George Jamieson (diplomat)

George Jamieson CMG (1843-1920) was a British diplomat and judge who served in China. His last position before retirement from government service was as British Consul-General in Shanghai.

George Jamieson CMG
Judge, British Supreme Court for China
In office 1891–1897
Preceded by	Robert Mowat
Succeeded by	Frederick Samuel Augustus Bourne
British Consul-General Shanghai
In office 1897–1899
Preceded by	Nicholas John Hannen
Succeeded by	Byron Brenan
Personal details
Born	(1843-02-05)5 February 1843 Banffshire, Scotland
Died	30 December 1920(1920-12-30) (aged 77) London, England

Early life

Jamieson was born on 5 February 1843, in Crannoch, Grange, Banffshire, Scotland, the son of Alexander Jamieson and Helen Pirie.[1] He was educated at Grange Parish School, before attending Aberdeen University from which he graduated 1864 with mathematical honours, gaining also the Boxill prize.[2]

Consular career

Jamieson joined the British China consular service as a student interpreter in 1864. In 1867, Jamieson was appointed a 2nd Class Assistant and in 1868 appointed Acting Consul in Tainan, Taiwan. In 1869, he was appointed Acting Law Secretary of the British Supreme Court for China and Japan when Robert Mowat went on long leave to study for the bar. Jamieson was originally admitted to the bar of the Inner Temple in 1871 during long leave at home in England, but was in 1880 called to the bar of the Middle Temple. He served in various consular positions in China. In 1887, he was appointed acting Assistant Judge of the Supreme Court in Shanghai and the following year transferred to Yokohama as Acting Judge of the British Court for Japan

In 1891, as part of an amalgamation of consular and judicial positions, he was appointed Consul in Shanghai and at the same time Judge of the British Supreme Court for China and Japan.[3] Nicholas Hannen was appointed Consul General and Chief Justice.

In 1897, the almagamation of consular and judicial positions was ended. Jamieson was appointed as Consul-General in Shanghai, replacing Hannen, and relieved of his position as Judge of the Supreme Court. Hannen continued as Chief Justice and Frederick Samuel Augustus Bourne was appointed as Judge to replace Jamieson.

He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1897[4]

Retirement from Consular Service

Jamieson retired from consular service due to ill health at the end of April 1899. After retirement, he became a director of the British and Chinese Corporation, the Chinese Central Railways and Yangtse Valley Company. He also helped establish a "China League" due to disagreements with the policies of the China Association.[5] After this was patched up, he served as the president of the China Association from 1914 to 1917. In 1916, on the nomination of the China Association, he was appointed a governor of the School of Oriental Studies, now the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), in London.[6]

Death

Jamieson died in London on 30 December 1920.[7]

Before his death, Jamieson completed a book, Chinese Family and Commercial Law, based on translations that he had prepared many years before of sections of China’s General Code of Laws. The book, which also included Jamieson’s translations of various cases from the International Mixed Court, was published in 1921.

Publications

Jamieson published the following book:

• Chinese Family and Commercial Law

External links

• Biography of Jamieson

Further reading

• Clark, Douglas (2015). Gunboat Justice: British and American Law Courts in China and Japan (1842-1943). Hong Kong: Earnshaw Books., Vol. 1: ISBN 978-988-82730-8-9; Vol. 2: ISBN 978-988-82730-9-6; Vol. 3: ISBN 978-988-82731-9-5

References

1. Takao Club Biography, Inner Temple Admission Database
2. Aberdeen University Review Vol VIII 1920-1921
3. London Gazette, 3 April 1891, p1870
4. London Gazette, 6 July 1897, p3698
5. The Deseret News - 5 Sep 1900
6. London and China Gazette, 24 July 1916
7. London and China Telegraph, 3 January 1921, p7