Michael Murgatroyd (1925–2004) was an English-born

Scottish nationalist Scottish nationalism promotes the idea that the Scottish people form a cohesive nation and national identity. Scottish nationalism began to shape from 1853 with the National Association for the Vindication of Scottish Rights, progressing into t ...

political activist. Born in

Huddersfield Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...

, Murgatroyd studied at

Giggleswick School Giggleswick School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) in Giggleswick, near Settle, North Yorkshire, England. Early school In 1499, Giggleswick School was founded on half an acre of land leased by the Prior an ...

and served with the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

during

World War II 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 opposin ...

. After the war, he worked for Dunlop and Firestone before marrying a Scottish woman, Yvonne, Gordon Wilson,
In Tribute to Michael Murgatroyd 1925 – 2004
", ''

Scots Independent ''The Scots Independent'' is a monthly Scottish political newspaper that is in favour of Scottish independence. It was formed in 1926 with William Gillies as editor, by the Scots National League (SNL) and switched its allegiance to the Nationa ...

'', November 2004 moving to Cockenzie House in

Cockenzie Cockenzie and Port Seton ( sco, Cockennie ; gd, Cùil Choinnich, meaning "cove of Kenneth") is a unified town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is on the coast of the Firth of Forth, four miles east of Musselburgh. The burgh of Cockenzie was created ...

. Yvonne joined the

Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; sco, Scots National Pairty, gd, Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from ...

(SNP), and Michael soon followed, being inspired after hearing a speech by George Leslie. He took over as treasurer of the SNP in 1970, a time when the party's finances were in a poor state; within his first year in post, he arranged the sale of the party's headquarters, and reduced the salary bill. He became active in his workplace trade union and tried to gain recognition for it, but was made redundant in 1977, and relocated to

Inverness Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...

, where he worked driving a taxi. He remained party treasurer until 1983, when he lost an internal election to

Alasdair Morgan Alasdair Neil Morgan (born 21 April 1945) is a former Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He was Depute Leader of the SNP from 1990–91 and served in the British House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Galloway and Upper Nithsd ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murgatroyd, Michael 1925 births 2004 deaths People educated at Giggleswick School People from Huddersfield Royal Artillery soldiers Scottish National Party politicians British Army personnel of World War II