▁radical ▁wing ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁and ▁was ▁popular ▁with ▁working - class ▁elect ors . ▁De fe ated ▁by ▁Sir ▁John ▁L le w ely n ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁he ▁was ▁rejected ▁as ▁a ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁constitu ency ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁opposition ▁to ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁War . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Burn ie ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 2 ▁at ▁Daw lish ▁in ▁South ▁Dev on ▁where ▁his ▁father , ▁John ▁Dick son ▁Burn ie , ▁was ▁a ▁builder ▁and ▁contract or . ▁The ▁family ▁came ▁originally ▁from ▁Dum fri ess hire . ▁As ▁a ▁young ▁man , ▁Burn ie ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁railway ▁trade ▁and ▁came ▁to ▁Sw anse a ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁when ▁Sh ack le fg ord , ▁Ford ▁& ▁Co ., ▁the ▁works ▁at ▁Ch el ten ham , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁general ▁manager , ▁were ▁re - located . ▁He ▁became ▁general ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁firm ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁ ▁Public ▁life ▁Burn ie ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁S we anse a ▁Town ▁Council ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁and ▁became ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁municipal ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁town , ▁serving ▁as ▁Mayor ▁and ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Har bour ▁Trust . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 9 , ▁however , ▁the ▁year ▁Sw anse a ▁became ▁a ▁County ▁Bor ough , ▁he ▁chose ▁to ▁stand ▁down . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0