John Maclay, 1st Viscount Muirshiel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Viscount Muirshiel
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1962 portrait of Maclay by Herbert James Gunn.
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| Secretary of State for Scotland | |
| In office 13 January 1957 – 13 July 1962 |
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| Prime Minister | Harold Macmillan |
| Preceded by | Hon. James Stuart |
| Succeeded by | Michael Noble |
| Minister of State for the Colonies | |
| In office 18 October 1956 – 13 January 1957 |
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| Prime Minister | Anthony Eden |
| Preceded by | John Hare |
| Succeeded by | John Drummond |
| Minister of Civil Aviation | |
| In office 31 October 1951 – 7 May 1952 |
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| Prime Minister | Winston Churchill |
| Preceded by | David Rees-Williams |
| Succeeded by | Alan Lennox-Boyd |
| Chairman of the National Liberal Party | |
| In office 1947–1956 |
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| Preceded by | Stanley Holmes |
| Succeeded by | James Duncan |
| Member of Parliament for West Renfrewshire |
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| In office 23 February 1950 – 25 September 1964 |
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| Preceded by | Thomas Scollan |
| Succeeded by | Norman Buchan |
| Member of Parliament for Montrose Burghs |
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| In office 5 July 1940 – 3 February 1950 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Kerr |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 October 1905 |
| Died | 17 August 1992 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | National Liberal Scottish Unionist |
| Spouse | Betty Astley (1902–1974) |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
John Scott Maclay, also known as Viscount Muirshiel, was an important British politician. He was born on October 26, 1905, and passed away on August 17, 1992. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for many years. He was part of the National Liberal and Conservative parties.
Lord Muirshiel held several big jobs in the government. One of his most important roles was being the Secretary of State for Scotland. He served in this position from 1957 to 1962. Later in his career, he was given the special title of Viscount, which meant he became a member of the House of Lords.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Scott Maclay was the fifth son in his family. His father was Joseph Paton Maclay, 1st Baron Maclay. John went to a famous school called Winchester. After that, he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge.
While at Cambridge, he was a talented rower. He was the "bowman" in the Cambridge team. His team won the famous Boat Race in 1927.
A Career in Politics
John Scott Maclay began his political journey in 1940. He was elected as an MP for the area called Montrose Burghs. This happened during the Second World War.
During the war, he led a special British team. This team worked in Washington, D.C., on merchant shipping matters. For his important work, he received an award called the Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1944.
In 1945, he briefly worked as a Parliamentary Private Secretary. This role supported the Minister of Production. He kept his Montrose seat in the 1945 general election.
Leading the National Liberals
From 1945 to 1951, the Labour party was in power. During this time, John Scott Maclay led the National Liberals in the House of Commons.
The Montrose Burghs area changed its boundaries in 1950. So, Maclay was then elected as MP for West Renfrewshire. He held this seat until 1964.
Important Government Roles
John Scott Maclay served under Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He was the Minister of Civil Aviation and Minister of Transport. These roles were from October 1951 to May 1952. In 1952, he became a member of the Privy Council. This is a group of important advisors to the Queen.
He then took a break from government roles. In October 1956, he was appointed Minister of State for the Colonies. This job was given to him by Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden.
When Harold Macmillan became Prime Minister in January 1957, Maclay received a very important job. He became the Secretary of State for Scotland. This role meant he was part of the main group of government ministers, called the Cabinet. He stayed in this job until July 1962.
Later Life and Honors
In 1962, many government ministers, including Maclay, left their jobs. This event was sometimes called the "Night of the Long Knives".
In 1964, John Scott Maclay was given a special honor. He was made a Viscount, with the title Viscount Muirshiel. This meant he became a member of the House of Lords. He also received other high honors. He was made a Companion of Honour in 1962. In 1973, he became a Knight of the Thistle. This is a very prestigious Scottish award.
From 1967 to 1980, he served as the Lord-Lieutenant of Renfrewshire. This is a representative of the King or Queen in a county.
Personal Life
Lord Muirshiel married Betty Astley in 1930. They did not have any children. Betty passed away in June 1974. Lord Muirshiel lived as a widower until his death in August 1992. He was 86 years old.
Since he had no children, the title of Viscount ended when he passed away. He is buried in the Mount Zion Church graveyard. This graveyard is in Quarrier's Village near Kilmacolm. This area was part of his former West Renfrewshire constituency.
See also
- List of Cambridge University Boat Race crews
