James Alexander Burness was one of the principal land owners in Melton. In 1883, he purchased the Melton Lodge Estate, and its one hundred and seventy-six acres, for the sum of £13,000. James was no stranger to Melton, having leased Melton Grange a few years earlier. His wealth came from the family business, James Burness and Sons, set up by his father in 1845. They were “general agents”, with offices in Leadenhall Street, London, providing services that extended to acting as agents through to underwriting insurance for shipping companies. On his death in 1879, James Sr. left an estate valued at £200,000 to his family.

James was born on 3rd June 1837 in Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, Scotland. His father was James Burness of Stonehaven and his mother, Harriet Curtis of West Thurrock, Essex. James was their second son and, in 1851, he was at school in Lambeth, London. Ten years later and James was working as a clerk in his father’s country house learning the family business.

On 16th April 1865, James Alexander married Eliza Maria Gordon Bogue in Edinburgh. The couple began their married life in Blackheath, near Greenwich, in London. By 1871, five of their nine children had been born: Florence in 1866, James in 1867, Alexander Gordon in 21st December 1868, Herbert William in 1870 and Gerald Middleton in 1871. James and Eliza’s other children were; Constance Helen, born in 1872; George Douglas in 1874; Elsie Gordon in 1879 and Margaret Chisholm in 1883. George and Elsie died shortly after they were born and their elder brother, Alexander Gordon, died in January 1890.

Two of James and Eliza’s daughters married career soldiers who served during the First World War. Their eldest, Florence, married Major Sir Arthur Lushington in 1892 and the couple set up home at The Hermitage, on the edge of the Melton Lodge estate. Their second daughter, Constance Helen, married Major Arthur Charles Rothery Nutt, of the Royal Field Artillery, in 1896. Their son, Walter, also served during the war.

Herbert William Burness married Phyllis Margaret Jollye in 1906 but, unfortunately, she died following the birth of their daughter, Florence, in 1907. He married his second wife, Ethel Mary Robinson, in 1926. They lived at The Old Rectory in Old Church Road, Melton, until his death in 1939. Ethel, his widow, restored the organ in St Andrew’s Church in his memory.

The Burness’ youngest daughter, Margaret Chisholm, married George Meredyth Hope on 6th July 1910 at St Andrew’s Church, Melton. One of Margaret and George’s sons was Alexander Herbert Peter Hope. Peter was chair of Melton Parish Council for thirty-three years and a founding member of the Melton Old Church Society.

In around 1890, James and Eliza made Melton Lodge their main home, while retaining their house in London. James became involved in village life and the family was held in high esteem by the villagers. In 1904, James donated funds to build the new parish room in the village and a contemporary newspaper report described it as:

“A large and Handsome Parish Room has just been erected in Melton through the generosity of Mr James A Burness, The Lodge, Melton, at the request of the Rector. The building occupies an excellent site in Melton Street, from which it is well recessed.”

James was also chairman of the Melton School Managers for many years until he retired in 1918. He was involved with St Andrew’s Church where he served as church warden. James Alexander Burness died at Melton Lodge in 1920 at the age of 82. He left an estate with the gross value of £213,998 and, among other bequests he provided:

£1000 Consols upon trust to provide bread and coal for necessitous inhabitants of Melton.

The Parish Room at Melton erected by him, to the Rector and Churchwardens of St Andrew, Melton, for the parish work.

£100 each to his old servant Emily Harper, his gardeners Thomas King and Isaac Reeve, his gamekeeper George Whyard, his coachman George Woolley, his stableman Arthur Wiffen and his cook Mary Walker.

In St Andrew’s Church, there is a wall-mounted memorial which reads:

To the Glory of God and In Loving Memory of James Alexander Burness of The Lodge, Melton. Born 3rd June 1837. Died 5th March 1920. “He never judged his fellow man unkindly or closed his ear to sorrow.”

The cover of the font also has a memorial to James Burness which reads:

To the Glory of God in affectionate memory of James Alexander Burness. The gift of the Parishioners of Melton 1921.