1005 James Stuart

Constituency : Hackney  1884-5, Hoxton  1885-1900  , Sunderland 1906-10.

James  took  over  at  Hackney  following  the  death  of  Henry  Fawcett.

James  was  from  Fife  and  was  educated  at  St  Andrews  and  Cambridge. In  1875  he  was  appointed  a  Professor  of  Mechanism  and  Applied  Mechanics  there. He  published  a  number  of  books  on  popular  science.  He  made  a  name  for  himself  as  the  foremost  advocate  of  university  extension. He  stood  for  the  university  at  a  by-election  in  1882  where  the  clergy  strongly  opposed  him . He  was  the  son-in-law  of  Norwich  MP  Jeremiah  Coleman.

James  was  a  director  of  the  Star  newspaper.  He  resigned  his  chair  at  Cambridge  in  1899  after  a  series  of  disagreements.

In  1890  James  became  an  alderman  of  London  County  Council. He  was  leader of  the Progressive  Party  between  1890  and  1892. He  led  the  way  in  developing  a  "London  programme  for  the  Liberal  party  after  heavy  reverses  in  1886. The  Tory  diarist  Richard  Temple  described  him  as  "the  most  aggressive  among  the  Metropolitan  Radicals"  but  acknowledged  his  "ability  and  efficiency". While  not  challenging  Home  Rule's  place  among  Liberal  priorities  he  acknowledged  that  many  of  London's  electorate  were  indifferent  towards  Ireland. Sidney  Webb  wrongly  predicted  that  he would  get  a  Cabinet  seat  in  1892.  He  did  serve  on  several  royal  commissions. He  was  a  thorn  in  the  side  of  the  water  companies.

James  supported  female  suffrage  and  the  repeal  of  the  Contagious  Diseases  Act. In  1891  he  moved  a  motion  on  land  taxation.

James  took  over  the  management  of  Colman's  firm   when  he  died  in  1898.

James  was  defeated  in  1900. He  returned  for  Sunderland  in  1906  but  was  defeated  in  January  1910.

James  published  his  memoirs  as  Reminiscences  in 1912. His  interests  were  yachting, cycling, golf  and  sketching. He  had  a  strong  physique  and  could  go  long  periods  without  food. Vanity  Fair  described  him  as  "a  wicked  Radical"  and  said  "Although  he  is  a  Professor  he  is  neeither  a  prude  nor  a  pedant; and  if  it  were  not  for  his  pernicious  politics  he  would  be  a  good  fellow".  In  1911  he  decried  the  declining  influence  of  backbench  MPs  in  contrast  to  the  late  nineteenth  century.

James  died  in  1913  aged  70.