Norman Macfarlane, Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden
Encyclopedia
Norman Somerville Macfarlane, Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden, (born 5 March 1926) is a Scottish industrialist and Conservative
member of the House of Lords
.
Educated at the High School of Glasgow
, he served in Palestine with the Royal Artillery
from 1945 to 1947. While serving he suffered an injury to his neck. Later he founded N . S Macfarlane & Co. Ltd. in 1949, later becoming the Macfarlane Group (Clansman) plc in 1973. From 1973 to 1990 he served as Managing Director, and as Chair 1973-98, becoming Honorary Life President in 1999. He was a Trustee of the National Heritage Memorial Fund
from 1984 to 1997 and of the National Galleries of Scotland
from 1986 until 1997. Most recently he directed the fund-raising campaign for the Kelvingrove Art Gallery
refurbishment.
He was a Member of the Council CBI Scotland from 1975 to 1981, a Board Member of the Scottish Development Agency from 1979 until 1987, and a Member of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland from 1980 to 1982.
Macfarlane was raised a life peerage with the title Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden, of Bearsden in the District of Bearsden
and Milngavie
in 1991 and made a Knight of the Thistle
in 1996.
On 23 February 2007 Lord MacFarlane received the Freedom of the City
of Glasgow
at a ceremony in the Glasgow City Chambers
by Lord Provost
Liz Cameron
. The Lord Provost said "I am delighted to present our highest civic honour to one of our greatest Glaswegians. Lord Macfarlane has achieved a great deal in his own life, and done so much for his home city and country in the fields of business, commerce, the arts and charity. Lord Macfarlane’s devotion to Glasgow is perhaps summed up by his tireless work as the Chairman of the Kelvingrove Refurbishment Appeal, where his inspirational work for refurbishment of our most beloved building resulted in the huge sum of £12.75 million being donated to Kelvingrove. His support for Glasgow has been unstinting, and it has been wonderful to work with him. He is a most deserving recipient of the Freedom of the City of Glasgow".
- The Entrepreneurial Exchange Award 1995
- St Mungo Award 2005
- Goodman Business Award 2008
- Business and the Arts Lifetime Achievement Award 2010
Lord and Lady Macfarlane currently live in Bearsden, close to their 4 children: Fiona McNaught, Margarite Riley, Gail Allbutt and Margie Roberts and 15 grandchildren: Lucy, Katie, James, Charles, Richard, Olivia, Antonia, Angus, Charlotte, Georgina, Molly, Rory, Pippa, Edward and Harrison.
He has held a number of commercial positions, including:
He was Lord High Commissioner
to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
in 1992, 1993 and 1997.
He has also held a number of important positions in Glasgow and Scotland’s 'arts and cultural community:
Honorary Degrees
Hon LLD: Univ of Strathclyde 1986
Univ of Glasgow 1988
Glasgow Caledonian Univ 1993
Univ of Aberdeen 1995
Hon DUniv Stirling 1992 Dr (hc)
Univ of Edinburgh 1992
CCMI (CIMgt 1996)
Hon RSA 1987
Hon RGI 1987
Hon FRIAS 1984
Hon FScotvec 1991
FRSE 1991
Hon FRCPGlas 1992
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
Educated at the High School of Glasgow
High School of Glasgow
The High School of Glasgow is an independent, co-educational day school in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded as the Choir School of Glasgow Cathedral in around 1124, it is the oldest school in Scotland, and the twelfth oldest in the United Kingdom. It remained part of the Church as the city's grammar...
, he served in Palestine with the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
from 1945 to 1947. While serving he suffered an injury to his neck. Later he founded N . S Macfarlane & Co. Ltd. in 1949, later becoming the Macfarlane Group (Clansman) plc in 1973. From 1973 to 1990 he served as Managing Director, and as Chair 1973-98, becoming Honorary Life President in 1999. He was a Trustee of the National Heritage Memorial Fund
National Heritage Memorial Fund
The National Heritage Memorial Fund is a non-departmental public body set up under the National Heritage Act 1980 in memory of people who gave their lives for the United Kingdom....
from 1984 to 1997 and of the National Galleries of Scotland
National Galleries of Scotland
The National Galleries of Scotland are the five national galleries of Scotland and two partner galleries. It is one of the country's National Collections.-List of national galleries:* The National Gallery of Scotland* The Royal Scottish Academy Building...
from 1986 until 1997. Most recently he directed the fund-raising campaign for the Kelvingrove Art Gallery
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. The building houses one of Europe's great civic art collections...
refurbishment.
He was a Member of the Council CBI Scotland from 1975 to 1981, a Board Member of the Scottish Development Agency from 1979 until 1987, and a Member of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland from 1980 to 1982.
Macfarlane was raised a life peerage with the title Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden, of Bearsden in the District of Bearsden
Bearsden
Bearsden ) is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow, approximately from the City Centre, and is effectively a suburb, with housing development coinciding with the introduction of a railway line in 1863, and from where the town gets its name...
and Milngavie
Milngavie
Milngavie , is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It is on the Allander Water, at the northwestern edge of Greater Glasgow, and about from Glasgow city centre. It neighbours Bearsden....
in 1991 and made a Knight of the Thistle
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
in 1996.
On 23 February 2007 Lord MacFarlane received the Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
at a ceremony in the Glasgow City Chambers
Glasgow City Chambers
The City Chambers in Glasgow, Scotland has functioned as the headquarters of Glasgow City Council since 1996, and of preceding forms of civic government in the city since 1889, located on the eastern side of the city's George Square...
by Lord Provost
Lord Provost
A Lord Provost is the figurative and ceremonial head of one of the principal cities of Scotland. Four cities, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, have the right to appoint a Lord Provost instead of a provost...
Liz Cameron
Liz Cameron
Liz Cameron, born in Partick, Glasgow is a former Lord Provost of Glasgow.She graduated from the University of Glasgow and became a college lecturer, teaching at Bell College of Technology in Hamilton...
. The Lord Provost said "I am delighted to present our highest civic honour to one of our greatest Glaswegians. Lord Macfarlane has achieved a great deal in his own life, and done so much for his home city and country in the fields of business, commerce, the arts and charity. Lord Macfarlane’s devotion to Glasgow is perhaps summed up by his tireless work as the Chairman of the Kelvingrove Refurbishment Appeal, where his inspirational work for refurbishment of our most beloved building resulted in the huge sum of £12.75 million being donated to Kelvingrove. His support for Glasgow has been unstinting, and it has been wonderful to work with him. He is a most deserving recipient of the Freedom of the City of Glasgow".
- The Entrepreneurial Exchange Award 1995
- St Mungo Award 2005
- Goodman Business Award 2008
- Business and the Arts Lifetime Achievement Award 2010
Lord and Lady Macfarlane currently live in Bearsden, close to their 4 children: Fiona McNaught, Margarite Riley, Gail Allbutt and Margie Roberts and 15 grandchildren: Lucy, Katie, James, Charles, Richard, Olivia, Antonia, Angus, Charlotte, Georgina, Molly, Rory, Pippa, Edward and Harrison.
He has held a number of commercial positions, including:
- Director, Edinburgh Fund Managers plc 1980-1997;
- Chair, Glasgow Development Agency (Formerly Glasgow Action) 1985-1992;
- Director, Clydesdale BankClydesdale BankClydesdale Bank is a commercial bank in Scotland, a subsidiary of the National Australia Bank Group. In Scotland, Clydesdale Bank is the third largest clearing bank, although it also retains a branch network in London and the north of England...
plc 1980-96, Deputy Chair 1993-1996; - Director, General Accident Fire & Life Assurance Corporation 1984-1996;
- Chair, American Trust plc 1984-1997,
- Chair, United DistillersUnited DistillersUnited Distillers was a Scottish company formed in 1987 from combining the businesses of Distillers Company and Arthur Bell & Sons, both owned by Guinness. The company owned six Scotch whisky brands, which were relaunched as the Classic Malts range...
UK plc 1987-1996, Hon. Life President 1996-, - Chair, GuinnessGuinnessGuinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
plc 1987-89, Joint Deputy Chair, 1989-92. (He was the first Scottish Chairman). - Honorary life president of Diageo
- Director Fine Art Society plc (1976–98).
He was Lord High Commissioner
Lord High Commissioner
Lord High Commissioner is the style of High Commissioners, i.e. direct representatives of the monarch, in three cases in the Kingdom of Scotland and the United Kingdom, two of which are no longer extant...
to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
in 1992, 1993 and 1997.
He has also held a number of important positions in Glasgow and Scotland’s 'arts and cultural community:
- Vice-Chairman of the Scottish Ballet
- Director of the Scottish National Orchestra
- President of the Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts
- Member of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland
- Director of the Third Eye Centre
- Scottish Patron of the National Art Collection Fund
- Governor of Glasgow Arts School
- Honorary life President, The High School of Glasgow
- Chairman of Kelvingrove Refurbishment Appeal
- Chairman Culture and Sport, Glasgow
- Trusteeship of the National Galleries of Scotland (1986–97)
- Trustee of the Heritage Lottery Fund (with Bridget McConnell)
- President of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society
- Patron of Queen's Park FC
- Vice-president of the Professional Golfers' Association
- Patron Scottish Licensed Trade Assoc (1992-)
- Hon. life memb Scottish Football League 2006
- President Royal Glasgow Inst of the Fine Arts (1976–87)
- Freeman of Dumfries and Galloway 2006, City of Glasgow 2007
- Member of Glasgow Art ClubGlasgow Art ClubGlasgow Art Club is a club for practicing and retired artists and lay members with an interest in the arts, that has become over the generations “a meeting place for artists, business leaders and academics.” - History and premises :...
since 1969
Honorary Degrees
Hon LLD: Univ of Strathclyde 1986
Univ of Glasgow 1988
Glasgow Caledonian Univ 1993
Univ of Aberdeen 1995
Hon DUniv Stirling 1992 Dr (hc)
Univ of Edinburgh 1992
CCMI (CIMgt 1996)
Hon RSA 1987
Hon RGI 1987
Hon FRIAS 1984
Hon FScotvec 1991
FRSE 1991
Hon FRCPGlas 1992