McManus 168

JAMES YEAMAN M.P. BIOGRAPHY

James Yeaman was the youngest son of James Yeaman and Margaret Siddie (Sydie) of Rattray, Scotland. James was born on 13 March 1816 at Rattray. He had two sisters, Isabella (born c.1808) and Euphemia (born c.1821), and two brothers John (born c.1810) and David (born c.1812).

James’s father worked as a carrier.^[35] James Yeaman the younger was schooled in the public school of Rattray.^[36] It is thought that James’s working life began with helping out in his father’s business as a carrier.^[28] At around the age of eighteen, James moved to Dundee to take up a position as a clerk, working for Messrs J & P Cameron, carriers in Exchange Street, Dundee.^[37] James also appeared in early directories as a carrier between Rattray and D. Myles’s Coal-shed in the Seagate, Dundee in 1837-38^[38], before later working for Mr James Davidson who was a fish curer in Candle Lane, Seagate.^[39] By 1841, James had worked his way up in the fish curing business, and had become an owner in a partnership with Mr Tait.^[29] Their business was located at 97 Seagate, Dundee.^[40]

On 8 November 1843, James married Jane Tullo in Dundee.^[2] Jane was the daughter of the late Henry Tullo, a merchant of the town. Over the following years the couple had at least five children, Jane, Margaret, William Tullo, Sophia and James Playfair.^{[41][42][43][44][45]}

Having made a success of his business life, James entered the council around 1859 representing the First Ward, before being made a bailie in 1860.^[46] By 1861, James had become a ship-owner owning two screw steam-ship whaling vessels, the “Camperdown” and the  Polynia” that both operated out of Dundee harbour.^[31] Considered a barbaric practice today, at the time it was viewed differently as many products from whaling were absolutely vital to both the jute industry and for use in the lighting of houses. To James, being in the fish curing business, the idea of owning whaling ships would have been an obvious one. The ships were not used to catch the whales, but to transport the fishermen to Arctic regions and also to transport the catch back to port. The ships were expensive, and whilst the investments were large, it was obviously a lucrative trade.^[47]

It was during his time as a bailie that James was in attendance at some of the first meetings held in regard to acquiring an area of land on which to found The Albert Institute.^[48][49] There was a degree of controversy surrounding the acquisition of an area of the town’s Meadows for the institute. A Mr Edward had been negotiating with the council to acquire ground for a speculative development when the area was identified as suitable for the memorial to Prince Albert. The Dundee Advertiser reported on the council meeting at which Bailie Yeaman “thought the council would not be acting fairly towards the parties who had offered to purchase the ground if they postponed the sale in the manner proposed by the committee. He was quite favourable to the Albert Institute, but he did not think the town of Dundee was in such a position financially as to enable it to sell any of the ground belonging to it at a price below its real value. He did not think either that the committee of the Albert Institute could say the council were not treating them well if they put up the ground for sale in the ordinary way. He therefore moved that the minute be not approved of, but that the sale go on upon the day advertised. He believed that which ever party obtained possession of the ground, the buildings to be erected upon it would do no discredit to the town of Dundee.” The comment on Yeaman’s position in the same edition left no doubt as to what the newspaper thought of this. “Between a selfish and a philanthropic object – between a private self-seeking speculation and a handsome public offer for the architectural improvement of the town – he had no preference. The great thing in his mind was the price. Like Shylock, he had a single eye to the pound of flesh, and would ruthlessly cut it out of the public generosity ‘nearest the heart’. We are amazed at the position of the Bailie’s. Had an enemy put words into his mouth to lower him in public esteem, that enemy could have said nothing more severe.”^[50] Harmony was restored during January and February when it was agreed on the motion of Bailie Yeaman that an upset price of £350 would be accepted from the Albert Institute company and the extra £50 added to the price would be reimbursed by the council when it was out of debt.^[51]  Thereafter he was a strong champion of making the project a reality, and he felt very keenly that the Institute and the Free Library would be a wonderful resource for the people of Dundee, and that it would encourage learning and culture. James had also been on the board of the Dundee Public Library in 1869-70.^[52].

By 1865 James’s term on Council had reached its end, and he returned to focussing on his private business affairs.^[53] It was during this time, that he became joint Manager of Dundee Seal and Whale Fishing Company, which included the use of his ships.^[54] The company gathered two other whalers and a sailing ship “Columbia”. But it seems calls to return to council must have been strong, as James was re-elected to council in December 1868, this time in Third Ward by 2067 votes.

Just six months later in July 1869 James was elected ad interim, on the resignation of Mr William Hay, to the office of Provost, being unanimously voted into the position in full later that year. He filled this office until 1872.^[55]

When the construction of the Albert Institute was nearing completion in 1873, James Yeaman was still attending committee meetings, even though he was no longer a member of council.

During the previous decade, James had acquired a large portion of land in the Seagate of Dundee, including sites in Candle Lane and Horse Wynd. Some of these premises formed part of his fish curing business, and some were premises and bond stores let out to others.^[34][33]

James lived with his family at ‘Craigie Cliff’, a substantial property on the eastern road out of the town towards Monifieth. Situated at 129 Ferry Road, the site was bound at the rear by the Arbroath Railway line and then the edge of the River Tay; the home was just one property away from the Dundee Orphan Institution.^[56][7]

Whilst holding the position of chief magistrate, James expressed the view that the city was lacking in a comprehensive written history. Mr. J.M. Beatts was employed to compile a work from the burgh archives. Although he was no longer on council by 1873, James personally undertook financial responsibility for the publication of The Municipal History of Dundee. The author later dedicated the book to James, in appreciation.^[57]

In 1873 James entered politics after being elected as the Member of Parliament for Dundee, standing for the Liberal party.  An independent thinker, and a man of deep convictions, James declared he ‘would not bend to the pressure of lobbyists’, but instead, ‘he would vote for what he felt was in the best interests of the Dundee townspeople’. He was described as being a humble, warm and approachable man.

It was during his time in Parliament in 1875, that he learned of the sudden death of his youngest son James Playfair, aged 22, off the coast of Greenland where he was employed as an engineer on a whaling ship.^[58] This event deeply saddened James and his family. James’s other son William Tullo had been working in his father’s fish curing business since around 1872, starting as a clerk, and like his father learning the business from the ground up.^[59]

Throughout his life, James was involved in many of the town’s institutions, some in his role as councillor and M.P., and some in a private capacity including being Deacon of the Bonnetmakers,  Harbour Trustee, Dundee School Board chairman, president of the Dundee Horticultural Society, vice-president of the Humane Society, Dundee Hospital Funds Committee, director of the Dundee Institute for the Blind, amongst many more.^[16]

James Yeaman had been a strong supporter of the founding of the Tay Bridge from around 1869. He felt that it would be advantageous to the interests of the town, allowing a direct connection to the southern side of the Tay and also to the capital, Edinburgh.^[60] He was involved in helping to secure financial subscribers during his time at council, and continued to be a sturdy advocate upon leaving Council, to take up his position in Parliament.

When the bridge later collapsed in a vicious storm (some say hurricane) boasting wind gusts in excess of 124 kph on the evening of 28 December 1879, James was among the first responders, including being onboard the first steamer to man a recovery mission at daybreak.^[61][62] No doubt James felt the subsequent 59* deaths of his townspeople very deeply. He visited the morgue to support grieving families, and he remained serving on the Tay Bridge Relief Fund until his own death.^[63]

James continued to represent Dundee’s interests as its Member of Parliament, until he was defeated in elections in April 1880. He ran as a Conservative.^[64] Accused of failing to lobby as hard as his opponents, he appeared to have spent much of early 1880 dealing with the Tay Bridge disaster, and helping the relief effort.

Soon after, James retired from political life, and also from his fish curing business which he had handed over to his eldest son. He did keep a business presence as a merchant, working from an office at 81 Murraygate, and he continued to serve as a Justice of the Peace, and on the Dundee Chamber of Commerce.^[65]

A portrait  by the artist Hugh Collins, was presented to James in appreciation of his services to the council and the town of Dundee, and he, in turn gifted it back to Dundee, where it was hung in the Town Hall.^[66] James spent his retirement at his home Craigie Cliff, Dundee, where he died at 12.30 am. on 11 April 1886.^[8][67] His funeral was attended by a large number of townspeople and local dignitaries. He was buried in the Eastern Necropolis. The bells of the Old Steeple rang at intervals during the afternoon, and the flags on many of the public buildings of the town were put at half-mast in honour of his life.^[68][69]

James’s death was reported in papers throughout the UK,^[70] and also in New Zealand and Australia. Upon his leaving public office, it was stated that “his sturdy uprightness in public, as in private life, has for thirty years been a household word with all the classes in the town.”^[71]

James’s wife Jane from 1878-1887 was a governess of the Royal Orphan Institute which was located almost next door to their home in Ferry Road, Dundee.^[72]

James Yeaman was also the grandfather of Preston Watson the Scottish aviation pioneer.^[73]

* The number of deaths is still disputed. Newspaper reports of the time claimed around 80 deaths, current research estimated the toll at 59 deaths.