 He was Governor of the Forth and Clyde Navigation, President of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce eight times, Dean of Guild, Lord Provost of Glasgow (1812), Member of Parliament (1812–1820).A marble statue by John Gibson (1790–1866) is in the vestibule of the Merchants' House on George Square.His opinions, especially on mercantile questions, were listened to when he was in the House of Commons, and quoted there when he had left it; always a busy man, he still found time for much public and charitable work – he was a liberal and a kindly man, and his word was as good as his bond.