William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray, Baron Kilmany, Bt MC PC (5 March 1905 – 6 August 1985).
The only son of Col William Anstruther-Gray of Kilmany and Clayre Jessie Tennant, he was educated at Eton College and at Christ Church, Oxford, England. In 1934, he married Monica Helen only child of Geoffrey Lambton, 2nd son of 4th Earl of Durham.
He served as a Lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards from 1926-30, and with the Shanghai Defence Force in 1927–28.
He was elected as Unionist Member of Parliament (MP) for North Lanarkshire, in Scotland, in 1931, holding the seat until 1945. Until September 1939, he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Financial Secretary to the Treasury, and to Secretary for Overseas Trade, and latterly to Sir John Colville, Secretary of State for Scotland.
In September 1939, he rejoined the Coldstream Guards and served in North Africa, France and Germany with Coldstream Guards and Lothians and Border Horse. He was promoted to the rank of Major in 1942. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1943.
He served as Assistant Postmaster-General from May–July 1945. He contested Berwick and East Lothian in February 1950, and was elected for the seat in 1951, holding it until 1966. He was Chairman of Ways and Means and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons from 1962-64 (having been Deputy Chairman from 1959–62). He was Chairman of the 1922 Committee from 1964–66.
He was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Fife in 1953, and Lord Lieutenant of Fife from 1975–80. He was also the Crown nominee for Scotland on the General Medical Council from 1952–65.
He was created a Baronet in 1956, appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1962.
On his retirement from the House of Commons in 1966, he was created a life peer as Baron Kilmany, of Kilmany in the County of Fife.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jennie Lee |
Member of Parliament for North Lanarkshire 1931–1945 |
Succeeded by Margaret McCrorie Herbison |
| Preceded by John James Robertson |
Member of Parliament for Berwick and East Lothian 1951–1966 |
Succeeded by John Mackintosh |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by John Morrison |
Chairman of the 1922 Committee 1964–1966 |
Succeeded by Sir Arthur Vere Harvey |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by John McWilliam |
Lord Lieutenant of Fife 1975–1980 |
Succeeded by Sir John Gilmour, 3rd Baronet |
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