Archibald Williamson, 1st Baron Forres PC (13 September 1860 – 29 October 1931), known as Sir Archibald Williamson, 1st Baronet, from 1909 to 1922, was a British businessman 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. For example, while the political systems ...

politician.

Early life

The eldest son of

Stephen Williamson Stephen Williamson (28 June 1827 – 16 June 1903) was a founder of the Liverpool shipping company Balfour Williamson & Co. and a Scottish Liberal Party politician. Biography He was born in Cellardyke, Fife in 1827, the son of Archibald Will ...

MP, and Annie Guthrie, Williamson was educated at

Craigmount School Craigmount School was a private school originally for boys, but for most of its history for girls, in Edinburgh. It opened in 1874 and closed in 1966. History Craigmount was founded in Edinburgh in 1874 as a school for boys. In 1884, it was r ...

, Edinburgh and at

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the town council under the authority of a royal charter from King James VI in 1582 and offi ...

Career

He was Liberal Member of Parliament for Elginshire and Nairnshire from 1906 to 1918 and then for Moray and Nairn until June 1922. He entered parliament in the aftermath of the 1906 Liberal landslide election, taking a seat from the Conservatives. He was created a

Baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

in 1909. He sought re-election 4 years later at the General Election and was returned with a reduced majority. At the

General Election in December 1910 The December 1910 United Kingdom general election was held from 3 to 19 December. It was the last general election to be held over several days and the last to be held before the First World War. The election took place following the efforts of ...

in Elginshire and Nairnshire he was re-elected unopposed.Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916 He was Chairman of a number of

Home Office The Home Office (HO), also known (especially in official papers and when referred to in Parliament) as the Home Department, is the United Kingdom's interior ministry. It is responsible for public safety and policing, border security, immigr ...

Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for Business and Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...

and parliamentary committees and was a member of the Mesopotamia Commission of Enquiry in 1916. He was appointed a

Privy Counsellor The Privy Council, formally His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Its members, known as privy counsellors, are mainly senior politicians who are current or former ...

in 1918. For the 1918 General Election his constituency was abolished and a new constituency Moray and Nairn was created for which he was adopted by the Liberals as candidate. As a supporter of

David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. A Liberal Party (United Kingdom), Liberal Party politician from Wales, he was known for leadi ...

and his Coalition Government, he was endorsed as their candidate. As no other candidate came forward, he was again returned unopposed. Williamson held junior ministerial office as

Financial Secretary to the War Office The Financial Secretary to the War Office and for certain periods known as the Finance Member of the Army Council, was a junior ministerial office of the British government established in 1870. In May 1947 the office was unified with that of the ...

from 1919 to 1921. In June 1922, before the next general election, he was raised to the peerage as Baron Forres, of Glenogil in the County of Forfar. His recommendation for a peerage during the Lloyd George honours scandal created a public uproar when it was revealed that his oil firm, ''Williamson, Balfour and Co'', had been accused of trading with the enemy during the war. He was defended by F. E. Smith, Lord Birkenhead. Outside Parliament, he was a director of the

Central Argentine Railway The Central Argentine Railway, referred to as CA below, (in Spanish: Ferrocarril Central Argentino) was one of the ''Big Four'' Indian gauge, broad gauge, Great Britain, British companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina. T ...

, Balfour Williamson & Co, and of several other companies. Lord Forres was twice married, first in 1887 to Caroline Maria Hayne (died 1911), and second in 1912 to Hon. Agnes Freda Herschell, daughter of

Farrer Herschell, 1st Baron Herschell Farrer Herschell, 1st Baron Herschell, (2 November 1837 – 1 March 1899), was Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain in 1886, and again from 1892 to 1895. Life Childhood and education Herschell was born on 2 November 1837 in Brampton, Hamps ...

. He died in October 1931, aged 71, and was succeeded in his titles by his son

Stephen Stephen or Steven is an English given name, first name. It is particularly significant to Christianity, Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; he is w ...

Election results

Notes

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, * *

External links

*
Personal Statement By Lord Forres, Lords Chamber, Tuesday 18 July 1922
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williamson, Archibald Forres, Archibald Williamson, 1st Baron Forres, Archibald Williamson, 1st Baron Forres, Archibald Williamson, 1st Baron Nobility from Edinburgh People educated at Craigmount School Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Scottish Liberal Party MPs Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Highland constituencies UK MPs 1906–1910 UK MPs 1910 UK MPs 1910–1918 UK MPs 1918–1922 UK MPs who were granted peerages Politics of Moray Barons created by George V