Charles Coupar Barrie, 1st Baron Abertay
Encyclopedia
Charles Coupar Barrie, 1st Baron Abertay KBE
DL
JP
(1875 – 6 December 1940) was a businessman and Liberal Party
and later Liberal National
politician in the United Kingdom
.
and Blairlodge School, Polmont
.
, and latterly in the Ministry of Shipping. He was the Minister of Munitions
representative in Paris during the Peace Conference
, and was a Member of the Supreme Economic Council
. He also served as Chairman of the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes and as a Member of the Advisory Council to the General Post Office
. He was Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Elgin Burghs briefly during 1918, for Banffshire
from 1918–1924 and for Southampton
from 1931-1940.
Barrie was appointed a CBE
in 1918 and a KBE
in 1921. In 1940 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Abertay, of Tullybelton in the County of Perth, which title became extinct on his death. He also held the Russian Order of St Stanislaus and the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
.
, of the Central Argentine Railway
, of the Mercantile Bank of India, of Phoenix Assurance Company, and of Cable and Wireless Ltd.
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...
DL
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(1875 – 6 December 1940) was a businessman and Liberal Party
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...
and later Liberal National
National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
politician in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Background and education
The eldest son of Sir Charles Barrie, he was educated at the High School of DundeeHigh School of Dundee
The High School of Dundee is an independent, co-educational, day school in the city of Dundee, Scotland which provides both primary and secondary education to just over one thousand pupils...
and Blairlodge School, Polmont
Polmont
Polmont is a village in the Falkirk council area of Central Scotland. It lies towards the east of the town of Falkirk, north of the Union Canal, which runs adjacent to the village....
.
Political career
Barrie served during the First World War in an advisory capacity at the Transport Department of the AdmiraltyAdmiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
, and latterly in the Ministry of Shipping. He was the Minister of Munitions
Minister of Munitions
The Minister of Munitions was a British government position created during the First World War to oversee and co-ordinate the production and distribution of munitions for the war effort...
representative in Paris during the Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
, and was a Member of the Supreme Economic Council
Supreme Economic Council
The Supreme Economic Council was established at the Paris Peace Conference in February 1919 to advise the conference on economic measures to be taken pending the negotiation of peace...
. He also served as Chairman of the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes and as a Member of the Advisory Council to the General Post Office
General Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
. 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,...
(MP) for Elgin Burghs briefly during 1918, for Banffshire
Banffshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Banffshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800, and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1983...
from 1918–1924 and for Southampton
Southampton (UK Parliament constituency)
Southampton was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in the British House of Commons. Centred on the town of Southampton, it returned two Members of Parliament from 1295 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election....
from 1931-1940.
Barrie was appointed a CBE
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...
in 1918 and a KBE
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...
in 1921. In 1940 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Abertay, of Tullybelton in the County of Perth, which title became extinct on his death. He also held the Russian Order of St Stanislaus and the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
.
Business career
Barrie was also a shipowner and merchant, and held a number of business appointments including as a Director of the London and North Eastern RailwayLondon and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
, of the Central Argentine Railway
Central Argentine Railway
The Central Argentine Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge, , British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina...
, of the Mercantile Bank of India, of Phoenix Assurance Company, and of Cable and Wireless Ltd.