Matheson was born in Glasgow on 6 October 1817, the son of a printer and dyer. In he started work with the printers William Stirling & Sons, and from 1857 took charge of their works on the River Leven.
He married Jessie Merry in 1859, visited India in 1862 (which led to the 1869 publication of a travel book, "England to Delhi"), and took an interest in choral music, being chairman of the committee for the 1860 and 1873 Glasgow musical festivals. He became president of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce in 1872.
As director of the Glasgow Public Halls, he oversaw the opening, on 13 November 1877, of the St Andrew's Halls. He died after collapsing on Sauchiehall Street en route to a concert at the halls at which an overture - specially commissioned and dedicated to him - was to have received its first performance.
Our shipbuilding yards and the great commercial fleet which frequents the port of Glasgow are apt to be regarded as the main indications of the advantages which have, as it were, flowed to the city with the tide of its river. But before "Alaskas" and "Etrurias" were heard or thought of, when America, to which these vessels now sail, had rebelled and ceased to be a British colony, and when the staple trade of Glasgow had in the disturbance been practically extinguished, there was a time when the swiftly flowing current of the Clyde was the means of restoring to Glasgow her commercial prestige and of making her the centre of allied industries which, comprising the spinning of cotton yarn, the weaving of cotton cloth and the dyeing and printing of calico, had an influence upon the progress of Glasgow as important as shipbuilding has now.
Introduced into England about the middle of the seventeenth century by the old East India Company, calico had a hard struggle for a footing, and at one time the wearer and seller were both liable to be fined. A prohibition, too, was in 1720 placed upon the printing, painting, staining, or dyeing of pure cotton fabrics in this country, but the spinning of cotton wefts and the weaving of them into cloth with linen warps having become a home industry, goods of the mixed material were in 1736 exempt from the provisions of the prohibitory statute.
Encouraged doubtless by the exemption, Archibald Ingram, in partnership with John Glassford of Douglaston and other Glasgow merchants, started, at Pollokshaws, in 1742, the first Glasgow printfield, and, some eight years later, William Stirling erected printworks at Dalsholm on the Kelvin, near Maryhill. The fabric operated upon was still a mixture of cotton and linen, but it was not long before Hargreaves, Arkwright & Crompton, the inventors of the "spinning jenny," the "water frame," and the "mule" - called so because it was a cross between the other two - had made it possible to weave, in this country, pure cotton cloths superior in texture to those made from the "bird nest" hand-spun yarn of India. The improvements invented by these men were brought to perfection almost concurrently with the events which led to the extinction of the Virginia trade in Glasgow, and, fortunately, we had at hand a noble river whose stream was capable of driving any quantity of "water twist" machinery.
Through the exertions of Arkwright goods of pure cotton were placed on a footing with mixed cotton and linen fabrics, both as regards Excise duties and the right of dyeing, and it was probably this fact which, while Dale's Lanark mills were yet being built, induced a French chemist, named Peter Papillon, to leave Rouen and come to London in 1783, bearing with him the secret of dyeing Turkey or "Adrianople" red upon cotton, an art then unknown in this country.
George McIntosh of Dunchattan brought Papillon (1) to Glasgow in 1785, and proceded, in partnership with Dale, to build works at Barrowfield and at Blantyre for dyeing cotton by the new process. "Dale's red" proved a success, and, although the Government reward which was granted to McIntosh never reached him, both he and Dale reaped a substantial recompense in the profits of their business. The Blantyre Mills were sold to James Monteith in 1792, and the Barrowfield works to Henry Monteith Bogle & Co. in 1805.
Meantime William Stirling, finding that labour was too dear at Dalsholm, had in 1770 removed his printfield to Cordale on the banks of the Leven, where he assumed as partners his sons, Andrew, John, and James. In 1791 the Stirlings, by arrangement with their relative Walter - founder of Stirling's Library - acquired Dalquhurn bleaching works, and the dyeing of Turkey-red was begun there by William Stirling & Sons in 1828. It is round the names of Dale, the Monteiths, and the Stirlings that the important events connected with the earliest development of cotton manufacturing and Turkey-red dyeing are crystallized.
John Matheson and his family had business relations with both the Monteiths and the Stirlings, for his grandfather was at one time manager at the works of Henry Monteith & Co., while he himself was, for the best part of his life, connected with the firm of William Stirling & Sons. Mr. Matheson's forefathers were natives of Sutherlandshire, but he was born in Glasgow on the 6th of October, 1817. His father was a calico printer and Turkey-red dyer, carrying on business at Barrhead, under the firm of John Matheson & Co. In early life John Matheson, jun., was in the employment of Kelly & Co., the well-known cotton brokers, and the coincidence that William Kelly, father of Mr. Kelly of that family, was the Manager of Dale's mills,(2) curiously illustrates the fact of Mr. Matheson's close connection with the pioneers of the calico trade.
In 1846 he entered the house of William Stirling & Sons, and in 1857 began to take charge at the works on the Leven. His marriage to Jessie Merry, daughter of Robert Forrester, (3) took place in 1859, and in 1866 he went to reside at Cordale.
Mr. Matheson's clear judgment and other good qualities as a commercial man were well recognized. He took a great interest in all the concerns of the Chamber of Commerce, of which he was made president in 1872, having been for many years previously an active director. The currency question was a subject of special interest to him, and at the meeting of the British Association held in Glasgow in September, 1876, Mr. Matheson read a paper upon the fall in the value of silver, which was afterwards published with the title, "The Silver Dilemma." In 1862 Mr. Matheson visited India, and seven years afterwards he was induced to publish a large volume, "England to Delhi," describing his travels. Besides writing upon these subjects which had some affinity to his business, Mr. Matheson delivered more than one series of interesting lectures upon Astronomy, in which science he took great interest. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1866.(4)
Mr. Matheson conferred a lasting benefit upon Glasgow by aiding most materially in the development of musical taste there. The citizens have long taken an interest in music, from the days of the old subscription concerts and of the Philharmonic Society down through the troublous times when the placing of an organ in Saint Andrew's Church caused as great a ferment as did the erection, in 1764, of that Temple of Satan, the first Glasgow theatre, in Alston Street (then called Montrose Street). In more recent times the Musical Association and the Harmonic Society battled bravely against financial reverses, and kept alive the interest in choral music which was spasmodically maintained as regards instrumental music by the concerts of old M. Jullien. The two Choral Societies became amalgamated on 29th August, 1855, as the Choral Union, and the first Glasgow Musical Festival was held under its auspices in 1860, and a second was held in 1873. In both of these Mr. Matheson took great interest, being chairman of the Festival Committee, and honorary president of the Union. The outcome of the festival of 1873 was the institution next year of the splendid and successful series of choral and orchestral subscription concerts which has since been annually given. The old City Hall having been found unsuitable for high class concerts, a movement had been instituted in May, 1871, for the building of new public halls and assembly rooms. The scheme first propounded was too extensive, and did not meet with the necessary support, but in April, 1872, a provisional committee was formed to carry out a modified scheme, which, in the autumn of 1873, culminated in the formation of the Glasgow Public Halls Company. Mr. Matheson was one of the original subscribers to this Company, which was registered on 11th December, 1873, and he ultimately became one of the directors. The Saint Andrew's Halls were opened on 13th November, 1877, with a performance of the "Messiah," patronized by the Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lorne, Mr. Matheson being in the chair. He took a great interest in the subscription concert scheme, and by frequently entertaining the members of the orchestra at his private residence he sought to express respect for their profession and sympathy with their art.
On the evening of Tuesday, 12th November, 1878, the first of that season's subscription concerts was to be given, and, out of compliment to Mr. Matheson, Herr Julius Tausch, then conductor of the orchestra, had composed for the occasion an overture which he had dedicated to Mr. Matheson and the other members of the executive. But as the audience assembled in Saint Andrew's Halls, it began to be whispered from one to another that he in whose honour the new piece of music had been composed was never to hear it performed. Only two or three hours had elapsed since, as he was walking home along Sauchiehall Street and chatting with a lady friend, Mr. Matheson had been observed to falter in his gait. A gentleman prevented him from falling, but it was found that almost on the instant life had become extinct, and that there had passed away a man whom his fellow-citizens could ill afford to lose, - a kind and considerate employer of labour, an honourable merchant, and a useful citizen who, with business talents of a high order, combined a sympathetic organization which led him to cultivate practically the good and beautiful in nature and in art. At the concert upon 19th November, 1878, the entire audience intuitively stood while Handel's funeral march from "Saul" was played.
Mr. Matheson exhibited the kindness and geniality of his nature in many ways, both publicly and privately. He had a special horror of the cruelties perpetrated upon the lower animals, more particularly in connection with the mode of killing those intended for human food, and from the time when the Glasgow and West of Scotland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was instituted in 1856, it had in Mr. Matheson one of its warmest supporters. His sympathy for suffering humanity found public expression in the interest which he took in the Western Infirmary, of which he was the first honorary treasurer. The first Calico Ball held in Glasgow early in 1878 for the benefit of the Institution was mainly promoted by Mr. Matheson, and its successful result - a surplus of £1400 - was largely due to his influence. His philanthropic nature was deeply moved by the catastrophe of the City Bank failure. He attended the meeting held upon 5th November, 1878, to consider the best steps to be taken for the relief of the distress caused by the stoppage of the Bank, and in moving one of the resolutions he spoke the last words which he uttered at any public meeting. After his sudden and lamented death, his bust, modelled by the late G. E. Ewing, was presented by a number of gentlemen to the City, and placed in the Corporation Galleries on 4th June, 1879. But probably a more appropriate tribute to his memory consisted of two tender and graceful sonnets written by his old and valued friend Dr. James Hedderwick, which, besides manifesting the feelings of the author, reflected in a marked degree the sentiments of those who knew the subject best.
NOTE. - Space would not admit of entering, nor is this the place to enter, into the history of individuals such as the Kibbles, Orr-Ewings, Crums, Todds, Higginbothams, Millers and others, or of the firms such as Dalglish Falconer & Co., Peter McCallum & Co., Inglis & Wakefield, Fleming Watson & Nairn, Reid & Ewing, Muir Brown & Co., and others, some of whom were once, and some are still, familiarly known over the world as Glasgow calico printers and Turkey-red dyers. Several made fortunes and keep them still; others made fortunes and afterwards lost them. In at least one case the liabilities which one generation was unable to meet were honourably liquidated by sons who succeeded. In some cases the firms are extinct, and in others the families whose names still distinguish the firms are no longer connected with them. This is notably the case as regards Henry Monteith & Co. and William Stirling & Sons. Mr. Robert Monteith retired from the firm of Henry Monteith & Co. on 31st Dec., 1873, and died in the spring of 1884. Barrowfield, which belonged to him, has been feued off, and some of the buildings of the old works are taken down, and others converted to the uses of individual feuars. The firm continues to carry on Blantyre works, the partners being H. M. Hannan, James Reid, and John Strathern. Messrs. H. M. Hannan and Reid are the sons of retired partners, viz., Mr. James Hannan, still living, and Mr. Robert Valentine Reid, now dead. Mr. Strathern was manager at the works. Mr. William Stirling (great-grandson of the founder of the firm of William Stirling & Sons), whose tall, manly, and well-known figure is still occasionally to be seen in the city, was the last of the name connected with the firm of William Stirling & Sons. He retired from it in 1875, and the firm is now continued by Messrs. Donald Matheson, Henry Forrester, and Alexander Wylie. Messrs. D. Matheson and Forrester are respectively brother and brother-in-law of the late Mr. John Matheson. Mr. Wylie came from Messrs. A. Orr-Ewing's works to Messrs. William Stirling & Sons', in order to take charge of their Turkey-red yarn dyeing department when they began it. Mr. Donald Matheson was formerly a partner of the firm of McCallum & Matheson, Govancroft Dyeworks, and Mr. Forrester was formerly a stockbroker on the Glasgow Exchange, in company with his brother, Mr. James Merry Forrester.
(1) Poor Papillon had probably a French temper and McIntosh a Highland one. At all events the two could not agree, and Papillon left the service in 1787. He erected a dyehouse on his own account, and built a tenement on the west side of Brunswick Street which he occupied as a warehouse, but retiring from business he entrusted his money to two sons who plunged him into abject destitution, in which deplorable condition he died. By the exertions of Peter MacKenzie, Papillon's widow, after living for long in great poverty, was in receipt during her later years of an annuity of £75.
(2) In 1792 William Kelly patented the first "self-acting mule," the original mule having been worked by hand. Mr. Anthony Hannay, present senior of the firm of Kelly & Co., recently (1885) informed the writer that his firm has still in its office, 23 Exchange Square, a clock made by William Kelly when he was manager at Lanark mills.
(3) Robert Forrester was at one time a partner of the firm of Forrester Ferguson & Co. (latterly Robert Forrester & Co.), wholesale silk warehouseman, 31 Argyle Street. He became an accountant about 1851, and in 1854 joined the Institute of Accountants in Glasgow, the charter of which was registered 16th May, 1855. On 11th January, 1853, he joined the Glasgow Stock Exchange, which was formed in July, 1844. He died 16th Dec., 1866. His wife was a sister of James Merry, M.P.
(4) Mr. Matheson occasionally wrote verses, and it may not be generally known that a once popular song titled "Rosin the Bow" came from his pen.
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