Norman Macfarlane, Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden

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Norman Somerville Macfarlane, Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden, KT, DL (born 5 March 1926) is a Scottish industrialist and Conservative member of the House of Lords.

Educated at the High School of Glasgow, he served in Palestine with the Royal Artillery from 1945 to 1947. While serving he suffered an injury to his neak. Later he founded N . S Macfarlane & Co. Ltd. in 1949, later becoming the Macfarlane Group (Clansman) plc in 1973. From 1973 to 1990 he served as Managing Director, and as Chair 1973-98, becoming Honorary Life President in 1999.He was a Trustee of the National Heritage Memorial Fund from 1984 to 1997 and of the National Galleries of Scotland from 1986 until 1997. Most recently he directed the fund-raising campaign for the Kelvingrove Art Gallery refurbishment.

He was a Member of the Council CBI Scotland from 1975 to 1981, a Board Member of the Scottish Development Agency from 1979 until 1987, and a Member of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland from 1980 to 1982.

Macfarlane was raised a life peerage with the title Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden, of Bearsden in the District of Bearsden and Milngavie in 1991 and made a Knight of the Thistle in 1996.

On 23rd February 2007 Lord MacFarlane received the Freedom of the City of Glasgow at a ceremony in the Glasgow City Chambers by Lord Provost Liz Cameron. The Lord Provost said "I am delighted to present our highest civic honour to one of our greatest Glaswegians. Lord Macfarlane has achieved a great deal in his own life, and done so much for his home city and country in the fields of business, commerce, the arts and charity. Lord Macfarlane’s devotion to Glasgow is perhaps summed up by his tireless work as the Chairman of the Kelvingrove Refurbishment Appeal, where his inspirational work for refurbishment of our most beloved building resulted in the huge sum of £12.75 million being donated to Kelvingrove. His support for Glasgow has been unstinting, and it has been wonderful to work with him. He is a most deserving recipient of the Freedom of the City of Glasgow"

Lord Macfarlane currently lives in Bearsden, close to his 5 children: Hamish Macfarlane, Fiona McNaught, Margarite Riely, Gale Albut and Margire Roberts.

He has held a number of commercial positions, including-

Director, Edinburgh Fund Managers plc 1980-1997;
Chair, Glasgow Development Agency (Formerly Glasgow Action) 1985-1992;
Director, Clydesdale Bank plc 1980-96, Deputy Chair 1993-1996;
Director, General Accident Fire & Life Assurance Corporation 1984-1996;
Chair, American Trust plc 1984-1997,
Chair, United Distillers UK plc 1987-1996, Hon. Life President 1996-,
Chair, Guinness plc 1987-89, Joint Deputy Chair, 1989-92. (He was the first Scottish Chairman).

He was Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1992, 1993 and 1997.

He has also held a number of important positions in Glasgow and Scotland’s 'arts and cultural community;'