Robert Gibson (politician)
Encyclopedia
Robert Gibson, Lord Gibson (20 April 1886 - 9 April 1965) was a Scottish lawyer and politician. He was Member of Parliament for Greenock
from 1936 to 1941, and Chairman of the Scottish Land Court
from 1941 to 1965.
prep and senior schools and continued his studies at the University of Glasgow
, where he was Cunninghame Gold Medallist in Mathematics, Donaldson Scholar in Chemistry, Major Young Bursar in Arts and Law, Metcalfe Bursar in Science, and Stewart Bursar and Prizeman in Law. He received degrees of M.A.
, B.Sc.
and LL.B.
, all at the University of Glasgow. He was elected Secretary of the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
in 1909, and President in 1910.
In 1911, he was appointed Lecturer in Applied Electricity at Hamilton Technical School, located at Hamilton Academy
, and taught in the Academy's senior school, one of his pupils being Thomas Cassells
, who was also to serve as a Labour MP (for Dunbartonshire, and for the same period, 1936-41.) In 1915, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War
, Gibson joined the Royal Garrison Artillery
.
, and between 1929 and 1931, was Senior Advocate Depute, one of the country's senior prosecutors. He was a member of the Labour Party and stood in a number of elections, serving as Member of Parliament for Greenock
from 1936 to 1941. He stood down from his seat in 1941, when appointed Chairman of the Scottish Land Court
, succeeding another former pupil of Hamilton Academy
, Sir Thomas David King Murray
(Lord Murray.)
in 1929
, Edinburgh North
in 1931
, at the Combined Scottish Universities in a 1934 by-election
, and Dundee
in the 1935 general election
.
He was elected as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Greenock
at a by-election in 1936
, and held his seat until he resigned
from the House of Commons
in 1941 on his appointment as Chairman of the Scottish Land Court
.
Greenock (UK Parliament constituency)
Greenock was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1974, when it was abolished and its area was merged into the new Greenock and Port Glasgow constituency.- Members of Parliament :...
from 1936 to 1941, and Chairman of the Scottish Land Court
Scottish Land Court
The Scottish Land Court is a Scottish court of law based in Edinburgh with subject-matter jurisdiction for disputes between landlords and tenants relating to agricultural tenancies and matters related to crofts and crofters. The Chairman of the Scottish Land Court is ranked as a Senator of the...
from 1941 to 1965.
Early life
Gibson was educated at both the Hamilton AcademyHamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy was a school situated in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Described as "one of the finest schools in Scotland" in the Cambridge University Press County Biography of 1910, Hamilton Academy featured in the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association Magazine article series on...
prep and senior schools and continued his studies 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...
, where he was Cunninghame Gold Medallist in Mathematics, Donaldson Scholar in Chemistry, Major Young Bursar in Arts and Law, Metcalfe Bursar in Science, and Stewart Bursar and Prizeman in Law. He received degrees of M.A.
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
, B.Sc.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and LL.B.
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
, all at the University of Glasgow. He was elected Secretary of the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council was founded on 9th March 1886 and recognised as the legal representative body for students of the University of Glasgow by the Universities Act 1889. The SRC is responsible for representing students' interests to the management of the University...
in 1909, and President in 1910.
In 1911, he was appointed Lecturer in Applied Electricity at Hamilton Technical School, located at Hamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy was a school situated in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Described as "one of the finest schools in Scotland" in the Cambridge University Press County Biography of 1910, Hamilton Academy featured in the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association Magazine article series on...
, and taught in the Academy's senior school, one of his pupils being Thomas Cassells
Thomas Cassells
Thomas Cassells was a Labour Party politician in Scotland who served as Member of Parliament for Dunbartonshire from 1936 to 1941....
, who was also to serve as a Labour MP (for Dunbartonshire, and for the same period, 1936-41.) In 1915, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War
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...
, Gibson joined the Royal Garrison Artillery
Royal Garrison Artillery
The Royal Garrison Artillery was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege...
.
Legal career
After the War, in 1918, Gibson was admitted to the Faculty of AdvocatesFaculty 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...
, and between 1929 and 1931, was Senior Advocate Depute, one of the country's senior prosecutors. He was a member of the Labour Party and stood in a number of elections, serving as Member of Parliament for Greenock
Greenock (UK Parliament constituency)
Greenock was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1974, when it was abolished and its area was merged into the new Greenock and Port Glasgow constituency.- Members of Parliament :...
from 1936 to 1941. He stood down from his seat in 1941, when appointed Chairman of the Scottish Land Court
Scottish Land Court
The Scottish Land Court is a Scottish court of law based in Edinburgh with subject-matter jurisdiction for disputes between landlords and tenants relating to agricultural tenancies and matters related to crofts and crofters. The Chairman of the Scottish Land Court is ranked as a Senator of the...
, succeeding another former pupil of Hamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy was a school situated in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Described as "one of the finest schools in Scotland" in the Cambridge University Press County Biography of 1910, Hamilton Academy featured in the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association Magazine article series on...
, Sir Thomas David King Murray
David King Murray
Sir Thomas David King Murray, known as David King Murray, Kt KC LLD MA BSc LLB FRSE was a Scottish politician and judge....
(Lord Murray.)
Political career
Gibson was an unsuccessful candidate in Roxburgh and SelkirkRoxburgh and Selkirk (UK Parliament constituency)
Roxburgh and Selkirk was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1955. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system.- Boundaries :...
in 1929
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, Edinburgh North
Edinburgh North (UK Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh North was a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system.-Boundaries:...
in 1931
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
, at the Combined Scottish Universities in a 1934 by-election
Combined Scottish Universities by-election, 1934
The Combined Scottish Universities by-election, 1934 was a by-election held from 7 March to 12 March 1934 for the Combined Scottish Universities, a university constituency of the British House of Commons.- Vacancy :...
, and Dundee
Dundee (UK Parliament constituency)
Dundee was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1950, when it was split into Dundee East and Dundee West....
in the 1935 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
.
He was elected as 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 Greenock
Greenock (UK Parliament constituency)
Greenock was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1974, when it was abolished and its area was merged into the new Greenock and Port Glasgow constituency.- Members of Parliament :...
at a by-election in 1936
Greenock by-election, 1936
The Greenock by-election, 1936 was a by-election held on 26 November 1936 for the House of Commons constituency of Greenock in Renfrewshire, Scotland.- Vacancy :...
, and held his seat until he resigned
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
from the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in 1941 on his appointment as Chairman of the Scottish Land Court
Scottish Land Court
The Scottish Land Court is a Scottish court of law based in Edinburgh with subject-matter jurisdiction for disputes between landlords and tenants relating to agricultural tenancies and matters related to crofts and crofters. The Chairman of the Scottish Land Court is ranked as a Senator of the...
.