Peter McLagan facts for kids
Peter McLagan (born 1823 – died 31 August 1900) was a British politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party. He served in the House of Commons, which is like the main meeting place for lawmakers in the United Kingdom. Peter McLagan made history as Scotland's first non-White and first Black Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the government.
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Peter McLagan: Scotland's First Black MP
Early Life and Education
Peter McLagan was born in Demerara, which is now part of Guyana. His father, also named Peter McLagan, co-owned a sugar plantation. His mother was a Black woman. In the 1830s, the UK Government ended slavery. They paid money to plantation owners like McLagan's father. This was to help them as enslaved people became free.
Peter McLagan left British Guiana when he was a child. He went to school in Tillicoultry and Peebles. Later, he studied at the University of Edinburgh. In 1841, when he was 18, he lived in New Town, Edinburgh, with his father. His father passed away in 1860.
A Political Career
In 1865, Peter McLagan became a Member of Parliament. He was elected without anyone running against him. He represented the area of Linlithgowshire. He was re-elected six more times in later elections. He served as an MP for many years. On June 2, 1893, he decided to leave his job as an MP.
Important Achievements as an MP
As an MP, Peter McLagan supported several important ideas. He believed in women's suffrage, which meant women should have the right to vote. He also thought women should be able to become doctors. McLagan also supported the Irish Home Rule Movement. This movement wanted Ireland to have more control over its own government.
Later Life and Legacy
Peter McLagan owned a large estate called Pumpherston in West Lothian. He passed away in Marylebone, London. He is buried with his wife in the churchyard of Kirk of Calder in Mid Calder, West Lothian.
Family Life
Peter McLagan was married to Elizabeth Ann Taylor. She lived from 1846 to 1882.
