James Burston

Major General James Burston (1 May 1856 – 4 March 1920) was a business man, local body politician, and an Australian Army officer who served in the First World War.

Early life James Burston was born at Kilmore in the Australian state of Victoria on 1 May 1856. He was the son of an English-born grocer, Samuel Burston, and his wife Sophia . The family moved to Melbourne where his father purchased Jesse Gough's share in a malting business, at 150 Flinders Lane east, commercialising it as Samuel Burston & Co. When Burston was 14, he joined his father in working at the company.

Businessman and politician Samuel Burston & Co. was a successful company, with its malt widely exported. By the age of 30, Burston was running the business along with his brother, George; their father had died in 1886. A fire in 1892 saw the company's factory having to be rebuilt but it continued to grow, soon acquiring Victoria Brewery Co.'s maltings. Burston was also involved in local body politics. He was elected to the Melbourne City Council in 1900 and served two terms as Lord Mayor from 1908 to 1910. He worked to improve the city's finances and the attractiveness of parks and gardens in the city. His resignation in 1912 ended his involvement with the council. The same year, Samuel Burston & Co. merged with a competing company to form Barrett Bros & Burston Co. Pty Limited, with Burston being a managing director of the new company. Samuel Burston & Co Limited remained a separate entity run by Burston's brother.