Gilmour Leburn
Encyclopedia
Gilmour Leburn (30 July 1913 – 15 August 1963) was a British
company director and politician. He served in the government of Harold Macmillan
as a Minister in the Scottish Office; his sudden death opened the way for Macmillan's successor, Sir Alec Douglas-Home
to return to the House of Commons
.
Village School and then Strathallan School
, an independent school
in Perthshire
. Instead of university, he became a woodworking apprentice for Gateside Mills Co. Ltd., with which his family had connections.
154 Infantry Brigade of the 51st Highland Division, which served in France. In 1941 he was made Staff Officer for the Brigade, and fought at El Alamein
where he was severely wounded: he took two years in hospital to recover. When well, he joined the Staff College, Camberley
where he was promoted to the rank of Major. During the war, Leburn was twice mentioned in despatches.
County Council. He enjoyed life on the Council and was Vice Convener in 1951-52. Leburn was chosen to follow William McNair Snadden
as Unionist candidate for Kinross and West Perthshire
when Snadden stood down at the 1955 general election
, and easily won what was a safe seat.
over the Suez crisis, signing a motion which commended the Foreign Secretary's policy while condemning the United States government's attitude. He became popular with Conservative MPs, and was Parliamentary Private Secretary
to John Maclay
(the Secretary of State for Scotland
) from 1957.
Leburn was brought into the government as Under-Secretary of State at the Scottish Office. He had specific responsibility for agriculture, forestry and fishing, which led him to intervene to try to solve a dispute between Scots fishermen over the Isle of Lewis
in 1961. The next year, he made it clear he was aware of the loophole whereby British fishing vessels could register in Ireland. From September 1962, Leburn switched responsibilities to look after planning, housing and industry. He encouraged the building of strategic bridges.
, but the accession to the Premiership of the Earl of Home
left the new Prime Minister in need of a seat in the House of Commons. Home disclaimed his peerage
under the Peerage Act 1963
and Younger generously agreed to give up his claim on the seat.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
company director and politician. He served in the government of Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
as a Minister in the Scottish Office; his sudden death opened the way for Macmillan's successor, Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Alec Douglas-Home
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , known as The Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 and as Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1963 to 1974, was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964.He is the last...
to return to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
.
Early life
Leburn went to GatesideGateside (Fife)
Gateside is a small village in the north east of Fife, Scotland. It is inhabited by around 200 people although a local housing development scheme wish to use a site in Gateside to build many more houses...
Village School and then Strathallan School
Strathallan School
Strathallan School is an independent boarding and day school in Scotland for boys and girls aged 9–18. The school has a campus at Forgandenny, a few miles south of Perth. It typically takes 50 minutes to travel to the school from Edinburgh and 1:15 hours from Glasgow.The school has 99 full time...
, an independent school
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
in Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
. Instead of university, he became a woodworking apprentice for Gateside Mills Co. Ltd., with which his family had connections.
Wartime service
At the outbreak of the Second World War Leburn became Brigade Signal Officer with the154 Infantry Brigade of the 51st Highland Division, which served in France. In 1941 he was made Staff Officer for the Brigade, and fought at El Alamein
First Battle of El Alamein
The First Battle of El Alamein was a battle of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, fought between Axis forces of the Panzer Army Africa commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and Allied forces The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert...
where he was severely wounded: he took two years in hospital to recover. When well, he joined the Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
where he was promoted to the rank of Major. During the war, Leburn was twice mentioned in despatches.
Political activity
When demobilised, Leburn returned the Gateside Mills Company, where he moved into management. He became active politically as a Unionist, and in 1948 was elected to FifeFife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
County Council. He enjoyed life on the Council and was Vice Convener in 1951-52. Leburn was chosen to follow William McNair Snadden
William McNair Snadden
Sir William McNair Snadden, 1st Baronet JP was a Scottish Tory politician.The youngest son of Reverend James Snadden, he was educated at Dollar Academy...
as Unionist candidate for Kinross and West Perthshire
Kinross and Western Perthshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Kinross and Western Perthshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983, representing, at any one time, a seat for one Member of Parliament , elected by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:The constituency was...
when Snadden stood down at the 1955 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
, and easily won what was a safe seat.
Parliament
His maiden speech called for the use of smaller driver-operated buses in rural areas. Leburn was loyal to the government of Anthony EdenAnthony Eden
Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC was a British Conservative politician, who was Prime Minister from 1955 to 1957...
over the Suez crisis, signing a motion which commended the Foreign Secretary's policy while condemning the United States government's attitude. He became popular with Conservative MPs, and was Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to John Maclay
John Maclay, 1st Viscount Muirshiel
John Scott Maclay, 1st Viscount Muirshiel KT, CH, CMG, PC, DL was a British politician, sitting as a National Liberal and Conservative Member of Parliament before the party was fully assimilated into the Unionist Party in Scotland in the early 1960s.Lord Muirshiel served as Secretary of State for...
(the Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
) from 1957.
Ministerial office
After the 1959 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
Leburn was brought into the government as Under-Secretary of State at the Scottish Office. He had specific responsibility for agriculture, forestry and fishing, which led him to intervene to try to solve a dispute between Scots fishermen over the Isle of Lewis
Lewis
Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is ....
in 1961. The next year, he made it clear he was aware of the loophole whereby British fishing vessels could register in Ireland. From September 1962, Leburn switched responsibilities to look after planning, housing and industry. He encouraged the building of strategic bridges.
Succession
Leburn died suddenly, while on holiday, in August 1963. His seat was at the time the safest Conservative seat in Scotland. The local association had selected as his successor George YoungerGeorge Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie
George Kenneth Hotson Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie KT KCVO TD PC was a British politician and banker....
, but the accession to the Premiership of the Earl of Home
Alec Douglas-Home
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , known as The Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 and as Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1963 to 1974, was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964.He is the last...
left the new Prime Minister in need of a seat in the House of Commons. Home disclaimed his peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
under the Peerage Act 1963
Peerage Act 1963
The Peerage Act 1963 is the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permitted peeresses in their own right and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, and which allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be "disclaimed".-Background:The Act resulted largely from the...
and Younger generously agreed to give up his claim on the seat.