Malcolm Smith (British politician)
Life
Smith was born and brought up in a crofting family in Hoswick Shetland but moved to the port of Leith as a young man. There he prospered as a businessman and became the Provost of Leith from 1908 to 1917,[2] shortly before the town was incorporated into the city of Edinburgh. During this period he lived at 47 Stirling Road in the Trinity district.[3]
He was elected unopposed as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the island constituency of Orkney and Shetland in a by-election in May 1921, following the death of the sitting MP, Cathcart Wason.[4] Having stood in the by-election as a Coalition Liberal, supporting the coalition government led by David Lloyd George, he stood at the 1922 general election as a National Liberal, but was defeated by the Liberal party candidate Robert William Hamilton.[4]
He died in Leith and was buried in Warriston Cemetery to the south-east of the vaults.
A memorial to Smith and his wife also exists in the south aisle of South Leith Parish Church.
Family
He was married to Jane Tod Dickson (1860-1944).
References
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "O"
- Debrett's House of Commons, 1922, p. 143
- Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1909
- Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 641. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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Preceded by Cathcart Wason |
Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland 1921 – 1922 |
Succeeded by Sir Robert William Hamilton |