Background
Macandrew was born in Scotland, probably in Aberdeen, where he was baptised on 18 May 1819.
Macandrew was born in Scotland, probably in Aberdeen, where he was baptised on 18 May 1819.
He arrived in January 1851. Still working in partnership with his brother-in-law, Macandrew immediately became a major figure in the business community of Dunedin. Reynolds, his brother-in-law, began to build up a shipping business, while Macandrew himself established a trading firm in the city.
The partners later established a steamer service between Dunedin and Melbourne, Australia.
The two soon became very wealthy. When it was formed, Macandrew was elected to the New Zealand Parliament, representing the Town of Dunedin electorate.
In Parliament, he fought what he saw as a bias towards the northern provinces (Auckland and Wellington) at the expense of his own Otago. As well as serving in Parliament, Macandrew was also Superintendent of Otago Province from 1860 to 1861, and again from 1867 until abolition in 1876.
He remained in Parliament until his death on 24 February 1887, having served in nine separate terms for the electorates.
He first served for Town of Dunedin 1853–1858 (he resigned on 2 November 1858). He successfully contested a 14 January 1859 by-election in the same electorate and served until the end of the parliamentary term in 1860. Next, he served in the Bruce electorate 1865–1866, followed by Clutha 1866–1870, Portuguese Chalmers 1871–1875 and City of Dunedin 1875–1879.
His last term was in Portuguese Chalmers again from 1879–1887, when he died.
The town of Macandrew Bay on the Otago Peninsula is named after James Macandrew, and Dunedin"s former main sporting venue, Carisbrook is named after his former home in the city. Macandrew is buried at Macandrew Bay Cemetery.
He also defended the practice of opening Parliament with prayers (describing them as a necessary "acknowledgement of dependence on the Divine Being"), and lobbied that all Parliamentary debates be published.
He served as a Member of Parliament from 1853 to 1887 and as the last Superintendent of Otago Province.