John Colville, 1st Baron Clydesmuir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Clydesmuir
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Colville in 1931
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| Governor of Bombay | |
| In office 24 March 1943 – 5 January 1948 |
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| Preceded by | Roger Lumley |
| Succeeded by | Raja Maharaj Singh |
| Secretary of State for Scotland | |
| In office 6 May 1938 – 10 May 1940 |
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| Prime Minister | Neville Chamberlain |
| Preceded by | Walter Elliot |
| Succeeded by | Ernest Brown |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 29 October 1936 – 6 May 1938 |
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| Prime Minister | Stanley Baldwin Neville Chamberlain |
| Preceded by | William Morrison |
| Succeeded by | Euan Wallace |
| Under-Secretary of State for Scotland | |
| In office 28 November 1935 – 29 October 1936 |
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| Prime Minister | Stanley Baldwin |
| Preceded by | Noel Skelton |
| Succeeded by | Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn |
| Member of Parliament for Midlothian and Peebles Northern |
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| In office 30 May 1929 – January 1943 |
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| Preceded by | Andrew Clarke |
| Succeeded by | Sir David King Murray |
David John Colville, 1st Baron Clydesmuir (born 13 February 1894 – died 31 October 1954) was an important Scottish politician and businessman. He was known for his work in government and in his family's steel and iron company, David Colville & Sons. Later in life, he was given the special title of Baron Clydesmuir.
Contents
Early Life and Education
David John Colville was the only son of John Colville, who was also a Member of Parliament (MP). He grew up in Cleland, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
He went to school at Charterhouse School and then studied at Trinity College, Cambridge.
During World War I, he bravely served in the 6th Battalion of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). He was injured while serving his country.
A Career in Politics
David Colville first tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1922, but he was not successful. He tried again in 1929 and won the seat for Midlothian and Peebles Northern. He served as an MP until 1943.
During his time as an MP, he held several important jobs in the government:
- From 1931 to 1935, he was a Parliamentary Secretary for Overseas Trade. This meant he helped manage trade with other countries.
- From 1935 to 1936, he was the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland. He helped the main Secretary of State for Scotland.
- From 1936 to 1938, he became the Financial Secretary to the Treasury. In this role, he helped manage the country's money.
- From 1938 to 1940, he was the Secretary of State for Scotland. This was a very important job, as he was in charge of many things related to Scotland.
Serving as Governor and Beyond
In 1943, David Colville left his role in the UK Parliament to become the Governor of Bombay. Bombay was a very important region in India at that time, as India was part of the British Empire. He held this position until 1948.
While he was Governor, he also acted as the Viceroy and Governor-General of India several times between 1945 and 1947. The Viceroy was the highest British official in India.
When he returned from India, he was given the title of Baron Clydesmuir. This made him a member of the peerage, which is a special group of people with hereditary titles in the UK.
From 1950 to 1954, Lord Clydesmuir also served as a Governor for the BBC, which is the main public broadcasting company in the United Kingdom.
In 1936, he became a Privy Counsellor. This is a group of trusted advisors to the British monarch. He was also a Brigadier in the Royal Company of Archers, a ceremonial bodyguard unit in Scotland. From 1952 until his death, he was the Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire, representing the monarch in his home county.
Family Life
David Colville married Agnes Anne Bilsland in 1915. They had one son and two daughters.
His son, Ronald Colville, 2nd Baron Clydesmuir, also went on to have an important career. He served as the Governor of the Bank of Scotland.
Images for kids
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A coronet like the one worn by a Baron.
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The coat of arms for Baron Clydesmuir.
