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights in 1919, dying in office. He was an enthusiastic
yachtsman. He was Commodore of the
Royal Clyde Yacht Club, Vice-Commodore of the Royal Northern Yacht Club and the Royal Highland Yacht Club, and a member of the
Royal Yacht Squadron. After
Christopher Furness, 1st Baron Furness died in November 1912, Lord Inverclyde acquired his
steam yacht and renamed her
Beryl. However, she was destroyed by fire in
Gare Loch in December 1913. He was President of the
Scottish Hockey Association, and took a leading part in bringing the game into vogue in Scotland. He distinguished himself as a
cricketer and
lawn tennis player, and, as President of the Lorne Curling Club, taking a rink to Carsbreck
bonspiel every winter. He owned the estate of
Wemyss Bay, and had as his residence there
Castle Wemyss. In addition to the ground belonging to his own house of Hartfield at
Cove, he leased the shooting on
Rosneath moor above from the
Duke of Argyll. Lord Inverclyde was
Lord Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire, and a
Justice of the Peace for the counties of
Lanark,
Renfrew, and the County of the City of Glasgow. He was appointed
Honorary Colonel of the
Clyde Royal Garrison Artillery of the
Territorial Force on 27 March 1909. ==Family==