Sir James Shaw

Kilmarnock's Dick Whittington. Jimmy Shaw was born, the son of a Riccarton farmer, in 1764. He was educated at Kilmarnock Grammar School, before spending a few years working in the United States for the commercial business house of Messrs George & Douglass of New York. At the age of twenty, Jimmy returned to Britain and headed for London to become a junior partner in the same company. He rose quickly in popularity and position in London society until in 1805 he was elected as Lord Mayor and, the following year led the public procession at the funeral of Lord Nelson. It is a testament to his reputation that he walked in front of the Prince of Wales and other members of the Royal Family, as well as the other members of the London gentry, no small achievement for the son of a poor Ayrshire farmer. He took a keen interest in the welfare of the city's population (as well as Kilmarnocks) and in establishing London's prestige and honour worldwide. Shaw's services to London brought him a baronetcy in 1809. He retired from Parliament in 1818 but carried out the duties of Alderman until 1831 until becoming Chamberlain to the City of London until 1843 when he resigned, he sadly died the same year. His indefatigable nature shown when he was in office in London along with his patronage of the arts (he encouraged literary and artistic excellence with his patronage and showed appreciation of the genius of  Robert Burns by taking the lead in London of raising money for his widow and finding respectable positions for his sons) and generosity towards his home town of  Kilmarnock, persuaded the town council to erect a statue in his memory. The statue was cut from Carrara marble by James Fillans, from a portrait by Tannock (a Kilmarnock artist and one of Shaw's protégés) and still stands in the town today.