Arthur Bignold
Encyclopedia
Sir Arthur Bignold was a Unionist Party politician in Scotland
who served as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Wick Burghs
from 1900 to 1906.
He won his seat in the House of Commons at the 1900 general election
, when he defeated the sitting Liberal Party
MP Thomas Hedderwick. Bignold was re-elected in 1906
, but lost his seat at the January 1910 general election. He stood again in December 1910, but lost again.
He was knight
ed on 5 July 1904. He was proprietor of Lochrosque and Strathbran Estates in Ross Shire, near to Achnasheen
and Achanalt
and served as President of the Ross and Sutherland Benevolent Society as well as a magistrate of Ross and Cromarty and Chief of the Gaelic Society. A bagpipe march Arthur Bignold of Lochrosque is named after him.
In September 1914 Winston Churchill
, when he was First Lord of the Admiralty was travelling past Bignold's home, Lochrosque Castle, to inspect the fleet at Loch Ewe. Churchill noticed a light on the roof used for lamping deer and assumed that it was being used to communicate with German spies. Churchill and his Police protection officer invaded the Castle and dismantled the light to the annoyance of Bignold.
Bignold was third son of Sir Samuel Bignold, Secretary of the Norwich Union
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
who served as the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Wick Burghs
Wick Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)
Wick Burghs, sometimes known as Northern Burghs, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1918...
from 1900 to 1906.
He won his seat in the House of Commons at the 1900 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, when he defeated the sitting Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
MP Thomas Hedderwick. Bignold was re-elected in 1906
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, but lost his seat at the January 1910 general election. He stood again in December 1910, but lost again.
He was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed on 5 July 1904. He was proprietor of Lochrosque and Strathbran Estates in Ross Shire, near to Achnasheen
Achnasheen
Achnasheen is a small village in Ross-shire in the Highland council area of Scotland. Despite the size of the village, Achnasheen is also the name of a postal district which covers several much larger communities. This dates from the time when the village railway station was an important stop on...
and Achanalt
Achanalt
Achanalt is a railway halt in Strath Bran, Ross and Cromarty, in the Scottish council area of Highland. It is served by a railway station on the Kyle of Lochalsh Line from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh.-History:...
and served as President of the Ross and Sutherland Benevolent Society as well as a magistrate of Ross and Cromarty and Chief of the Gaelic Society. A bagpipe march Arthur Bignold of Lochrosque is named after him.
In September 1914 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, when he was First Lord of the Admiralty was travelling past Bignold's home, Lochrosque Castle, to inspect the fleet at Loch Ewe. Churchill noticed a light on the roof used for lamping deer and assumed that it was being used to communicate with German spies. Churchill and his Police protection officer invaded the Castle and dismantled the light to the annoyance of Bignold.
Bignold was third son of Sir Samuel Bignold, Secretary of the Norwich Union
Norwich Union
Norwich Union was the name given to insurance company Aviva's British arm before June 2009. It was originally established in 1797. It is the biggest life insurance provider in the United Kingdom, and has a strong position in motor insurance...
.