Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde
Encyclopedia
Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde GBE
(22 February 1853 – 2 October 1928) was a Scottish politician and judge.
Educated at the University of Glasgow
he was admitted to membership of the Faculty of Advocates
in 1878.
He was Liberal
Member of Parliament
for Linlithgowshire
from 1895 to 1913. He became a Queen's Counsel
in 1897.
Alexander Ure's integrity is widely open to question: he misled the Court in the trial of Oscar Slater
for the murder of Marion Gilchrist in 1909 (Slater was convicted but subsequently pardoned on appeal and freed); it could be alleged he conspired with the police, Fiscal and Crown Office to prevent two brothers being prosecuted for the murder. He also claimed Balfour's Conservative Party would abolish the old pension.
He served as Solicitor General for Scotland
from 1905 to 1909, and as Lord Advocate
from 1909 to 1913. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Lloyd George
's 1909-10 budget.
On leaving Parliament he was raised to the bench as Lord Strathclyde and appointed Lord Justice General, a post he held until 1920. He was raised to the Peerage as Baron Strathclyde, of Sandyford in the County of Lanark
, in 1914. He is said to have been skilled in cross-examination, and was more suited to life as an advocate than as a judge.
The peerage became extinct on his death.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(22 February 1853 – 2 October 1928) was a Scottish politician and judge.
Educated at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
he was admitted to membership of the Faculty of Advocates
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
in 1878.
He was Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Linlithgowshire
Linlithgowshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Linlithgowshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708 to 1945. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system....
from 1895 to 1913. He became a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1897.
Alexander Ure's integrity is widely open to question: he misled the Court in the trial of Oscar Slater
Oscar Slater
Oscar Joseph Slater was a victim of British miscarriage of justice. He was born Oscar Leschziner in Oppeln, Upper Silesia, Germany to a Jewish family. Around 1893, to evade military service, he moved to London where he worked as a bookmaker using various names, including Anderson, before settling...
for the murder of Marion Gilchrist in 1909 (Slater was convicted but subsequently pardoned on appeal and freed); it could be alleged he conspired with the police, Fiscal and Crown Office to prevent two brothers being prosecuted for the murder. He also claimed Balfour's Conservative Party would abolish the old pension.
He served as Solicitor General for Scotland
Solicitor General for Scotland
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Government on Scots Law...
from 1905 to 1909, and as Lord Advocate
Lord Advocate
Her Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
from 1909 to 1913. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
's 1909-10 budget.
On leaving Parliament he was raised to the bench as Lord Strathclyde and appointed Lord Justice General, a post he held until 1920. He was raised to the Peerage as Baron Strathclyde, of Sandyford in the County of Lanark
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
, in 1914. He is said to have been skilled in cross-examination, and was more suited to life as an advocate than as a judge.
The peerage became extinct on his death.