Sir Alexander Baird, 1st Baronet

Sir Alexander Baird of Ury, 1st Baronet, GBE (22 October 1849 – 20 June 1920) was Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire from 1889 to 1918 and later served as president of the Permanent Arbitration Board in Egypt.

Baird was the eldest son of John Baird, 1st of Ury and wife Margaret Findlay and elder brother of John Baird (North West Lanarkshire MP),^[1] and was educated at Harrow. He spent a large portion of his life in Egypt, and later served as president of the Permanent Arbitration Board in Egypt. He had a house in Mattarieh, just outside Cairo, where he died. He spoke fluent Arabic and was heavily involved in philanthropic projects in the country. Baird was also Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire from 1889 to 1918.

Baird was created a baronet in 1897 and appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours for his services in Egypt.

Baird married the Honourable Annette Palk, the eldest daughter of the 1st Baron Haldon on 16 July 1873, and they had seven children:

• John Lawrence, later 1st Viscount Stonehaven (1874–1947)
• Alexander Walter Frederick (1876–1931), soldier.
• Evelyn Margaret (1875–1926)
• Janet Norah (1878–1943)
• Edith Annette (1880–1881)
• Nina Isabel (1882–1919)
• Muriel Jane (1884–1968)

Baird's brother John Baird was Member of Parliament for North West Lanarkshire.

References

• Obituary, The Times, 22 June 1920
• Letter from Valentine Chirol, The Times, 23 June 1920