John Hay Athole Macdonald, Lord Kingsburgh
Encyclopedia
Sir John Hay Athole Macdonald KCB
, PC (27 December 1836 – 9 May 1919) was a Scottish
politician and later a judge.
He was called to the Scottish bar
in 1859. On 30 July 1875 he was appointed by Queen Victoria to be Sheriff of the Shires of Ross, Cromarty, and Sutherland. He was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland
from 1876 to 1880. Elected as Member of Parliament for Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities
from 1885, he served as Lord Advocate
from 1885 to 1886 and from 1886 to 1888. He became a Queen's Counsel
in 1880, and was appointed a Privy Counsellor
in 1885.
On 5 June 1901 he was appointed Honorary Colonel of the The Queen's Rifle Volunteer Brigade, the Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment).
He gave up his Parliamentary seat and was appointed Lord Justice Clerk
in 1888, taking the title Lord Kingsburgh, and presided over the Second Division of the Court of Session
until 1915. He was promoted from Ensign to Lieutenant in the Royal Company of Archers
on 18 June 1915.
He was an enthusiastic car owner and was a founding member of the Automobile Club
and was the first president of the Scottish Automobile Club. He also registered Edinburgh's first ever number plate.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, PC (27 December 1836 – 9 May 1919) was a Scottish
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...
politician and later a judge.
He was called to the Scottish bar
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
in 1859. On 30 July 1875 he was appointed by Queen Victoria to be Sheriff of the Shires of Ross, Cromarty, and Sutherland. He was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland
Solicitor General for Scotland
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Government on Scots Law...
from 1876 to 1880. Elected as Member of Parliament for Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities
Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities (UK Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities was a university constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until 1918. It was merged with the Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities constituency to form the Combined Scottish Universities...
from 1885, he served as Lord Advocate
Lord Advocate
Her Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
from 1885 to 1886 and from 1886 to 1888. He became a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1880, and was appointed a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1885.
On 5 June 1901 he was appointed Honorary Colonel of the The Queen's Rifle Volunteer Brigade, the Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment).
He gave up his Parliamentary seat and was appointed Lord Justice Clerk
Lord Justice Clerk
The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior judge in Scotland, after the Lord President of the Court of Session.The holder has the title in both the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary and is in charge of the Second Division of Judges in the Court of Session...
in 1888, taking the title Lord Kingsburgh, and presided over the Second Division of the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
until 1915. He was promoted from Ensign to Lieutenant in the Royal Company of Archers
Royal Company of Archers
The Royal Company of Archers is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland, a role it has performed since 1822 and the reign of King George IV, when the company provided a personal bodyguard to the King on his visit to Scotland. It is currently known as the Queen's...
on 18 June 1915.
He was an enthusiastic car owner and was a founding member of the Automobile Club
RAC plc
RAC Limited is a breakdown company in the United Kingdom supplying products and services for motorists. Initially formed as the "Associate Section" of the Royal Automobile Club, it was incorporated as R.A.C. Motoring Services Ltd. in 1978. It was then sold by the members of the Royal Automobile...
and was the first president of the Scottish Automobile Club. He also registered Edinburgh's first ever number plate.