Provost James Ewing

James Ewing was born on 7th December, 1775, 5th child of Walter Ewing Maclae 3rd of Cathkin & his wife Margaret Fisher (the name Maclae was added when he inherited Cathkin House and estate at Cathkin House, south of Glasgow). He was named after his maternal grandfather, the Rev James Fisher.

After some years of education at the High School of Glasgow Ewing went to the University of Glasgow when he was 12 years old. Following in his father's footsteps, he founded the firm of James Ewing & Co and amassed a fortune in trade with the West Indies.

He was a strong supporter of free trade and contributed to the successful campaign for the ending of the East India Company's monopoly of trade to the Far East, as a result of which the first Glasgow ship reached Calcutta in 1816. In 1827 Ewing laid the foundation stone of the new Royal Exchange, as chairman of the committee of subscribers.

Ewing was elected Dean of Guild in 1816-1817 and again in 18311832; he was Lord Provost in 1832-1833 and for the same period he was MP for Glasgow, having topped the poll in the first post-Reform Act election.

He played a major role in the foundation of the Glasgow Savings Bank ( In 1809 James Dennistoun of Golfhill, with support from James Ewing, founded the Glasgow Bank. James Ewing, James Dennistoun, and Robert Dalgliesh were partners, great friends and colleagues) and in the purchase of the ground for the Necropolis.

In 1814 James’ father, Walter Ewing Maclae, 3rd of Cathkin died leaving Cathkin House in life rent to James’ mother, Margaret His heir, Humphrey Ewing 4th of Cathkin, was in Jamaica and Margaret did not enjoy living there on her own, and moved to Totness in south Devon.

In 1815 in the hope of enticing his mother back to Glasgow, he purchased the mansion known as ‘Glasgow House’. The house was considered the most handsome residence in the whole of Glasgow, for which James paid £3,000 (£108,600 in 2003 terms), a very large sum for a house at that time.The house was situated where Queen Street Station is now situated adjacent to George Square. It became known as Crawford mansion.

For many years he lived in Crawford Mansion, with its famous rookery, which earned him the nickname "Craw Ewing".

The mansion was situated at the head of Queen Street, on the site of what is now Queen Street Station.

In 1836 James Ewing (61years old), married Jane Tucker Crawford, the 23 year old daughter of James Crawford who had been connected with Crawford, Tucker & Co of Port Glasgow, one of the largest businesses on the Clyde. They had no children. In 1838 Glasgow House was sold by James Ewing, for £35,000 (£1,579,550 in 2003 terms) to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Co, who built Queen Street station on the ground after demolishing the house.

James Ewing left a legacy of £31,000 (£1,521,170 in 2003 terms) to the Merchants House, Glasgow

The memorial to James Ewing of Strathleven is only a few feet away from and on the south side of the base of the John Knox memorial, in the Glasgow Necropolis.

Bro. James Ewing was a member of Lodge Argyle No.76 (now defunct).