John Gray Wilson

Sheriff John Gray Wilson QC (10 October 1915 – 28 September 1968), was a Scottish advocate, writer and Liberal Party politician.

Background

Wilson was the son of Alexander Robertson Wilson and Elizabeth Wyllie Murray. He was educated at Irvine Royal Academy, the Edinburgh Academy, Oriel College, Oxford where he received a Bachelor of Arts and Edinburgh University where he received a Bachelor of Laws. In 1943 he married Nan Macauslan. They had three sons.[1]

Professional career

Wilson was an Edinburgh advocate,[2] having been admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1942.[3] In 1949 he was appointed Standing Junior Counsel to the Department of Agriculture for Scotland.[4] In 1953 he wrote the Trial of Jeannie Donald. In 1956 he became a Scottish QC. In 1959 he wrote The Trial of Peter Manuel. In 1958 he became Sheriff-substitute of Renfrewshire at Paisley. In 1963 he became Sheriff-substitute of the Lothians and Peebles at Edinburgh.[5]

Political career

Wilson was a strong supporter of a devolved Scottish Parliament and was a founding member of the Scottish Covenant Association. He was a member of the national executive of the Liberal Party. He was strongly in favour of reform of electoral procedures by the use of proportional representation.[6] He was Liberal candidate for the Hillhead division of Glasgow at the 1945 General Election.

General Election 1945: Glasgow Hillhead[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist James Scott Cumberland Reid 14,909 58.6
Labour Hugh Turner McCalman 8,545 33.6
Liberal John Gray Wilson 2,003 7.8
Majority 6,364 25.0
Turnout 66.0
Unionist hold Swing

He was Liberal candidate for the North division of Aberdeen at the 1950 General Election.

General Election 1950: Aberdeen North[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hector Samuel Hughes 31,594 60.4
Unionist A Tennant 15,705 30.0
Liberal John Gray Wilson 3,574 6.8
Communist R Cooney 1,391 2.7
Majority 15,889 30.4
Turnout 82.9
Labour hold Swing

He did not stand for parliament again.[9] He continued to be active in the Liberal Party and in 1953 served as Chairman of the Scottish Liberal Party.

References

  1. ↑ ‘WILSON, John Gray’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 10 Jan 2015
  2. ↑ The Times House of Commons 1950
  3. ↑ ‘WILSON, John Gray’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 10 Jan 2015
  4. ↑ Who's Who of 475 Liberal Candidates fighting the 1950 General Election
  5. ↑ ‘WILSON, John Gray’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 10 Jan 2015
  6. ↑ The Times House of Commons 1950
  7. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  8. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  9. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1950-1973, Craig, F.W.S.
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