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James Shaw Maxwell

1855 – 1928

British politician

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About James Shaw Maxwell

Lived 1855 – 1928 (aged 72–73). James Shaw Maxwell was a politician.

James Shaw Maxwell (1855–1928), known as Shaw Maxwell, was a Scottish socialist activist.

Born in Glasgow, as the son of Janet Maxwell, née Shaw, and the fruiterer and merchant James Taylor Maxwell, James Shaw Maxwell served his apprenticeship as a printer and lithographer. He worked as a lithographer and journalist, and joined the Liberal Party. He left the Liberals in 1880 in opposition to their local opposition to Irish nationalism, and became a leading supporter of Henry George and an activist in the Scottish Land Restoration League.

Maxwell stood unsuccessfully for Glasgow Blackfriars and Hutchesontown at the 1885 general election. He stood again in Blackfriars and Hutchesontown at the 1895 general election, this time for the ILP, and again without success. However, he did manage to get elected to Glasgow City Council in 1896. He led a successful campaign for free libraries in the city, and for the opening of museums and art galleries on Sundays, to increase the number of workers able to attend.

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Important facts

Born
1855
Birth century
Died
1928
Occupation
Also known as
Shaw Maxwell

People in James Shaw Maxwell's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped James Shaw Maxwell's

Frequently asked questions

Who was James Shaw Maxwell?

British politician (1855–1928)

When was James Shaw Maxwell born?

James Shaw Maxwell was born in 1855.

When did James Shaw Maxwell die?

James Shaw Maxwell died in 1928.

What was James Shaw Maxwell's occupation?

James Shaw Maxwell was a politician.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: James Shaw Maxwell

· Wikidata: Q6143044

· DBpedia: James Shaw Maxwell

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Shaw Maxwell. https://biography.guide/james-shaw-maxwell/

MLA: "James Shaw Maxwell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-shaw-maxwell/.

Chicago: "James Shaw Maxwell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-shaw-maxwell/.

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