John Colville, 1st Baron Clydesmuir

Colonel David John Colville, 1st Baron Clydesmuir, 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

Early life and education

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.

Political career

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.

Diplomatic career and peerage

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.

Marriage and children

He married Agnes Anne Bilsland, daughter of Sir William Bilsland, in 1915. They had a son and two daughters.

His son, Ronald Colville, 2nd Baron Clydesmuir, served as Governor of the Bank of Scotland.

Arms

Coat of arms of John Colville, 1st Baron Clydesmuir hide

Crest A Hind’s Head erased proper Escutcheon Argent a Cross Moline Sable on a Chief of the last a Thistle slipped proper between two Bulls’ Heads also Argent Supporters Dexter: a Roebuck; Sinister: a Doe, both proper Motto Oublier Ne Puis (I cannot forget)

References

• Torrance, David, The Scottish Secretaries (Birlinn 2006)
• Who Was Who

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by John Colville

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Andrew Bathgate Clarke	Member of Parliament for Midlothian and Peebles Northern 1929–1943	Succeeded by Sir David King Murray
Political offices
Preceded by William Morrison	Financial Secretary to the Treasury 1936–1938	Succeeded by Euan Wallace
Preceded by Walter Elliot	Secretary of State for Scotland 1938–1940	Succeeded by Ernest Brown
Preceded by Sir Lawrence Lumley	Governor of Bombay 1943–1947	Succeeded by Raja Sir Maharaj Singh
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Lord Hamilton of Dalzell	Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire 1952–1954	Succeeded by Sir Alexander Murray Stephen
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation	Baron Clydesmuir 1948–1954	Succeeded by Ronald John Bilsland Colville