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James Pringle. 
James Pringle was born in Edinburgh in 1822. He was the 
son of Mr Murray Pringle, who for thirty years held the office of 
Secretary in the Adjutant-General’s Office, and a similar position in 
the Naval and Military Academy, which long existed in the city. 
He received his education at the High School of Edinburgh, where 
he made great proficiency in the study of the classics, and stood 
third among his fellow-students in the list of honours during the 
last year of his educational course. 
On leaving the High School he became a clerk to the Edinburgh 
Eoperie Company. His business abilities and capacity for hard 
work led to his being promoted to the position of cashier in the 
Company’s office, and on the occurrence of a vacancy in the man- 
agement the entire responsibility of conducting the Company’s 
business was devolved on him. 
About six years ago, he began to take a prominent part in the 
public business of Leith, when he was returned as representative 
of the ratepayers to the Leith Dock Commission. Entering the 
Town Council of Leith in 1881, he was elected Provost of 
the burgh in November of that year, and continued to occupy the 
position till the time of his death. Like his predecessor in the 
civic chair, he was an ardent supporter of the Leith improvement 
scheme, and he was particularly active in obtaining a Provisional 
Order for the better preservation of Leith Links. He displayed 
great tact and energy, as well as unfailing courtesy, in the discharge 
of his onerous duties as chief Magistrate, and he took an active 
interest in all associations and movements for the amelioration of 
the condition of the poor, and the relief of suffering. 
Mr Pringle also held the honourable office of Deputy-Lieutenant 
of the county. He found time to take an intelligent interest in 
the proceedings of the Geographical Society, and he was elected a 
Fellow of this Society on the 6th of April 1885. He died on the 
11th of December 1886. His funeral, which was a public one, 
called forth an expression of general sympathy and regard, such as, 
perhaps, had never before been witnessed in the town over which 
he presided. 
