Gourlay's widowed mother brought the family to Glasgow from St Andrews in 1819. Following apprenticeship, Gourlay set up in business with his brother Robert, working as a commercial traveller. In 1838 he established the Commercial Travellers' Society of Scotland, remaining its treasurer until his death.
In 1841 he switched to accountancy, and from 1848-1855 served on Glasgow's City Parochial Board, where he worked on reforming rates and taxes. From 1849 he served on the Town Council and from 1853-55 was instrumental in opposing the proposal to supply Glasgow with water from Loch Lubnaig instead of Loch Katrine. In 1850 he became a burgh magistrate.
In 1855, following a brief retirement, he accepted an offer to work for the Bank of Scotland on the south side of Glasgow. His wife of 40 years, Jeanie Cleland, died in 1870 and 18 months later Gourlay himself died at Bothwell.
JAMES GOURLAY was born in St. Andrews in 1804. Robert Gourlay, his father, who was an ironmonger there, and was "convener of the seven trades of St. Andrews," died in 1811. His mother, Agnes Lidell, was a woman of great force of character, with a good deal of independence, amounting almost to pride. She educated her boys to rely upon themselves, and in 1819, when James had just left school, she came to Glasgow to be with her four sons.
James was apprenticed to the firm of Kerr & Adam, smallware manufacturers, 7 Hutcheson Street. In those days "prentices" had harder work than they have now. They were at business as early as half-past seven in the morning, the day's work was not over till late in the evening, and there were no half-holidays on Saturday. There were then a good many houses in what was called "the country trade," but although Glasgow had a population of 150,000 inhabitants, there was only one house that occupied a warehouse of more than a single flat, and not one of them could boast of having more than a single traveller on the road. Of the wholesale houses then existing, the only one still trading under the same name is that of Messrs. J. & W. Campbell & Co.
In Kerr & Adam's Gourlay remained for nearly five years, when he left to join his eldest brother, Robert, who had previously been in business in Paisley. They started under the firm of R. & J. Gourlay in the wholesale country trade. Their beginning in the year 1823 was small, but they started with a good name, and kept up their reputation.
As junior partner James was sent on the road when little over twenty years of age. His journeys ranged from Maidenkirk to John o' Groat's House. Only two travellers from Glasgow then crossed the channel to Ireland, and he was one of them; and for a time he was the only traveller north of Ross-shire. At first a horse, with saddle-bags strapped on each side, carried his samples. Afterwards the young commercial went over a good deal of his ground in a gig with a single horse. Often, when beginning his north journey, he would leave Glasgow early in the morning, breakfast at Cumbernauld, and get on to Falkirk in the forenoon. A few years later on, the stage coaches took, to a considerable extent, the place of the saddle-bags and the gig; and it must have been a lively scene to have stood at the door of the old Tontine, about the year 1828, and watched the arrival and departure of the stage coaches, of which there were not less than 61 coming up to, and leaving the "plainstanes" daily, providing accommodation for over 1,000 passengers, requiring 183 horses to carry them over their first stage, and 671 to complete their daily journeys.
While a commercial traveller, Mr. Gourlay, knowing something of the vicissitudes of the "road," originated in 1838 "The Commercial Travellers' Society of Scotland." He was its first member, and became its first treasurer, a post he held till his death. Since its commencement this society has dispensed in aliment, etc., in cases of sickness, over £50,000.
He continued with his brother until the year 1836, when the latter retired from the business, and James joined Mr. John Knox, and the firm became Gourlay & Knox. In 1841 he gave up the wholesale country trade, and started as an accountant at 24 Queen Street. There was no Institute at that time, and comparatively few accountants. Mr. Gourlay was specially fitted for his new work. He had a natural aptitude for figures, and was singularly expert in mental calculations, while his knowledge of the drapery trade enabled him to value for himself a bankrupt stock in that line of business. In consequence he very soon secured the influence and support of the best of the wholesale houses in Glasgow, London, and Manchester. The friendships he then formed he cherished and retained through life.
In 1848 Mr. Gourlay became a member of the City Parochial Board. The first Poor Law Act affecting Scotland had only been passed a few years previously, and its working was probably at that date not very well understood. Under it the Parochial Board had the option of raising money from rates by an assessment on property and rent, or by assessing owners of land and other inhabitants ratably according to their means and substance. The City Parochial Board adopted the latter mode of rating, and in collecting the taxes a large amount of ill-feeling was shown. The system was thought unequal and inquisitorial. When Mr. Gourlay entered the board, of which he was at once chosen the treasurer, and convener of the Finance Committee, he found the treasury at a very low ebb. They were incurring a weekly expenditure of about £1,500, and had only £200 to £300 at their credit in the Royal Bank to meet it. They were owing tradesmen over £10,000, and their bankers about £25,000, and against this, they had arrears of unpaid rates of over £60,000! In the beginning of 1849 the treasurer of the board had to ask for a supplementary estimate of £20,000 to defray the extra cost for carrying out the provisions of the Board of Health, on account of the visitation of cholera in the year 1848. Five thousand appeals were at this time taken against their assessment, and there were in the hands of the collector 13,000 unpaid receipts. It was impossible to go on - this being the state of matters - and an effort was then made to alter the system. At the Parochial Board elections in December, 1849, the excitement was great, and there was an angry feeling. The result, however, was that a majority was returned in favour of changing the mode of assessment. To what was understood as the "means and substance" rating Mr. Gourlay had always been opposed. He entered the board as an enemy of that system, and shortly after the new election of 1849 the late Robert Lamond moved, and Mr. Gourlay seconded a motion, which was carried, that the existing system was bad and ought to be abandoned, and in its place that of "rental" should be adopted. Before this motion could become law the concurrence of the Board of Supervision in Edinburgh was necessary, but they at once gave their consent, and thus ended a strife that had embittered ratepayers and board alike. The financial position of the board steadily improved, and everything thereafter went on smoothly and without complaint. Mr. Gourlay continued to be a member of the Parochial Board until December, 1855.
In May, 1849, Mr. Gourlay entered the Town Council. In November of the following year he was appointed a burgh magistrate under Sir James Anderson. It is interesting at this time to note the class from whom the magistracy was taken. His colleagues were - James Playfair, John McDowall, James Bogle, James Scott (Kelly), William P. Paton, William West Watson, and David Dreghorn. Mr. Gourlay took a very active interest in the affairs of the Town Council, and was for two years convener of the High School Committee. His name, however, is deservedly more closely connected with the Loch Katrine water scheme than with any other.
For many years there had been a universal outcry for an extended supply of water by gravitation. The Gorbals people got a bill passed in 1846 for supplying the south side of the city, but while it relieved the demands on the old company, whose water was pumped out of the Clyde, it only served by contrast to show how deficient the supply was for the main portion of the city on the north side of the river. After a time the opinion became general that the only help was to be got by the Corporation itself taking up the question. In 1850 a committee of sixteen was appointed on the motion of Mr. Gourlay to consider the whole subject. Nothing, however, was practically done until September, 1852, when he gave notice in the Council of the first motion on the subject, and a fortnight afterwards introduced it in a long and able speech. A committee was appointed, of which he was convener, to report on the various schemes. After meeting a deputation from the old Glasgow Water Co., who stated their intention of again applying for an act to bring water from Loch Lubnaig, the committee ultimately agreed to report to the Town Council that it seemed most desirable that the power of supplying the city with water should be vested in the Magistrates and Council as a separate trust for the benefit of the inhabitants rather than in a private company. This decision being come to, their next step was to fix on an engineer, and after most careful inquiry the appointment of Mr. J. F. Bateman, C.E., was recommended, and he was requested to make the. necessary survey.
Meantime the Glasgow Water Co. were vigorously proceeding with their measure for promoting in the ensuing session their bill for bringing water from Loch Lubnaig; and on the 24th of February, 1853, the Council resolved, on Mr. Gourlay's recommendation, to oppose it, chiefly on the grounds that it was neither the cheapest nor the best scheme for supplying the city with water. Lord Provost Stewart moved, and Bailie Gourlay seconded, that at the earliest possible period the necessary steps should be taken by the introduction of a bill into Parliament in the next session for vesting the power in the Magistrates and Council, and for obtaining that supply from the best source.
The deputation sent to London to oppose the measure consisted of Lord Provost Stewart, Bailie Gourlay, and Mr. Charles Gray. The struggle in Committee was severe, but the deputation were able to report on 30th June, 1853, that the "preamble of the Glasgow Water Company's Bill is not proved." The council unanimously voted them their best thanks for their valuable services, and resolved that Mr. Bateman should be authorized to complete his survey of the whole district. In August, 1853, Mr. Bateman reported in favour of Loch Katrine, and on the 8th September following the Lord Provost moved the adoption of Mr. Bateman's reports, and Bailie Gourlay seconded the motion. The first steps the council took were to arrange with the various opposing interests. A bill was prepared and introduced to a council meeting on the 15th of December, 1853, by the Lord Provost, seconded by Mr. Gourlay. The committee of the House of Commons met in the following March, when a great array of counsel appeared, The Town Council were represented by Mr. Sergeant Wrangham, Mr. Hope Scott, and others. For the other side Professor Penny, of the Andersonian College, was put into the box to prove that he had found lead "abundantly present" in the Loch Katrine samples; but he explained that more inquiry would be needed before a final opinion could be given, as his experiments had been very limited! The case was adjourned until after Easter, to test the value of the evidence just given, but a new obstacle appeared.
The Lords of the Admiralty, instigated by the Commissioners of the Forth Navigation, objected on public grounds to so much water being taken from Loch Katrine, which would otherwise flow through the Teith into the Forth. The evidence of any injury to the navigation of the Forth was rebutted, but the action of the Admiralty resulted in the loss of the bill. Up to this time the parliamentary proceedings, including the opposition to the bill of the Water Co. in the previous year, had cost the city upwards of £17,000, and nothing had yet been accomplished. The discussions that followed the defeat were long and bitter, but by thirty to nine it was agreed to persevere with the measure in the next session of Parliament.
The two grand difficulties still in the way were the Admiralty veto and the pernicious action of Loch Katrine water on lead. Compensation satisfied the Commissioners of the Forth Navigation; and it was broadly stated in open debate that the "lead dodge" had been got up to compel the Corporation to make terms. Towards the close of 1854 all opposition had been removed. On the 10th of May, 1855, the bill was read a third time in the House of Lords and became law, and thus Glasgow was about to become the recipient of one of the greatest blessings that a city can possess - a supply of water, pure, abundant, and cheap.
About 1853 Mr. Gourlay retired from business. In 1855 he returned to it in a new capacity. At this time the Bank of Scotland had only the one office here, in Ingram Street. The Directors now resolved to open a branch in Laurieston, and they offered the agency to Mr. Gourlay, offering further that the branch should not be under Ingram Street, but should correspond direct with head-quarters. Mr. Gourlay, somewhat to the surprise of his friends, accepted this offer, and he was thereafter known as a banker.
The Means and Substance battle and the Loch Katrine campaign are old stories now-a-days, but for most of us "Banker Gourlay" is a distinct and a pleasant memory - the tight, active figure and the cheery spirit on the verge of three score and ten, the full suit of black and the high old- fashioned stock, the frequent snug-box, the simple, kindly manner, the good sense and good humour, the loyalty to the bank, its honour and its interests. Nothing pleased the old man better than to look out from the door of his room and see the counter crowded with customers. It was a treat he could have often enough. He threw himself into his new enterprise with all his old energy: he was well known and well liked: old friends elbowed their way across the bridge to him: and he had the South Side pretty much to himself.(*) The counter soon grew too short, and the little office in Carlton Place altogether too small. A new office had to be built, and the business of the Laurieston branch grew to be one which surprised everybody.
In 1870 the first shadow fell on Mr. Gourlay's domestic circle. His wife, Jeanie Cleland, with whom he had spent forty years of a singularly happy married life, was very suddenly cut off by apoplexy. He never got over this shock, and eighteen months after he died at Bothwell, whither he had gone to recruit. He left four daughters and one son, Robert Gourlay, Manager of the Bank of Scotland, Glasgow.
(*) In 1855 there was only one branch on the South Side, and in all Glasgow only nine, all of them off-shoots of the local banks. The Bank of Scotland Laurieston branch was the first sub-office of any of the old Edinburgh banks. All the old banks now compete in this important business, and there are now eighty-five branch banks in Glasgow (sixty-five on the North Side, and twenty on the South), and the deposits, which in 1855 were probably a little over £300,000, cannot be less now than £7,000,000. We suppose no city in the world is so thoroughly banked.
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