J. B. McLachlan

James Bryson (J.B.) McLachlan (9 February 1869 - 3 November 1937) was a prominent Scottish-Canadian trade unionist, journalist, revolutionary and political activist. McLachlan was a notable leader of the Canadian Labour Revolt.

James Bryson McLachlan
A photograph of James Mclachlan in 1933
Personal details
Born	(1869-02-09)9 February 1869 Ecclefechan, Scotland, United Kingdom
Died	3 November 1937(1937-11-03) (aged 68) Glace Bay, NS, Canada
Cause of death	Tuberculosis
Political party	Socialist Party of Canada Communist Party of Canada Farmer–Labour
Spouse(s)	Kate Greenshields (m. 1893–1937; died)
Children	9
Occupation	Trade Unionist Journalist

Early life: 1869–1902

The son of Esther Bryson and James McLachlan, James Bryson McLachlan was born in Ecclefechan, Scotland, on 9 February 1869. Growing up in rural Dumfriesshire both his parents worked as farmer-labourers and cotton weavers. Eventually his family would move up north to Newmains in Lanarkshire in which his father would be employed by the Coltness Iron Company to work in the coal mines. Whilst Mclachlan was only four years old when he left Ecclefechan, he would remember the town fondly as he would make frequent visits to see his grandmother and in doing so would take an interest in the works of Thomas Carlyle who had also came from the same village. At the age of 10 Mclachlan left school to go work in the coal mines, and whilst he never received a formal education he continued to read and teach himself about the world.

Move to Canada: 1902–1907

In 1902 McLachlan would take on a job with the Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Company and would go onto work at the Princess colliery in Sydney Mines.