John McLaren, Lord McLaren

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For other people named John McLaren, see John McLaren (disambiguation).

Lord McLaren's grave Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh

John McLaren, Lord McLaren,

FRSE (17 April 1831 – 6 April 1910) was a British Liberal
politician and judge. In the scientific world he is remembered as a mathematician and astronomer.

Life

The son of

Provost of Edinburgh and Member of Parliament, and his wife Grant Aitken, he was born at 21 South St David Street, in Edinburgh's New Town.[1]

He studied law at

Edinburgh University. He was admitted to the Scottish Faculty of Advocates in 1856. In 1869 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, his proposer being Robert William Thomson
. He served as the society's vice president for three sessions: 1885 to 1891; 1892 to 1898; and 1901 to 1906.[2]

He held the office of Sheriff of Chancery in Scotland 1869–1880. He reorganised the Liberal party and arranged Gladstone's Midlothian campaign of 1879–1880.

He was elected Member of Parliament for Wigtown Burghs in April 1880 and appointed Lord Advocate, losing his seat on seeking re-election on 20 May 1880. He failed to be elected at Berwick-upon-Tweed on 21 July 1880, but was returned for Edinburgh on 28 January 1881. McLaren's father Duncan McLaren had resigned as MP for Edinburgh, which produced the vacancy to be filled. McLaren continued to sit for Edinburgh until he was appointed as a judge, later in the year. He was Lord Advocate for Scotland during 1880–81.

Under pressure from Gladstone and Sir William Harcourt, he accepted appointment to the

Edinburgh University, the University of Glasgow and the University of Aberdeen
.

Lord McLaren died in

Grange Cemetery on its southernmost path.[3]
The original bronze medallion head was stolen but it is replaced with an accurate and convincing plastic replica.

Publications

McLaren wrote a number of books on legal topics, including Law of Wills and Succession.

Family

In 1868 he married Ottile Schwabe (d.1914). Their children largely died in childhood. Their eldest daughter was Ottilie McLaren.

Artistic recognition

His portrait by Sir John Lavery is held in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery but is seldom displayed.[4]

References

  1. ^ Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1831-32
  2. ISBN 0-902-198-84-X. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  3. ISBN 0-902-198-84-X. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  4. ^ "John McLaren, Lord McLaren, 1831 - 1910. Judge".

Source: Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume I 1832-1885 edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976).

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Mark John Stewart
 Member of Parliament for Wigtown Burghs
1880–1880 		Succeeded by
Mark John Stewart
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Edinburgh
1881–1881
With: James Cowan 		Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by
William Watson
 Lord Advocate
1880–1881 		Succeeded by
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