Niall Macpherson, 1st Baron Drumalbyn

Niall Malcolm Stewart Macpherson, 1st Baron Drumalbyn, KBE, PC (3 August 1908 – 11 October 1987) was a Scottish Tory and National Liberal politician.

Background and education

The member of an important Liberal family from Inverness-shire, Macpherson was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Stewart Macpherson and Helen, daughter of Reverend Archibald Borland Cameron. He was the brother of George Macpherson and Sir Tommy Macpherson and a nephew of Lord Strathcarron. He was educated at Fettes College and Trinity College, Oxford.^[1] He initially worked in business, representing a firm in Turkey. He joined the Cameron Highlanders from 1939, serving in World War II including in Madagascar.

Political career

Macpherson was elected Member of Parliament for Dumfriesshire at the 1945 general election. He served as Liberal-Unionist Scottish whip from 1950 to 1955, when he was appointed Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland by Sir Anthony Eden, a post he retained when Harold Macmillan became Prime Minister in early 1957. In 1960 he was made Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade. Two years later Macpherson was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed Minister of Pensions and National Insurance. In October 1963 he was made Joint-Minister of State for Trade by the new Prime Minister, Sir Alec Douglas-Home,^[1] and the following month he was raised to the peerage as Baron Drumalbyn, of Whitesands in the Royal Burgh of Dumfries.^[2] He continued at the Board of Trade until the Conservative government fell at the 1964 general election. He was once again a member of the government as Minister without Portfolio under Edward Heath from 1970 to 1974.^[1]

Lord Drumalbyn was also chairman of the British Commonwealth Producers' Organization from 1952 and a member of the BBC General Advisory council. In 1974 he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.^[3]

Family

Lord Drumalbyn married Margaret Phyllis, daughter of Julius Joseph Runge, in 1937. They had three daughters, of whom the youngest, the Honourable Norah Macpherson (1947–1969), predeceased her parents. Lady Drumalbyn died in August 1979. Lord Drumalbyn remarried to Rita Williams before his death in October 1987, aged 79. The title became extinct on his death as he had no sons.^[1]

References

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Niall Macpherson