John Colville, 1st Baron Clydesmuir
Encyclopedia
David John Colville, 1st Baron Clydesmuir PC
GCIE
(13 February 1894 – 31 October 1954) was a Scottish
Unionist politician, and industrialist. He was director of his family's steel and iron business: David Colville & Sons
.
The only son of John Colville
MP, of Cleland
, Lanarkshire
, he was educated at Charterhouse
and at Trinity College, Cambridge
.
He served in World War I
with the 6th Battalion of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), and was wounded.
He was unsuccessful National Liberal
candidate for Motherwell
at the 1922 General election
. He was unsuccessful again at a by-election in January 1929
for Midlothian and Peebles Northern
, but won the seat the general election in May 1929
, remaining as the constituency's Member of Parliament
(MP) until 1943. He served in the National Government as Parliamentary Secretary
to the Department of Overseas Trade from 1931 to 1935, as Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
from 1935 to 1936, as Financial Secretary to the Treasury
from 1936 to 1938 and as Secretary of State for Scotland
from 1938 until 1940.
Colville left Parliament
in 1943 to become Governor of Bombay, a post he held until January 1948. He acted as Viceroy and Governor-General of India, in 1945, 1946 and 1947. On his return from India
he was raised to the peerage as Baron Clydesmuir, of Braidwood in the County of Lanarkshire. From 1950 to 1954 Lord Clydesmuir served as a Governor of the BBC.
Colville was appointed a Privy Counsellor
in 1936 and was a Brigadier in the Royal Company of Archers
. He was Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire
from 1952 until his death.
Colville commissioned Sir Basil Spence
to design his home at Gribloch, near Kippen
, in 1939.
His son, Ronald John Bilsland Colville, served as Governor of the Bank of Scotland.
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
GCIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(13 February 1894 – 31 October 1954) was a Scottish
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...
Unionist politician, and industrialist. He was director of his family's steel and iron business: David Colville & Sons
David Colville & Sons
David Colville & Sons was a Scottish iron and steel company. It was founded in 1871, and in 1967 it was nationalised as part of British Steel. The company's first plant was the Dalzell Steel and Iron Works in Motherwell, which was opened in 1872, and by World War I this plant was the largest...
.
The only son of John Colville
John Colville (MP)
John Colville JP was a Scottish Liberal politician.He was Provost of Motherwell from 1888 until 1895 and Liberal Member of Parliament for North-East Lanarkshire from 1895 until his death....
MP, of Cleland
Cleland, North Lanarkshire
Cleland is a small village near Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland - see . The two nearest towns are Wishaw and Motherwell. The village has a strong mining heritage and is a typical example of a working class village in North Lanarkshire and the Glasgow area...
, Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
, he was educated at Charterhouse
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
.
He served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
with the 6th Battalion of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), and was wounded.
He was unsuccessful National Liberal
National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)
The National Liberal Party was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1922 to 1923. It was led by David Lloyd George and was, at the time, separate to the original Liberal Party.-History:...
candidate for Motherwell
Motherwell (UK Parliament constituency)
Motherwell was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1974. It was formed by the division of Lanarkshire. The name was changed in 1974 to Motherwell and Wishaw...
at the 1922 General election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
. He was unsuccessful again at a by-election in January 1929
Midlothian and Peebles Northern by-election, 1929
The Midlothian and Peebles Northern by-election, 1929 was a parliamentary by-election held in Scotland on 1 January 1929 to elect a new Member of Parliament for the House of Commons constituency of Midlothian and Peebles Northern....
for Midlothian and Peebles Northern
Midlothian and Peebles Northern (UK Parliament constituency)
Midlothian and Peebles Northern was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1950...
, but won the seat the general election in May 1929
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, remaining as the constituency's 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) until 1943. He served in the National Government as Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Department of Overseas Trade from 1931 to 1935, as Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
from 1935 to 1936, as Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Financial Secretary to the Treasury is a junior Ministerial post in the British Treasury. It is the 4th most significant Ministerial role within the Treasury after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and the Paymaster General...
from 1936 to 1938 and as Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
from 1938 until 1940.
Colville left Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
in 1943 to become Governor of Bombay, a post he held until January 1948. He acted as Viceroy and Governor-General of India, in 1945, 1946 and 1947. On his return from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
he was raised to the peerage as Baron Clydesmuir, of Braidwood in the County of Lanarkshire. From 1950 to 1954 Lord Clydesmuir served as a Governor of the BBC.
Colville was appointed a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1936 and was a Brigadier in the Royal Company of Archers
Royal Company of Archers
The Royal Company of Archers is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland, a role it has performed since 1822 and the reign of King George IV, when the company provided a personal bodyguard to the King on his visit to Scotland. It is currently known as the Queen's...
. He was Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire
Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire.*George Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney 1714 - 29th January 1737*Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton 17 March 1794 – 2 August 1799...
from 1952 until his death.
Colville commissioned Sir Basil Spence
Basil Spence
Sir Basil Urwin Spence, OM, OBE, RA was a Scottish architect, most notably associated with Coventry Cathedral in England and the Beehive in New Zealand, but also responsible for numerous other buildings in the Modernist/Brutalist style.-Training:Spence was born in Bombay, India, the son of Urwin...
to design his home at Gribloch, near Kippen
Kippen
Kippen is a small village approximately west of the city of Stirling, Scotland. It lies between the Gargunnock and Fintry hills and overlooks the strath of the River Forth. The name is believed to come from Scottish Gaelic, ceapan, meaning "place of the little stump", "outcrop" or "block". The...
, in 1939.
His son, Ronald John Bilsland Colville, served as Governor of the Bank of Scotland.