Matthew Campbell (civil servant)
Encyclopedia
Sir Matthew Campbell CB
FRSE (1907 – 1998) was a senior British civil servant and Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, who was highly instrumental in the establishment of the Crofters’ Commission.
, “a famous scholarly school” in nearby Hamilton. From the Academy, Campbell matriculated at the University of Glasgow
, graduating MA
.
and the Admiralty
(1935), before being appointed Principal, Department of Agriculture for Scotland (1938-43), Assistant Secretary (1943-53), Under-Secretary (1953-58), and latterly, the last Secretary of the Department of Agriculture for Scotland (1958-1962), becoming in 1962 the first Secretary of the new Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, a position he held ‘till his retirement in 1968.
From 1951 to 1954 Campbell served as Secretary of the Taylor Committee, on which recommendation the Crofters' Commission for Scotland was established and Campbell was to be highly instrumental in taking forward the recommendations and work of the Crofters’ Commission.
in 1959 and elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
on 6 March 1961, one of his Proposers being Sir Thomas Murray Taylor KC, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen
and former Chair of the Taylor Committee, to which Campbell had been secretary.
Matthew Campbell was knighted (KBE) in 1963. He died at Christleton, Cheshire, 7 March 1998.
CB
-Architectural/engineering:* Block coefficient , determining fullness of ship's hull* Chrysler Building, a skyscraper in New York City, New York* Concrete block/cinder block, also breeze block [UK], foundation block [US], see concrete masonry unit...
FRSE (1907 – 1998) was a senior British civil servant and Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, who was highly instrumental in the establishment of the Crofters’ Commission.
Early life
Matthew Campbell was born on 23 May 1907, son of nurseryman Matthew Campbell of High Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Matthew, junior, attended the Hamilton AcademyHamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy was a school situated in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Described as "one of the finest schools in Scotland" in the Cambridge University Press County Biography of 1910, Hamilton Academy featured in the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association Magazine article series on...
, “a famous scholarly school” in nearby Hamilton. From the Academy, Campbell matriculated at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, graduating MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
.
Career
Entering the civil service in 1928, Campbell was to hold posts in the Inland RevenueInland Revenue
The Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duty...
and the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
(1935), before being appointed Principal, Department of Agriculture for Scotland (1938-43), Assistant Secretary (1943-53), Under-Secretary (1953-58), and latterly, the last Secretary of the Department of Agriculture for Scotland (1958-1962), becoming in 1962 the first Secretary of the new Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, a position he held ‘till his retirement in 1968.
From 1951 to 1954 Campbell served as Secretary of the Taylor Committee, on which recommendation the Crofters' Commission for Scotland was established and Campbell was to be highly instrumental in taking forward the recommendations and work of the Crofters’ Commission.
Marriage, awards and honours
Married in 1939 (Isabella Wilson), Campbell was invested Commander of the BathCB
-Architectural/engineering:* Block coefficient , determining fullness of ship's hull* Chrysler Building, a skyscraper in New York City, New York* Concrete block/cinder block, also breeze block [UK], foundation block [US], see concrete masonry unit...
in 1959 and elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
on 6 March 1961, one of his Proposers being Sir Thomas Murray Taylor KC, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
and former Chair of the Taylor Committee, to which Campbell had been secretary.
Matthew Campbell was knighted (KBE) in 1963. He died at Christleton, Cheshire, 7 March 1998.