James Shaw Maxwell (1855–1928), known asShaw Maxwell, was aScottishsocialist 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 andlithographer.[1] He worked as a lithographer and journalist, and joined theLiberal Party. He left the Liberals in 1880 in opposition to their local opposition toIrish nationalism, and became a leading supporter ofHenry George and an activist in theScottish Land Restoration League.[2]
Maxwell stood unsuccessfully forGlasgow Blackfriars and Hutchesontown at the1885 general election.[2] In 1888, he attended the founding meeting of theScottish Labour Party and was appointed as the first chairman of its executive. Along with most of the organisation's members, he joined theIndependent Labour Party (ILP) on its formation in 1893, and served as its first Secretary.[3] He stood again in Blackfriars and Hutchesontown at the1895 general election, this time for the ILP, and again without success. However, he did manage to get elected toGlasgow 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.[2]
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| Preceded by New post | Secretary of theIndependent Labour Party 1893–1894 | Succeeded by |