Alexander Charles Farquharson (15 March 1864 – 27 May 1951) was a
Scottish doctor,
barrister
A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...
, soldier and
Liberal Party
The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left.
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This is a li ...
politician.
Family and education
Alexander Charles Farquharson was the son of James and Jane Farquharson of
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
.
[''Who was Who'', OUP 2007]
He attended
Peterhead Academy and then went on to a successful career as a student of medicine at
Glasgow University
, image = UofG Coat of Arms.png
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms
Flag
, latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis
, motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita
, ...
where he was one of the founders of the
Students' University Union and the
Students' Representative Council
{{Unreferenced, date=July 2014A students' representative council, also known as a students' administrative council, represents student interests in the government of a university, school or other educational institution. Generally the SRC forms par ...
. He passed his
Bachelor of Medicine
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...
,
Master of Surgery
The Master of Surgery (Latin: Magister Chirurgiae) is an advanced qualification in surgery. Depending upon the degree, it may be abbreviated ChM, MCh, MChir or MS. At a typical medical school the program lasts between two and three years. The p ...
(MB, CM), with commendation, in 1889 proceeding taking his MD in 1891. He was also awarded a
BSc
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
in 1894 and the Diploma in Public Health (Cambridge) in 1890.
In 1903, he married Elizabeth Dodington Blockley, the daughter of Edward Blockley of the
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...
. They had no children.
Career
Medicine
Farquharson went into medical practice at
Spennymoor
Spennymoor is a town and civil parish in County Durham (district), County Durham, England. It is south of the River Wear and is south of Durham, England, Durham. The civil parish includes the villages of Kirk Merrington, Middlestone Moor, Byers ...
in County Durham.
He had a wide range of medical interests including
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
and
mental health
Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental health ...
issues. He was sometime Senior Assistant Medical Officer of
Burntwood Asylum
Burntwood is a former mining town and civil parish in the Lichfield District in Staffordshire, England, approximately west of Lichfield and north east of Brownhills. The town had a population of 26,049 and forms part of Lichfield district. ...
in Staffordshire. After his political career, Farquharson went back into practice for some years and over the course of his career he undertook work on behalf of the
British Medical Association
The British Medical Association (BMA) is a registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association's headquar ...
. He represented his Division in the Representative Body in 1906; and afterwards from 1911 to 1921 except for one or two short intervals he was a member of the Central Council and did a full share of committee work.
He was sometime President of the
North of England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Kingdom of Jorvik, and the ...
Branch. He also served as a Governor of the Royal Scottish Corporation, a charity providing for Scottish people suffering hardship or seeking to improve their lives.
The law
It is not clear that he ever practised law, or intended to, but Farquharson studied it and became a member of the
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn an ...
. It is clear that this experience helped him in his political and public work. He was remembered as a good speaker with experience of many kinds, possessing a fund of common sense, always heard with attention and well liked by his colleagues.
Military service
Farquharson was a keen member of the
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry i ...
. He was appointed a
Second lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
of the 2nd
Volunteer
Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...
Battalion,
Durham Light Infantry
The Durham Light Infantry (DLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1968. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) and t ...
, on 28 May 1902. When the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
broke out, he was gazetted as Captain and in 1915 was appointed to the HQ Staff of the Territorial Force 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division. A year later he transferred to the
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...
and took up post as Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services on the staff of the
Surgeon-General. He served until the end of the war and was twice mentioned for valuable services.
Politics
While a doctor in Spennymoor, Farquharson had for a time been a member of Durham County Council.
During the course of the war the Liberal
MP for
Leeds North, Sir
Rowland Barran
Sir Rowland Hirst Barran (7 August 1858 – 6 August 1949) was a British Liberal Party politician and Member of Parliament.
Biography
Rowland Barran was born in 1858, the youngest son of Sir John Barran, a pioneer in clothing manufacture and ...
indicated that he wished to stand down at the next election, probably to concentrate more on his business interests as in 1918 he became chairman of the family firm of clothing manufacturers, taking over that position from his brother. Farquharson was selected to replace him.
At the
1918 general election, Farquharson stood as the
Coalition Liberal
The Coalition Coupon was a letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the 1918 United Kingdom general election, endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victo ...
candidate. He was not opposed by the
Unionists and seems to have received the
Coalition coupon
The Coalition Coupon was a letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the 1918 United Kingdom general election, endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory ...
. Fighting a
Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
candidate and a representative of the
National Party, Farquharson received 74.7% of the poll and a majority of 10,440 votes.
[F W S Craig, ''British Parliamentary Election Results, 1918–1949''; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p. 161] However he chose not to contest the
1922 general election and did not stand for Parliament again.
Appointments
In 1920, Farquharson was appointed to sit on an Inter-Departmental Committee to inquire into the sale of bread by weight set up by the Food Controller (the official in charge of the regulation of the supply and consumption of food and the encouragement of food production during and immediately after the First World War).
[The Times, 7 December 1920 p9]
Also in that year, Farquharson became a member of a Parliamentary committee to look into MPs salaries and expenses.
Death
He died in London 27 May 1951 at the age of 87.
Publications
* ''Ptomaines and other Animal Alkaloids; Auto Toxæmia''; J Wright & Co, Bristol, 1892
* ''Organic Sulphur Compounds in Nervous Diseases''; (date n/k)
* ''Medico-Legal Importance of Ptomaines''; (date n/k)
* ''The Law in relation to Pollution of Rivers'' (date n/k)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farquharson, Alexander Charles
1864 births
1951 deaths
People educated at Peterhead Academy
Alumni of the University of Glasgow
Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
UK MPs 1918–1922
Scottish politicians
19th-century Scottish medical doctors
20th-century Scottish medical doctors
Members of the Middle Temple
Royal Army Medical Corps officers
British Army personnel of World War I
Politics of Leeds
Councillors in County Durham