Sir John Boyd of Maxpoffle JP (1826–1893) was a 19th-century Scottish businessman who served as

Lord Provost of Edinburgh The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Edinburgh is the convener of the City of Edinburgh local authority, who is elected by City_of_Edinburgh_Council, the city council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the e ...

from 1888 to 1891.

Life

He was born in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

in 1826 and appears to have had multiple careers from house agent to upholsterer and even an undertaker. He had premises at 2 York Place. He joined Edinburgh Town Council in 1881 and became Lord Provost in 1888. Whilst Lord Provost he lived at 11, Abercromby Place in Edinburgh's Second New Town. His

Town Clerk A clerk is a senior official of many municipal governments in the English-speaking world. In some communities, including most in the United States, the position is elected, but in many others, the clerk is appointed to their post. In the UK, a To ...

during office was

William Skinner of Corra William Skinner of Corra WS FRSE DL JP (1823–1901) was a 19th-century Scottish lawyer and author. He was Town Clerk of Edinburgh from 1874 to 1895. Life He was born on 26 July 1823, the son of John Robert Skinner WS and his wife, Ann Bl ...

. His knighthood and title were conferred by

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

c.1891. The title "of Maxpoffle" derives from his country property of Maxpoffle House, between Bowden and

Newtown St. Boswells Newtown St Boswells ( sco, Newtoon; gd, Baile Ùr Bhoisil ) is a village in the historic county of Roxburghshire which houses the administrative centre of the Scottish Borders council area. The village lies south of the Eildon Hills on the S ...

in the Scottish Borders. The house was an impressive

Scots Baronial Scottish baronial or Scots baronial is an architectural style of 19th century Gothic Revival which revived the forms and ornaments of historical architecture of Scotland in the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period. Reminiscent of Scot ...

mansion.

Family

He was married to Isabella Lawson, daughter of John Lawson WS from Biggar in

Peeblesshire Peeblesshire ( gd, Siorrachd nam Pùballan), the County of Peebles or Tweeddale is a historic county of Scotland. Its county town is Peebles, and it borders Midlothian to the north, Selkirkshire to the east, Dumfriesshire to the south, and Lan ...

. Their children included Rev. Arthur Hamilton Boyd MC TD (b.1869) a distinguished army chaplain. His eldest son John Boyd (b. 1856)became an advocate operating from 2 Abercromby Place. He later became Sheriff John Boyd. A further son, William Boyd (1862-1921) was also a lawyer. His grandchildren included 2nd/Lt. Nigel John Lawson Boyd and Lt. William Noel Lawson Boyd, both killed in 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 ...

and memorialised in Bowden Kirk in the

Scottish Borders The Scottish Borders ( sco, the Mairches, 'the Marches'; gd, Crìochan na h-Alba) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Midlothian, South Lanarkshire, West Lothi ...

with a plaque by

Sir Robert Lorimer Sir Robert Stodart Lorimer, KBE (4 November 1864 – 13 September 1929) was a prolific Scottish architect and furniture designer noted for his sensitive restorations of historic houses and castles, for new work in Scots Baronial and Gothi ...

. and Fr.

Basil Jellicoe John Basil Lee Jellicoe (5 February 1899 – 24 August 1935) was a priest in the Church of England best known for his work as a housing reformer. Jellicoe was born in Chailey, Sussex and educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College. A grad ...

, an

Anglo-Catholic Anglo-Catholicism comprises beliefs and practices that emphasise the Catholic heritage and identity of the various Anglican churches. The term was coined in the early 19th century, although movements emphasising the Catholic nature of Anglican ...

"slum priest" and housing reformer. Boyd died at his country home in Maxpoffle, Roxburghshire on 9 October 1893.

References

1826 births 1893 deaths Businesspeople from Edinburgh Lord Provosts of Edinburgh {{Scotland-bio-stub