Henry Alexander Hepburne-Scott, 10th Lord Polwarth TD DL (17 November 1916 – 4 January 2005) was a Scottish chartered accountant, businessman and

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

politician. Polwarth was the eldest son of the Hon. Walter Thomas Hepburne-Scott, Master of Polwarth, son of

Walter Hepburn-Scott, 9th Lord Polwarth Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...

. His paternal grandmother Edith Frances was the daughter of

Sir Thomas Buxton, 3rd Baronet Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, 3rd Baronet, (26 January 1837 – 28 October 1915), commonly known as Sir Fowell Buxton, was the Governor of South Australia from 29 October 1895 until 29 March 1899. He was the grandson of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, a ...

, and the great-granddaughter of the social reformer

Sir Thomas Buxton, 1st Baronet Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, 1st Baronet (1 April 1786Olwyn Mary Blouet, "Buxton, Sir Thomas Fowell, first baronet (1786–1845)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online ed., May 201accessed 25 April 20 ...

. He was educated at

Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England * Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States * Éton, a commune in the Meuse dep ...

and

King's College, Cambridge King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, the college lies beside the River Cam and faces out onto King's Parade in the centre of the cit ...

, and served in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

as a Captain in the

Lothians and Border Horse The Lothians and Border Horse was a Yeomanry regiment, part of the British Territorial Army. It was ranked 36th in the Yeomanry order of precedence and was based in the Scottish Lowland area, recruiting in the Lothians – East Lothian ( Ha ...

and as an Aide-de-Camp to Major-General

Percy Hobart Major General Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobart, (14 June 1885 – 19 February 1957), also known as "Hobo", was a British military engineer noted for his command of the 79th Armoured Division during the Second World War. He was responsible for ...

and to Major-General

Brian Horrocks Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Gwynne Horrocks, (7 September 1895 – 4 January 1985) was a British Army officer, chiefly remembered as the commander of XXX Corps in Operation Market Garden and other operations during the Second World W ...

. In 1944 he succeeded his grandfather in the lordship, his father having died in 1942 from an illness contracted during the Second World War. In 1945 he was elected a

Scottish Representative Peer This is a list of representative peers elected from the Peerage of Scotland to sit in the House of Lords after the Acts of Union 1707 abolished the Parliament of Scotland, where, as a unicameral legislature, all Scottish P ...

. Polwarth was a partner in the firm of Cheine & Tait, chartered accountants, from 1950 to 1968, a Director of Imperial Chemical Industries from 1969 to 1972 and Chairman of the

Scottish Council for Development and Industry The Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), founded in 1931, is a non-governmental, membership organisation which aims to strengthen Scotland's economic competitiveness through influencing government and key stakeholders to creat ...

from 1956 to 1966 and its President from 1966 to 1972. In 1968 he was appointed Chairman of the General Accident Insurance Group, a post he held until 1972. He was also a Director of the

Bank of Scotland The Bank of Scotland plc (Scottish Gaelic: ''Banca na h-Alba'') is a commercial and clearing bank based in Scotland and is part of the Lloyds Banking Group, following the Bank of Scotland's implosion in 2008. The bank was established by th ...

between 1950 and 1971 and 1974 and 1981 and served as its Governor between 1968 and 1972. In 1972 he was made

Minister of State for Scotland The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post (of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State rank) in the Government of the United Kingdom, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland. The post is also kno ...

in the Conservative administration headed by

Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 191617 July 2005), often known as Ted Heath, was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. Heath a ...

, a post he held until the Conservatives lost power in 1974. Polwarth then returned to business and was again a Director of Imperial Chemical Industries from 1974 to 1981 and also of the Sun Life Assurance Co of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

from 1975 to 1984, of the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1975 to 1986 and of Halliburton Co from 1974 to 1987. From 1984 to 1985 he was a member of the House of Lords

Select Committee on Overseas Trade The Select Committee on Overseas Trade was a select committee of the House of Lords that sat from 1984 to 1985. The Committee was chaired by Lord Aldington and was described by one peer as "the most comprehensive survey of the British industrial ...

but lost his seat in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...

after the passing of the

House of Lords Act 1999 The House of Lords Act 1999 (c. 34) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. The Act was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. For centuries, the House of Lords ...

. Apart from his career in industry and politics he was Chancellor of the

University of Aberdeen , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

from 1966 to 1986. Lord Polwarth received an

Honorary Doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hon ...

from Heriot-Watt University in 1968. Lord Polwarth married firstly Caroline Margaret, daughter of Captain Robert Athole Hay, in 1943. They had one son and three daughters but were divorced in 1969 (she died in 1982). He married secondly Jean, daughter of Admiral Sir

Angus Edward Malise Bontine Cunninghame Graham Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral Sir Angus Edward Malise Bontine Cunninghame Graham of Gartmore and Ardoch (16 February 1893 – 14 February 1981) was a Royal Navy officer who became Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England, Northern Ireland, Flag Of ...

of Gartmore and of Ardoch, and former wife of Charles Jauncey, in 1969. Polwarth died in January 2005, aged 88, and was succeeded by his only son Andrew.

Notes

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Polwarth, Henry Hepburne-Scott, 10th Lord 1916 births 2005 deaths Lords of Parliament People educated at Eton College Alumni of King's College, Cambridge Governors of the Bank of Scotland Scottish accountants Scottish representative peers Deputy Lieutenants of Devon Lothians and Border Horse officers 20th-century Scottish businesspeople