Archibald Williamson, 1st Baron Forres

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Archibald Williamson, 1st Baron Forres PC (13 September 1860–29 October 1931), known as Sir Archibald Williamson, 1st Baronet, from 1909 to 1922, was a Scottish businessman and politician.

The eldest son of Stephen Williamson MP, and Annie Guthrie, Williamson was educated at Craigmount School, Edinburgh and at Edinburgh University. He was Coalition Liberal Member of Parliament for Elginshire and Nairnshire from 1906 to 1918 and then for Moray and Nairn until 1922.

He was Chairman of a number of Home Office, Board of Trade and parliamentary committees and was a member of the Mesopotamia Commission of Enquiry in 1916. Williamson held junior ministerial office as Financial Secretary to the War Office from 1919 to 1921.

Outside Parliament, he was a director of the Central Argentine Railway and of several other companies.

He was created a Baronet in 1909 and a Privy Counsellor in 1918. In 1922 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Forres, of Glenogil in the County of Forfar.

Lord Forres was twice married, first in 1887 to Caroline Maria Hayne (died 1911), and second in 1912 to Hon. Agnes Freda Herschell, daughter of Farrer Herschell, 1st Baron Herschell. He died in October 1931, aged 71, and was succeeded in his titles by his son Stephen.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by John Edward Gordon	Member of Parliament for Elginshire and Nairnshire 1906–1918	Succeeded by (constituency abolished)
Preceded by (new constituency)	Member of Parliament for Moray and Nairn 1918–1922	Succeeded by Thomas Maule Guthrie
Political offices
Preceded by Henry Forster	Financial Secretary to the War Office 1919–1921	Succeeded by George Frederick Stanley
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by New Creation	Baron Forres 1922–1931	Succeeded by Stephen Williamson

[edit] References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page