Description

1795 - 1890



1812 New Lanark Mills Clerk to John Wright [Junior] , New Lanark Company.



1816 Andrew Grant & Co, cotton trade.



1818 General Merchant, partnership with his brother James Burns. Travelled widely to London and especially Ireland. Particularly became the main exporter of produce to Belfast. Produce business named J & G Burns.



1822 Married Jeanie Cleland.



1824



Shipping agent, Glasgow



H Mathie & Theakstone, Liverpool, owners of six sailing smacks on the Glasgow-Liverpool trade, were looking for a new Glasgow agent after the death of both of the brothers involved in their former Glasgow agent [[John & Alexander Kidd]. Appointed G & J Burns with a 6.5% commission. David Hutcheson, on the recommendation of Hugh Matthie, was transferred from Kidd to the new business. The name G & J Burns selected for this business.



Shipping agent, Liverpool



George Burns becomes partner in the shipping agency H Mathie & Theakstone, Theakstone retires and George Burns takes his share in the six smacks, becoming a 50/50 owner with Hugh Mathie.



1829



New partnership formed with James and Thomas Martin (formerly a competitor on the Glasgow-Liverpool route), to use steam vessels, the Glasgow & Liverpool Steam Shipping Company owned by James Burns, George Burns, Hugh Mathie, James Martin and Thomas Martin. Smacks disposed of - twelve between all involved.



The trading name Mathie & Martin was adopted in Liverpool and G & J Burns & J Martin in Glasgow. (Several variations of the name were used over time.)



New vessels acquired for the company - 1829 PS Glasgow, 1830 PS Liverpool.



Many others second hand or by absorption of their operators. For example:

PS Ayr (which sunk the PS Comet [II] off Gourock) on Glasgow-Galloway from 182X until 1831.

PS Fingal (1819) on Greenock-Belfast from 1926 to 183X

PS Eclipse (ex of David Napier) Glasgow-Belfast from 1828 to 1833, then Glasgow-Newry, Belfast again 1834 and then disposed of.



1840



Beginnings of Cunard line with Samuel Cunard (a ship owner and operator of Halifax,Nova Scotia), George Burns and David MacIver to carry mail once a fortnight between Liverpool and Halifax and Boston. The British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company with vessels RMS Britannia (built by R Duncan), RMS Acadia (J Wood), RMS Caledonia (C Wood) and RMS Columbia (R Steel). All paddle steamers built in 1840 on the River Clyde.

4 July 1840 RMS Britannia set out from Liverpool. Arrived, via Halifax, at Boston 14 days and 8 hours later. In January 1842 Charles Dickens travelled by the RMS Britannia to America.



1842 G & J Burns used for the Glasgow company.



1845 Takes a share of the Glasgow Castle Steam Packet Company.



1850 Orion strikes rock and sinks off Portpatrick, Dr John Burns (his brother) is drowned.



Shareholder in the newly formed Glasgow and South Western Railway.



1850 Shareholding in the Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway (a controlling interest) and, from David Napier, the Lochlomond Steamboat Company.



1851, February the 5th The near death of son John Burns by boiler explosion on PS Plover, while building steam in Glasgow Harbour, leads to a re-evaluation of the scale of businesses. Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway and Lochlomond Steamboat Company shares sold.



1851, February West Highlands fleet disposed of to David Hutcheson & Co.



1858 Retires, replaced by his son John Burns. Buys Wemyss Bay and builds Wemyss House.



1871 James Burns dies.



1889, June Made a Baronet.



1890, June 2 death of George Burns.



1901 Converted to a public limited company. G & J Burns Ltd formed.

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