Frederick Alexander Macquisten
Encyclopedia
Frederick Alexander Macquisten KC
(born 23 July 1870 in Inverkip
, Scotland
, died 29 February 1940 in Walton-on-Thames
, England
) was a British
lawyer and politician. He was the son of Reverend Dr. Alexander Macquisten, the minister of Inverkip Parish Church.
, he attended University of Glasgow
and went on to practice as a solicitor
. At the same time, he was elected a member of Glasgow Corporation
. In 1909, he qualified as a member of the Faculty of Advocates
in Scotland and ten years later was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn
. He was made a King's Counsel
(KC) in Scotland and took silk at the English Bar in 1932.
constituency
in 1910, and then Glasgow St. Rollox
in 1912 as a Unionist. In 1918, he was elected as the Conservative party
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Glasgow Springburn
.
In 1921 he put forward a proposal to criminalize lesbianism
which was rejected by the House of Lords
; during the debate, Lord Birkenhead
, the then Lord Chancellor argued that 999 women out of a thousand had "never even heard a whisper of these practices."
Macquisten held onto the Glasgow Springburn constituency until the Labour party
landslide of 1922. He then fought and won Argyllshire
in 1924, holding it for the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party until his death in 1940.
In the House of Commons he was known for his wit. The humour which he often brought to his speeches often belied their serious content. He was though serious in his effort to abolish the compulsory Political Levy which Trade Union members paid before the passing of the Trade Disputes and Trade Union Act 1927
.
In 1925, he introduced a Private Member's Bill
which was intended, in his own words, to "restore the individual freedom of the working man." The second reading of the Bill elicited a speech on "Peace in Industry" from the Prime Minister
, Stanley Baldwin
, a speech which made a great impression at the time. The Baldwin Government accepted the principle of the Bill, but moved an amendment on the basis that legislation on such an important question ought not to emanate from a private member, but from the Government itself. The Bill was eventually introduced following the general strike in 1926
.
He was the champion of private buses and a one-man shopkeeper. He also sang the praises of herring and porridge, and his unerring praise of the properties of Scotch whisky gave rise to a series of much celebrated verbal duals with the teetotal Lady Astor. When rationing was introduced, he was the first to suggest mass-production of macon
, the mutton substitute for bacon, which originated from an old Scottish recipe. "If the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Food will consult with any farmer's wife in Perthshire, she will show him how to cure it," he informed the House of Commons.
Macquisten died at his home at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey England, on 29 February 1940.
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...
(born 23 July 1870 in Inverkip
Inverkip
Inverkip is a village and parish falling within the Inverclyde council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies about southwest of Greenock on the A78 trunk road...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, died 29 February 1940 in Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames is a town in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey in South East England. The town is located south west of Charing Cross and is between the towns of Weybridge and Molesey. It is situated on the River Thames between Sunbury Lock and Shepperton Lock.- History :The name "Walton" is...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) was a British
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...
lawyer and politician. He was the son of Reverend Dr. Alexander Macquisten, the minister of Inverkip Parish Church.
Background
Educated by his father, from whom he acquired an intimate knowledge of the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, he attended 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...
and went on to practice as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
. At the same time, he was elected a member of Glasgow Corporation
Politics of Glasgow
Politics in Glasgow, Scotland, is evident in the deliberations and decisions of the city council of Glasgow , in elections to the council, and in elections to the Scottish Parliament and the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom .In the European Parliament, the city area is...
. In 1909, he qualified as a member 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 Scotland and ten years later was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
. He was made a King'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...
(KC) in Scotland and took silk at the English Bar in 1932.
Politics
Macquisten unsuccessfully contested the Leith Burghs parliamentaryLeith Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)
-References:...
constituency
Burgh constituency
A burgh constituency is a type of parliamentary constituency in Scotland. It is a constituency which is predominantly urban, and on this basis has been designated as a burgh constituency...
in 1910, and then Glasgow St. Rollox
Glasgow St. Rollox (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow St. Rollox was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1950. It elected one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system....
in 1912 as a Unionist. In 1918, he was elected as the Conservative party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
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 Glasgow Springburn
Glasgow Springburn (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Springburn was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until the 2005 general election, when it was largely replaced by the Glasgow North East constituency....
.
In 1921 he put forward a proposal to criminalize lesbianism
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
which was rejected by the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
; during the debate, Lord Birkenhead
F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead
Frederick Edwin Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead GCSI, PC, KC , best known to history as F. E. Smith , was a British Conservative statesman and lawyer of the early 20th century. He was a skilled orator, noted for his staunch opposition to Irish nationalism, his wit, pugnacious views, and hard living...
, the then Lord Chancellor argued that 999 women out of a thousand had "never even heard a whisper of these practices."
Macquisten held onto the Glasgow Springburn constituency until the Labour party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
landslide of 1922. He then fought and won Argyllshire
Argyllshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Argyllshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1950, when it was renamed Argyll...
in 1924, holding it for the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party until his death in 1940.
In the House of Commons he was known for his wit. The humour which he often brought to his speeches often belied their serious content. He was though serious in his effort to abolish the compulsory Political Levy which Trade Union members paid before the passing of the Trade Disputes and Trade Union Act 1927
Trade Disputes and Trade Union Act 1927
The Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act 1927 was a British Act of Parliament passed in response to the General Strike of 1926, introduced by the Attorney General for England and Wales, Sir Douglas Hogg MP....
.
In 1925, he introduced a Private Member's Bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
which was intended, in his own words, to "restore the individual freedom of the working man." The second reading of the Bill elicited a speech on "Peace in Industry" from the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
, a speech which made a great impression at the time. The Baldwin Government accepted the principle of the Bill, but moved an amendment on the basis that legislation on such an important question ought not to emanate from a private member, but from the Government itself. The Bill was eventually introduced following the general strike in 1926
1926 United Kingdom general strike
The 1926 general strike in the United Kingdom was a general strike that lasted nine days, from 4 May 1926 to 13 May 1926. It was called by the general council of the Trades Union Congress in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reduction and worsening...
.
He was the champion of private buses and a one-man shopkeeper. He also sang the praises of herring and porridge, and his unerring praise of the properties of Scotch whisky gave rise to a series of much celebrated verbal duals with the teetotal Lady Astor. When rationing was introduced, he was the first to suggest mass-production of macon
Macon (food)
Macon is a food item that is prepared from mutton . Macon would be prepared in a similar manner to bacon, with the meat being cured by soaking it in large quantities of salt or by soaking the meat in brine....
, the mutton substitute for bacon, which originated from an old Scottish recipe. "If the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Food will consult with any farmer's wife in Perthshire, she will show him how to cure it," he informed the House of Commons.
Macquisten died at his home at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey England, on 29 February 1940.
Further reading
- Duff CooperDuff CooperAlfred Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich GCMG, DSO, PC , known as Duff Cooper, was a British Conservative Party politician, diplomat and author. He wrote six books, including an autobiography, Old Men Forget, and a biography of Talleyrand...
. Old Men Forget, Carroll & Graf, 1988. pp. 142 and 144 - R. H. Bruce LockhartR. H. Bruce LockhartSir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart KCMG , was a journalist, author, secret agent, British diplomat in Moscow and Prague, and footballer...
. The Diaries of Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart, 1915-1938, pp. 127-128 - A. H. Charteris. When the Scot Smiles, A. Maclehose & Co, 1932. pp. 175-176.
- Daily ExpressDaily ExpressThe Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
, "Frederick Alexander Macquisten", Obituary, 1 March 1940