Thomas Brash Morison
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Brash Morison (21 November 1868 – 28 July 1945) was a Scottish politician and judge.
Morison was born in Edinburgh
. He went to Edinburgh University where he obtained MA
and LL.D degrees. He was called to the bar in Scotland in 1891 and then in England in 1899. He was knight
ed in 1906. He was senior Advocate-Depute, 1908–1910 and Deputy Chairman of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 1910-1913. During the same period he also held the post of Sheriff
of Fife
and Kinross
. He was made a Bencher
of Gray's Inn
in 1920.
Liberal
Member of Parliament for Inverness-shire
from 1917 to 1918 and for Inverness
from 1918 to 1922, Morison was Solicitor General for Scotland
in the Liberal and Coalition Governments from 1913 to 1920. In 1920 he was appointed Privy Counsellor
and promoted to Lord Advocate
, a post he held until 1922. He resigned
from the House of Commons
on 27 February 1922 by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds
.
Morison was born in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. He went to Edinburgh University where he obtained MA
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...
and LL.D degrees. He was called to the bar in Scotland in 1891 and then in England in 1899. He was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1906. He was senior Advocate-Depute, 1908–1910 and Deputy Chairman of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 1910-1913. During the same period he also held the post of Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
and Kinross
Kinross
Kinross is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It was formerly the county town of Kinross-shire.Kinross is a fairly small town, with some attractive buildings...
. He was made a Bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
of 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...
in 1920.
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 for Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire (UK Parliament constituency)
Inverness-shire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1918....
from 1917 to 1918 and for Inverness
Inverness (UK Parliament constituency)
Inverness was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election....
from 1918 to 1922, Morison was 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...
in the Liberal and Coalition Governments from 1913 to 1920. In 1920 he was appointed 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...
and promoted to 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...
, a post he held until 1922. 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...
on 27 February 1922 by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds
Chiltern Hundreds
Appointment to the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham is a sinecure appointment which is used as a device allowing a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament to resign his or her seat...
.