Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Meek, James
MEEK, Sir JAMES (1778–1856), public servant, born in 1778, entered the public service in the commissariat department in 1798, and was employed by Lord Keith in collecting supplies in Sicily for the Egyptian expedition of 1800. He was afterwards secretary to several flag-officers on the Mediterranean station, and in 1830 was appointed comptroller of the victualling and transport services at the admiralty.
In 1841 he was employed by government to collect information of the cost and supply of agricultural produce at various ports in the north of Europe. His report was printed by command of parliament in the following year, and formed part of the material upon which Sir Robert Peel based his free-trade measure of 1846.
On his retirement from the public service Meek received the honour of knighthood, 3 Feb. 1851. He died at his residence, Ilfracombe, Devonshire, of which county he was in the commission of the peace, on 18 May 1856.
Meek married twice: first, a daughter of Edward Brown, lieutenant R.N.; secondly, in 1852 a daughter of Dr. Grant of Jamaica.
[Royal Kalendar, 1831, 1851; London Gazette, 3 Feb. 1851; Ann. Reg. 1856, App. p. 256; Gent. Mag. 1856, ii. 245; Parl. Papers, H. C., 1842, vol. xl. No. 7.]