James Morrison

James followed the family tradition of becoming a builder. His father had built the Skeld, Scalloway and Whiteness schools, and as a result, James moved around all three towns as a child, before the family settled at Hellister in Whiteness. James attended the Whiteness school, leaving at the age of 14, and began work with Peter Anderson in his butchery. After a year, he moved to Glasgow and worked as a mason and stonecutter at the form of P & W. Anderson. Through this firm he was employed as a foreman on various building works in Glasgow.

In 1900, his uncle, Magnus secured the contract for building new premises on Commericial Road for John Tait, and he requested James return to Lerwick to act as foreman on the site. Although he thought his visit only temporary, he was continually furnished with work and so eventually he settled in Lerwick, and was connected to his uncle's firm for over 35 years.

Some of the building sites of which he was the foreman include a bakehouse for William Hall, the Shetland Hosiery Company's premises, Edwyn Tait's premises and the Territorial Drill Hall. He was also involved in the building of the Bruce Hostel, and alterations to the Anderson Institute and Commercial Bank.

In political, he was a Liberal