Malcolm Smith (British politician)

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Plaque to Sir Malcolm Smith, South Leith Parish Church
grave of Malcolm Smith MP, Warriston Cemetery

Sir Malcolm Smith (1 December 1856 – 12 March 1935)[1] was a Scottish Liberal Party politician.

Life[edit]

Smith was born and brought up in a crofting family in Hoswick Shetland but moved to the port of Leith as a young man. There he prospered as a businessman and became the Provost of Leith from 1908 to 1917,[2] shortly before the town was incorporated into the city of Edinburgh. During this period he lived at 47 Stirling Road in the Trinity district.[3]

He was elected unopposed as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the island constituency of Orkney and Shetland in a by-election in May 1921, following the death of the sitting MP, Cathcart Wason.[4] Having stood in the by-election as a Coalition Liberal, supporting the coalition government led by David Lloyd George, he stood at the 1922 general election as a National Liberal, but was defeated by the Liberal party candidate Robert William Hamilton.[4]

He died in Leith and was buried in Warriston Cemetery to the south-east of the vaults.

A memorial to Smith and his wife also exists in the south aisle of South Leith Parish Church.

Family[edit]

He was married to Jane Tod Dickson (1860–1944).

References[edit]

  1. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "O"
  2. ^ Debrett's House of Commons, 1922, p. 143
  3. ^ Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1909
  4. ^ a b Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 641. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland
19211922
Succeeded by