James Johnstone Keswick
James Johnstone Keswick (1845–1914) was a Scottish businessman in China and Hong Kong. He was the
Biography
He was the son of the Thomas Keswick, and younger brother of William Keswick, who was the founder of the Keswick family. He arrived in the Far East in 1870 and remained there for 26 years. He became a partner of the Messrs Jardine, Matheson & co. and taipan of the firm from the 1890s. He founded Hongkong Land together with his close associate Sir Paul Chater. This was a development company established in 1889 which remained closely associated with Jardine Matheson. Chater and J. J. Keswick became permanent joint managing directors of the new company.
He was also appointed as
He had been resident in Japan, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. During his residence in China he was one of the best known figures in the foreign community,[1] in which was nicknamed "James the bloody polite".
He married Marion "Minnie" Parkes, who was the daughter of
He died at an hotel at Bath, Somerset, at the age of 68, in 1914.[1]