James Matheson

Sir James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson, 1st Baronet,

China and Hong Kong

After leaving university, Matheson spent two years in a London

In 1807, Matheson was entrusted by his uncle with a letter to be delivered to the captain of a soon-to-depart British vessel. He forgot to deliver the missive and the vessel sailed without it. Incensed at his nephew's negligence, the uncle suggested that young James might be better off back in Britain. He took his uncle at his word and went to engage a passage back home. However, a chance encounter with an old sea captain instead led to Matheson departing for Canton (Guangzhou).^{[citation needed]}

Matheson first met

On 1 July 1832, Jardine, Matheson and Company, a partnership, between William Jardine, James Matheson as senior partners, and Hollingworth Magniac, Alexander Matheson, Jardine's nephew Andrew Johnstone, Matheson's nephew Hugh Matheson, John Abel Smith, and Henry Wright, as the first partners was formed in Canton,^[7] and took the Chinese name 'Ewo' (怡和 "Yee-Wo" Literally Happy Harmony). The name was taken from the earlier Ewo Hong founded by Howqua^[8] which had an honest and upright reputation.

In 1834, Parliament ended the monopoly of the British East India Company on trade between Britain and China. Jardine, Matheson and Company took this opportunity to fill the vacuum left by the East India Company. With its first voyage carrying tea, the Jardine ship Sarah left for England. Jardine Matheson began its transformation from a major commercial agent of the East India Company into the largest British trading hong, or firm, in Asia from its base in Hong Kong.^[9]

Jardine wanted the opium trade to expand in China and despatched Matheson to England to lobby the Government to press the

Matheson returned to Asia in 1838 and the following year Jardine left for England to continue lobbying.[7]

Jardine's lobbying efforts proved more effective than his partner's and he succeeded in persuading the new British Foreign Secretary

After Jardine died a bachelor in 1843, his nephews David and Andrew Jardine assisted James Matheson in running the hong as taipan. Matheson retired as taipan during the early 1840s and handed over to David Jardine, another nephew of Jardine.

Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge in China

On 29 November 1834, Matheson became chairman of the newly formed "Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge in China". The committee members represented a wide section of the business and missionary community in Canton: David Olyphant, William Wetmore, James Innes, Thomas Fox, Elijah Coleman Bridgman, Karl Gützlaff and John Robert Morrison. John Francis Davis, at that time chief superintendent of British trade in China, was made an honorary member.^[11]

Return to Scotland

In 1844 Matheson bought the Scottish Isle of Lewis for over half a million pounds and built Lews Castle, near Stornoway, clearing more than 500 families off the land by arranging their emigration to Canada.^[12] In 1845, he began a programme of improvements on the island, including drainage schemes and road construction. He increased the programme during the Highland Potato Famine and by 1850 had spent £329,000 on the island. Between 1851 and 1855 he assisted 1,771 people to emigrate.

When in London Matheson lived at 13 Cleveland Row. He was elected a

Matheson died in 1878 at the age of 82 in Menton, France. He had married on 9 November 1843 Mary Jane Perceval^[15] the daughter of Michael Henry Perceval (1779–1829), illegitimate son of assassinated British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval,^[16] Commissioner of the Port of Quebec from 1826 and a member, from Spencer Wood, of the Legislative Council of Lower Canada. The Mathesons had no children^[15] and the baronetcy became extinct. The Lewis estate passed to his widow and subsequently to his nephew Donald (1819-1901) and great-nephew Colonel Duncan Matheson (1850-1930).

His widow erected a memorial to him in the grounds of Lews Castle.^[17]

He left £1,500 to help pay for the construction of the harbour at Port of Ness.^[18]

• 
  James Matheson Memorial built in 1880 in Stornoway Castle Grounds refurbished in 2006
• 
  James Matheson's Tomb in Lairg Scotland
• 
  Poppy Wreath in James Matheson's Tomb in Lairg Scotland

References