James Meek (1790–1862) was a Victorian Wesleyan Methodist, Whig politician, currier, glassmaker, and three times

Lord Mayor of York The Lord Mayor of York is the chairman of City of York Council, first citizen and civic head of York. The appointment is made by the council each year in May, at the same time appointing a sheriff, the city's other civic head. York's lord mayor ...

. He was also the middle one (James Meek II) of three James Meeks who are important in the history of York. His father (James Meek I) came to York from Brompton by

Northallerton Northallerton ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York. It had a population of 16,832 in the 2011 census, an increase ...

, where he had run a

starch mill Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage. Worldwide, it is the most common carbohydrate in human diets, ...

. He was an Anglican and was also at

Kelfield, North Yorkshire Kelfield is a small village and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. It was historically part of the East Riding of Yorkshire until 1974. The village is situated on the northern bank of the River Ouse, equidistant b ...

. James Meek II was born in 1890 in Brompton, Northallerton; he came to York in 1803 to serve an apprenticeship with Joseph Agar, currier. After working in various cities he returned to York on his marriage, setting up his own business in

Goodramgate Goodramgate is a street in the city centre of York, in England. History The area now covered by Goodramgate lay within the walls of Roman Eboracum. The street runs diagonally across the line of former Roman buildings, from the Porta Decumana ( ...

, York. He was a partner in the York Flint Glass Company and chairman of York City and County Bank. For a time he was also chairman of Hudson's

York and North Midland Railway The York and North Midland Railway (Y&NMR) was an English railway company that opened in 1839 connecting York with the Leeds and Selby Railway, and in 1840 extended this line to meet the North Midland Railway at Normanton near Leeds. Its first c ...

and of the

Newcastle and Berwick Railway The York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway (YN&BR) was an English railway company formed in 1847 by the amalgamation of the York and Newcastle Railway and the Newcastle and Berwick Railway. Both companies were part of the group of business interest ...

, but as a staunch Methodist, he resigned in a controversy regarding Sunday travel on the railway. He laid the foundation stone of the York cemetery chapel during his first term as Lord Mayor. He was Lord Mayor of York in 1836, 1848 and 1850, the final time being immediately before

George Hudson George Hudson (probably 10 March 1800 – 14 December 1871) was an English railway financier and politician who, because he controlled a significant part of the railway network in the 1840s, became known as "The Railway King"—a title conferr ...

. He was also Sheriff of York in 1827 and was an

Alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...

of the city from 1835 until his death.

His son, James Meek III or Sir James Meek

Sir James Meek (1815–1891) was the son of James Meek II. He succeeded to his father's business interests and was also a Wesleyan Methodist. However, in 1853 he became a

Primitive Methodist The Primitive Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination with the holiness movement. It began in England in the early 19th century, with the influence of American evangelist Lorenzo Dow (1777–1834). In the United States, the Primiti ...

in 1853 and an active member of Little Stonegate Chapel, York. He was

in 1855, 1865, and 1866 and was also instrumental in establishing

Elmfield College Elmfield College, York (1864–1932), originally called Connexional College or Jubilee College (or School) in honour of the Primitive Methodist Silver Jubilee in 1860, was a Primitive Methodist college on the outskirts of Heworth, York, Engla ...

. James Meek III was a Liberal councillor for Bootham Ward from 1849 to 1853, and an Alderman in 1853. He went up to St John's College Cambridge in 1837 and then joined his father's fir

His son James Matthew Meek (//b//.1848) went to Trinity College Cambridge. His other sons were William A. MEEK (1868) and Siward W. MEEK (1884) (Scott, MSS.; Law Lists; The Times 1927:10:25)

James III was chairman of York City and County Bank, Governor of Bootham Asylum, treasurer of the York Mission. He was also a freemason in the York Lodge No. 236, Worshipful Master 1864, and a major commandant of the 1st West Yorkshire Rifle Volunteers. In 1869 he was "knighted, somewhat belatedly, for his hospitality to the Prince and Princess of Wales on their visit to York in August 1866 when they attended the Yorkshire Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition in the grounds of

Bootham Park Hospital Bootham Park Hospital was a psychiatric hospital, located in the Bootham district of York, England. It was managed by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. The main building is a Grade I listed building. History Construction and ...

, the annual show of the

Yorkshire Agricultural Society Yorkshire Agricultural Society is a charity based at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. The society is best known as the organiser of the two annual country events, the Great Yorkshire Show and the Countryside L ...

and the Great Volunteer Review of 21,000 troops, both on the

Knavesmire The Knavesmire is one of a number of large, marshy undeveloped areas within the city of York in North Yorkshire, England, which are collectively known as '' Strays''. Knavesmire, together with Hob Moor, comprises Micklegate Stray. It has bee ...

Middlethorpe Lodge

James Meek II and James Meek III both lived at Middlethorpe Lodge near York. In 1885 James Meek III left York for Cheltenham, where he died in 1885.''Yorkshire Gazette'' 11 February 1891

References

Yorkshire Chess History
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meek, James 1790 births 1862 deaths English Methodists Lord Mayors of York People from Northallerton Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge