Sir John Gilmour, 3rd Baronet facts for kids

Colonel Sir John Edward Gilmour, 3rd Baronet (born October 24, 1912 – died June 1, 2007) was a notable British politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for East Fife for 18 years. He served from 1961 to 1979 as a member of the Conservative Party. Beyond politics, he was also a soldier, farmer, and landowner. He held positions as a company director and a vice-president of a building society.

Sir John Gilmour: A Life of Service

Sir John Gilmour was born in Glasgow, Scotland. His mother passed away when he was only seven years old. His family had a strong history in public service.

Early Life and Education

Sir John's grandfather, Sir John Gilmour, 1st Baronet, was a leader of the Scottish Unionist Party. He received a special title, a baronetcy, in 1897. Sir John's father, Sir John Gilmour, 2nd Baronet, was also an MP for 30 years. He held important jobs in the government, like Secretary of State for Scotland and Home Secretary. Sir John's father died in 1940 while serving as Minister of Shipping. After his father's death, John became the 3rd Baronet.

John Gilmour went to Eton College, a famous school. There, he was the captain of the rowing team. He then studied law at Trinity Hall, Cambridge University. He was a talented rower and competed for Cambridge University in the 1933 Boat Race. He missed the race the next year because he had appendicitis. He also studied at Dundee School of Economics. After finishing his studies in 1934, he helped manage his family's large estate called Montrave, near Leven, Fife.

A Soldier's Story

In 1939, Gilmour joined the 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry. This was a part of the Royal Armoured Corps, which uses tanks. He served in Fife and Northern Ireland before going to Normandy, France, in June 1944. This was shortly after D-Day, a very important event in World War II.

As a major, he led a group of tanks in a major battle called Operation Goodwood. His unit was one of the first to attack Bourguebus Ridge. During the fighting, three of his tanks were destroyed. He even ended up leading his regiment from a bulldozer! He was given the DSO medal for his bravery in Normandy and the push towards Antwerp.

He was sent home after being injured near Belsen. Later, in 1947, he commanded his regiment again when it became a Territorial Army unit. He left the Army in 1950. He stayed involved with the Territorial Army, becoming an Honorary Colonel of the Highland Yeomanry in 1971. He was also one of the four Captains of the Royal Company of Archers.

Life in Politics

Gilmour first tried to become an MP in 1945 for Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire. He lost that election. From 1955 to 1961, he served as a local councillor on the Fife County Council.

In 1961, he won a special election for East Fife. He beat John Smith, who later became the leader of the Labour Party. During this election, some people called him "Sir John Sugar-Beet" to make fun of him. But he liked the nickname! He said the sugar beet grown on his farm and processed nearby helped many jobs in his area.

He became the chairman of the Scottish Unionist Party from 1965 to 1967. He had been the vice-chairman since 1963. He continued to represent East Fife until the 1979 election. After that, he stepped down, and Barry Henderson took his place.

Other Public Roles

Sir John was also involved in other important roles. He was a joint Master of the Fife Hunt from 1953 to 1972. He served as a deputy lieutenant of Fife starting in 1953. Later, he became the Lord Lieutenant of Fife from 1980 to 1987. This is a special role representing the King or Queen in the area.

He was also the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1982 and 1983. His father had held this same important position in 1938 and 1939.

Family Life

Sir John married Ursula Wills in 1941. They had two sons together. His wife passed away in 2004. Sir John Gilmour died in Cupar, a town in his old constituency, in June 2007.

Legacy

His older son, John, born in 1944, inherited the baronetcy title from him.