He was Dean of Guild from 1767. From 1771 to 1786 he was a Baillie of the city.Illustrated Catalogue of the Exhibition of Portraits in the New Galleries of Art in Corporation Buildings In 1783 he was co-founder of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce along with Gilbert Hamilton of Glenarbuck. In 1787 he is listed as a member of the Clyde Marine Society and on the Committee for the Management of the Forth and Clyde Navigation. He is also listed as Preceptor of Hutchesons' Grammar School.
