George Mathers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

George Mathers KT PC DL (28 February 1886 – 26 September 1965) was a Scottish Labour Party politician.

Born and educated in Newtown St Boswells, Roxburghshire, from 1899 he served as a clerk with the North British Railway. He was active in the trade union and labour movement from 1908, becoming President of the Carlisle Trades Council and Labour Party from 1917-1920. He was elected a member of Carlisle City Council in 1919, before transferring to Edinburgh in 1921.

He was Chairman of Edinburgh Central Independent Labour Party and President of the Edinburgh Branch of the Scottish Home Rule Association. He unsuccessfully contested Edinburgh West in 1923 and 1924 before being elected as Member of Parliament for the seat in 1929. He lost his seat in 1931 but was returned for Linlithgowshire in 1935. He continued to hold the seat (renamed West Lothian in 1950) until 1951.

He was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for India from July 1929, and transferred to same position with the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies in November of that year. He was Scottish Labour Whip from 1935-1945, and was appointed Comptroller of the Household from October 1944-May 1945, and Treasurer of the Household and Deputy Chief Whip from 1945-April 1946.

He was Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1946, 1947, 1948 and 1951.

He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Edinburgh in 1946, a Privy Counsellor in 1947. On his retirement in 1951, he was created Baron Mathers, of Newton St Boswells. In 1956 he was created a Knight of the Thistle. On his death in 1965 the title became extinct.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by: Ian MacIntyre	Member of Parliament for Edinburgh West 1929–1931	Succeeded by: Wilfrid Normand
Preceded by: Sir Adrian William Maxwell Baillie	Member of Parliament for Linlithgowshire 1935–1945	Succeeded by: constituency abolished
Preceded by: new constituency	Member of Parliament for West Lothian 1945–1951	Succeeded by: John Taylor
Political offices
Preceded by: New creation	Baron Mathers 1951–1965	Succeeded by: Extinct