T. Atholl Robertson: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Scottish fine arts printer, publisher and Liberal politician}} |
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[[File:1923 Atholl Robertson.jpg|thumb|right|Atholl Robertson]] |
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'''Thomas Atholl Robertson''' (27 October 1874 – 14 December 1955)<ref>{{Rayment-hc|E|1|date=March 2024}}</ref> was a Scottish fine arts printer and publisher and [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] [[politician]]. |
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==Family and education== |
==Family and education== |
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Thomas Atholl Robertson was the eldest son of John Robertson of Snaigow, [[Dunkeld]] in rural [[Perthshire]].<ref>''Who was Who'', OUP 2007</ref> He was educated locally, at [[Clunie]] School, [[Blairgowrie and Rattray|Blairgowrie]]. He married twice; |
Thomas Atholl Robertson was the eldest son of John Robertson of Snaigow, [[Dunkeld]] in rural [[Perthshire]].<ref>''Who was Who'', OUP 2007</ref> He was educated locally, at [[Clunie]] School, [[Blairgowrie and Rattray|Blairgowrie]]. He married twice; first in 1906 to Flora Campbell, eldest daughter of James Cummings, a dental surgeon. There were two sons and four daughters from the marriage. Flora Robertson died in 1943<ref>The Times, 8 December 1943 p1</ref> and five years later Robertson married Agnes Christie, the daughter of James Paterson of [[Redgorton]] in Perthshire.<ref>The Times, 17 December 1955 p9</ref> In religion Robertson was a staunch [[Presbyterian]] and was an office bearer of the Presbyterian Church in [[Palmers Green]] near his London home. One of his relatives, Dr James Robertson of Whittinghame, [[East Lothian]] was [[List of Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland|Moderator of the Church of Scotland]]<ref>The Times, 17 December 1955 p9</ref> in 1909. Although he lived in London for much of his life, Robertson also had a home in Scotland, Dunvorlich, Ewanfield, [[Crieff]] in Perthshire.<ref>''Who was Who'', OUP 2007</ref> |
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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Robertson was a member of a firm of |
Robertson was a member of a firm of fine art publishers in [[Glasgow]]. He began his career in the city and then undertook formal training in this field in Germany, extending his knowledge of the trade by travelling throughout Europe, Canada, the United States<ref>The Times, 17 December 1955 p9</ref> and the [[near east]].<ref>''Who was Who'', OUP 2007</ref> Robertson also served for ten years in the [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]] in the [[Highland Light Infantry]], City of Glasgow Regiment.<ref>''Who was Who'', OUP 2007</ref> |
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==Politics== |
==Politics== |
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Robertson was always a committed Liberal even as a young man.<ref>The Times, 17 December 1955 p9</ref> He held a number of positions in the party over the years including being Chairman of the Political Committee of the [[National Liberal Club]]<ref>''The Times, House of Commons 1935''; |
Robertson was always a committed Liberal even as a young man.<ref>The Times, 17 December 1955 p9</ref> He held a number of positions in the party over the years including being Chairman of the Political Committee of the [[National Liberal Club]]<ref>''The Times, House of Commons 1935''; Politico's Publishing 2003 p110</ref> and Vice-Chairman of the London Liberal Federation.<ref>''The Times, House of Commons 1931''; Politico's Publishing 2003 p123</ref> He took a particular interest in a number of traditional Liberal issues, including land reform and was in 1923 the President of the English League for Taxation of Land Values.<ref>''Land & liberty: monthly journal for land value taxation and free trade''; United Committee for the Taxation of Land Values, 1956 p9</ref> |
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===Hammersmith=== |
===Hammersmith=== |
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Robertson first stood for Parliament at [[Hammersmith South (UK Parliament constituency)|South Hammersmith]] at the [[United Kingdom general election |
Robertson first stood for Parliament at [[Hammersmith South (UK Parliament constituency)|South Hammersmith]] at the [[1918 United Kingdom general election|1918 general election]] as an [[H H Asquith|Asquithian]] Liberal. However the sitting [[Conservative Party (UK)|Unionist]] [[Member of Parliament (UK)|MP]] Sir [[William James Bull|William Bull]] had the benefit of the [[Coalition coupon]] and Robertson came second in a three-cornered contest with [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] in third.<ref>''The Times, House of Commons 1919''; Politico's Publishing 2004 p19</ref> |
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===Finchley=== |
===Finchley=== |
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He then switched his attention to the [[Finchley (UK Parliament constituency)|Finchley Division]] of [[Middlesex]] for the [[United Kingdom general election |
He then switched his attention to the [[Finchley (UK Parliament constituency)|Finchley Division]] of [[Middlesex]] for the [[1922 United Kingdom general election|1922 general election]]. In a straight fight with the sitting [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP John Newman he trailed by 1,443 votes. However at the [[1923 United Kingdom general election|1923 general election]] Robertson defeated Newman, winning by a majority of 2,276 votes in another straight fight.<ref>F W S Craig, ''British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949''; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p424</ref> |
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Robertson faced a new Conservative opponent in [[United Kingdom general election |
Robertson faced a new Conservative opponent in [[1924 United Kingdom general election|1924]] and was unable to hold his seat, losing to the Hon. [[Edward Cadogan (politician)|Edward Cadogan]] by 4,335 votes. He tried to regain the seat at the [[1929 United Kingdom general election|1929 general election]] but the Labour Party now also stood a candidate and although he again came second to Cadogan, Robertson was still 4,855 votes in arrears, with Labour in third place.<ref>F W S Craig, ''British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949''; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p424</ref> After a period of reflection, Robertson decided to resign as prospective Parliamentary candidate for Finchley and was replaced by Lady Crosfield who had fought [[Islington North (UK Parliament constituency)|Islington North]] in 1929 and was the wife of Sir [[Arthur Henry Crosfield|Arthur Crosfield]] the former Liberal MP for [[Warrington (UK Parliament constituency)|Warrington]].<ref>The Times, 11 June 1930 p11</ref> |
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===Kinross and West Perthshire=== |
===Kinross and West Perthshire=== |
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For the [[United Kingdom general election |
For the [[1931 United Kingdom general election|1931 general election]] Robertson was asked to fight the Scottish seat of [[Kinross and Western Perthshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Kinross and West Perthshire]].<ref>The Times, 30 December 1930 p7</ref> The seat was held by the Unionist [[Katharine Stewart-Murray, Duchess of Atholl|Duchess of Atholl]], the first woman ever to serve in a Conservative government. In a straight fight Robertson was defeated by a majority of 5,695 votes.<ref>F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p642</ref> |
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===Return to Finchley=== |
===Return to Finchley=== |
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Robertson returned to his adopted home of London for the [[United Kingdom general election |
Robertson returned to his adopted home of London for the [[1935 United Kingdom general election|1935 general election]] again contesting Finchley, after Lady Crosfield resigned.<ref>The Times, 1 February 1934 p11</ref> He again obtained second place, with Labour in third, but the new Conservative candidate succeeding Cadogan, [[John Crowder]], held the seat easily with a majority of 18,040 votes.<ref>''The Times, House of Commons 1935''; Politico's Publishing 2003 p110</ref> Crowder continued to represent Finchley until [[1959 United Kingdom general election|1959]] when he was replaced as Conservative candidate by [[Margaret Thatcher]]. |
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===Aylesbury=== |
===Aylesbury=== |
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Robertson's last attempt to get back in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] came in 1938. The Conservative MP for the [[Aylesbury (UK Parliament constituency)|Aylesbury Division]] of [[Buckinghamshire]], [[Michael Beaumont (British politician)|Michael Beaumont]], resigned and Robertson was selected as Liberal candidate in the resulting by-election which took place on 19 May 1938. In a three-cornered contest the seat was comfortably retained for the Conservatives by [[Stanley Reed (UK politician)|Sir Stanley Reed]] with a majority of 10,944 votes over Robertson with Labour's Reginald Groves, a journalist,<ref>The Times, 12 May 1938 p8</ref> in third place.<ref>The Times, 21 May 1938 p14</ref> |
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==London Scot== |
==London Scot== |
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{{succession box |
{{succession box |
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| title = |
| title = Member of Parliament for [[Finchley (UK Parliament constituency)|Finchley]] |
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| years = [[United Kingdom general election |
| years = [[1923 United Kingdom general election|1923]] – [[1924 United Kingdom general election|1924]] |
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| before = [[John Pretyman Newman|Sir John Newman]] |
| before = [[John Pretyman Newman|Sir John Newman]] |
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| after = [[Edward Cadogan|Sir Edward Cadogan]] |
| after = [[Edward Cadogan (politician)|Sir Edward Cadogan]] |
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}} |
}} |
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{{s-end}} |
{{s-end}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> |
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| NAME = Robertson, Thomas Atholl |
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| ⚫ | |||
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British politician |
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| DATE OF BIRTH = 27 October 1874 |
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| PLACE OF BIRTH = |
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| DATE OF DEATH = 14 December 1955 |
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| PLACE OF DEATH = |
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}} |
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| ⚫ | |||
[[Category:1874 births]] |
[[Category:1874 births]] |
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[[Category:1955 deaths]] |
[[Category:1955 deaths]] |
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[[Category:Scottish antiquarians]] |
[[Category:Scottish antiquarians]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]] |
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[[Category:UK MPs 1923–1924]] |
[[Category:UK MPs 1923–1924]] |
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[[Category:Liberal Party (UK) MPs]] |
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[[Category:People from Perth and Kinross]] |
[[Category:People from Perth and Kinross]] |
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Latest revision as of 17:33, 29 June 2024
Thomas Atholl Robertson (27 October 1874 – 14 December 1955)[1] was a Scottish fine arts printer and publisher and Liberal politician.
Family and education
[edit]Thomas Atholl Robertson was the eldest son of John Robertson of Snaigow, Dunkeld in rural Perthshire.[2] He was educated locally, at Clunie School, Blairgowrie. He married twice; first in 1906 to Flora Campbell, eldest daughter of James Cummings, a dental surgeon. There were two sons and four daughters from the marriage. Flora Robertson died in 1943[3] and five years later Robertson married Agnes Christie, the daughter of James Paterson of Redgorton in Perthshire.[4] In religion Robertson was a staunch Presbyterian and was an office bearer of the Presbyterian Church in Palmers Green near his London home. One of his relatives, Dr James Robertson of Whittinghame, East Lothian was Moderator of the Church of Scotland[5] in 1909. Although he lived in London for much of his life, Robertson also had a home in Scotland, Dunvorlich, Ewanfield, Crieff in Perthshire.[6]
Career
[edit]Robertson was a member of a firm of fine art publishers in Glasgow. He began his career in the city and then undertook formal training in this field in Germany, extending his knowledge of the trade by travelling throughout Europe, Canada, the United States[7] and the near east.[8] Robertson also served for ten years in the Territorial Army in the Highland Light Infantry, City of Glasgow Regiment.[9]
Politics
[edit]Robertson was always a committed Liberal even as a young man.[10] He held a number of positions in the party over the years including being Chairman of the Political Committee of the National Liberal Club[11] and Vice-Chairman of the London Liberal Federation.[12] He took a particular interest in a number of traditional Liberal issues, including land reform and was in 1923 the President of the English League for Taxation of Land Values.[13]
Hammersmith
[edit]Robertson first stood for Parliament at South Hammersmith at the 1918 general election as an Asquithian Liberal. However the sitting Unionist MP Sir William Bull had the benefit of the Coalition coupon and Robertson came second in a three-cornered contest with Labour in third.[14]
Finchley
[edit]He then switched his attention to the Finchley Division of Middlesex for the 1922 general election. In a straight fight with the sitting Conservative MP John Newman he trailed by 1,443 votes. However at the 1923 general election Robertson defeated Newman, winning by a majority of 2,276 votes in another straight fight.[15] Robertson faced a new Conservative opponent in 1924 and was unable to hold his seat, losing to the Hon. Edward Cadogan by 4,335 votes. He tried to regain the seat at the 1929 general election but the Labour Party now also stood a candidate and although he again came second to Cadogan, Robertson was still 4,855 votes in arrears, with Labour in third place.[16] After a period of reflection, Robertson decided to resign as prospective Parliamentary candidate for Finchley and was replaced by Lady Crosfield who had fought Islington North in 1929 and was the wife of Sir Arthur Crosfield the former Liberal MP for Warrington.[17]
Kinross and West Perthshire
[edit]For the 1931 general election Robertson was asked to fight the Scottish seat of Kinross and West Perthshire.[18] The seat was held by the Unionist Duchess of Atholl, the first woman ever to serve in a Conservative government. In a straight fight Robertson was defeated by a majority of 5,695 votes.[19]
Return to Finchley
[edit]Robertson returned to his adopted home of London for the 1935 general election again contesting Finchley, after Lady Crosfield resigned.[20] He again obtained second place, with Labour in third, but the new Conservative candidate succeeding Cadogan, John Crowder, held the seat easily with a majority of 18,040 votes.[21] Crowder continued to represent Finchley until 1959 when he was replaced as Conservative candidate by Margaret Thatcher.
Aylesbury
[edit]Robertson's last attempt to get back in the House of Commons came in 1938. The Conservative MP for the Aylesbury Division of Buckinghamshire, Michael Beaumont, resigned and Robertson was selected as Liberal candidate in the resulting by-election which took place on 19 May 1938. In a three-cornered contest the seat was comfortably retained for the Conservatives by Sir Stanley Reed with a majority of 10,944 votes over Robertson with Labour's Reginald Groves, a journalist,[22] in third place.[23]
London Scot
[edit]Robertson was proud of his Scottish heritage and held a number of posts which allowed him to keep in touch with his home country and its culture while living in England. He was sometime Chief of the Scottish Clans Association of London.[24] He served as a Governor of the Royal Caledonian School, at Bushey, in Hertfordshire and he was sometime President of the London Perthshire Association. He was also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland the senior antiquarian body in Scotland and wrote articles on Scottish and Highland Customs, Folklore and Legends of Perthshire.[25] He was for a while the editor of The Scots Year Book.[26] He was also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.[27]
Death
[edit]Robertson died at his home in Palmers Green on 14 December 1955 aged 81 years.[28]
References
[edit]- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 1)
- ^ Who was Who, OUP 2007
- ^ The Times, 8 December 1943 p1
- ^ The Times, 17 December 1955 p9
- ^ The Times, 17 December 1955 p9
- ^ Who was Who, OUP 2007
- ^ The Times, 17 December 1955 p9
- ^ Who was Who, OUP 2007
- ^ Who was Who, OUP 2007
- ^ The Times, 17 December 1955 p9
- ^ The Times, House of Commons 1935; Politico's Publishing 2003 p110
- ^ The Times, House of Commons 1931; Politico's Publishing 2003 p123
- ^ Land & liberty: monthly journal for land value taxation and free trade; United Committee for the Taxation of Land Values, 1956 p9
- ^ The Times, House of Commons 1919; Politico's Publishing 2004 p19
- ^ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p424
- ^ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p424
- ^ The Times, 11 June 1930 p11
- ^ The Times, 30 December 1930 p7
- ^ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p642
- ^ The Times, 1 February 1934 p11
- ^ The Times, House of Commons 1935; Politico's Publishing 2003 p110
- ^ The Times, 12 May 1938 p8
- ^ The Times, 21 May 1938 p14
- ^ The Times, 9 July 1923 p14
- ^ Who was Who, OUP 2007
- ^ J. Whitaker & Sons, Whitaker's cumulative book list; 1935 p364
- ^ The Publisher, Volume 170, pt. 1, 1956 p10
- ^ The Times, 17 December 1955 p9