Rector of Glasgow University
Encyclopedia
The Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow
is one of the most senior posts within that institution, elected every three years by students. The role of the Rector is to represent students to the senior management of the University and raise issues which concern them. In order to achieve this, the Rector is the statutory chair of Court
, the governing body of the University.
The position's place in the university was enshrined by statute in the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889, which provided for the election of a Rector at all of the universities in existence at the time
in Scotland
(being St Andrews
, Glasgow
, Aberdeen
and Edinburgh
). Students of the University of Dundee
also elect a Rector
.
The current Rector is Charles Kennedy
, former leader of the Liberal Democrats
, and former President of the Glasgow University Union
. He was first elected in 2008, and was re-elected in the most recent election held over 21-22 February 2011. He beat writer and comedienne A L Kennedy with 2601 to 565 votes, becoming only the second Rector to be elected to two consecutive terms, along with Conservative
Prime Minister
Benjamin Disraeli (1871-1877).
(1962-1965) were elected on the understanding that they would be unable to undertake the position's responsibilities, while Mordechai Vanunu
(2005-2008) was unable to fulfil his duties as he was not allowed to leave Israel
. However, other recent Rectors have been elected on the presumption they will be working rectors, e.g. Ross Kemp
(1999-2000), who resigned from the post after the Students' Representative Council
voted to request his resignation, such was the extent of student dissatisfaction with his performance.
At the Rectorial election in February 2004, no nominations for the post of Rector had been received. Upon the end of Greg Hemphill's term, the University was left without a Rector for the first time in the position's history. The University Senate set another election date for December, when Mordechai Vanunu was elected.
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...
is one of the most senior posts within that institution, elected every three years by students. The role of the Rector is to represent students to the senior management of the University and raise issues which concern them. In order to achieve this, the Rector is the statutory chair of Court
University Court
A University Court is an administrative body of a university in the United Kingdom. In England's Oxbridge such a Court carries out limited judicial functions; whereas in Scotland it is a University's supreme governing body, analogous to a Board of Directors or a Board of Trustees.-England:In the...
, the governing body of the University.
The position's place in the university was enshrined by statute in the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889, which provided for the election of a Rector at all of the universities in existence at the time
Ancient universities of Scotland
The ancient universities of Scotland are medieval and renaissance universities which continue to exist until the present day. The majority of the ancient universities of the British Isles are located within Scotland, and have a number of distinctive features in common, being governed by a series of...
in Scotland
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...
(being St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, 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...
, 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 Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
). Students of the University of Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
also elect a Rector
Rector of the University of Dundee
The Rector of the University of Dundee is elected by the matriculated students of the University. From 1967 to 2010 the Rector was automatically a full member of the University Court...
.
The current Rector is Charles Kennedy
Charles Kennedy
Charles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
, former leader of the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
, and former President of the Glasgow University Union
Glasgow University Union
Glasgow University Union is one of the largest and oldest students' unions in the UK, serving students and alumni of the University of Glasgow since 1885....
. He was first elected in 2008, and was re-elected in the most recent election held over 21-22 February 2011. He beat writer and comedienne A L Kennedy with 2601 to 565 votes, becoming only the second Rector to be elected to two consecutive terms, along with Conservative
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...
Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Benjamin Disraeli (1871-1877).
Former Rectors
Students have not always voted for working rectors; anti-apartheid activists Winnie Mandela (1987-1990) and Albert LutuliAlbert Lutuli
Albert John Lutuli , also known by his Zulu name Mvumbi, was a South African teacher and politician. Lutuli was elected president of the African National Congress , at the time an umbrella organisation that led opposition to the white minority government in South Africa...
(1962-1965) were elected on the understanding that they would be unable to undertake the position's responsibilities, while Mordechai Vanunu
Mordechai Vanunu
Mordechai Vanunu ; is a former Israeli nuclear technician who, citing his opposition to weapons of mass destruction, revealed details of Israel's nuclear weapons program to the British press in 1986. He was subsequently lured to Italy by a Mossad agent, where he was drugged and kidnapped by...
(2005-2008) was unable to fulfil his duties as he was not allowed to leave Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. However, other recent Rectors have been elected on the presumption they will be working rectors, e.g. Ross Kemp
Ross Kemp
Ross James Kemp is a BAFTA award-winning British actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
(1999-2000), who resigned from the post after the Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council was founded on 9th March 1886 and recognised as the legal representative body for students of the University of Glasgow by the Universities Act 1889. The SRC is responsible for representing students' interests to the management of the University...
voted to request his resignation, such was the extent of student dissatisfaction with his performance.
At the Rectorial election in February 2004, no nominations for the post of Rector had been received. Upon the end of Greg Hemphill's term, the University was left without a Rector for the first time in the position's history. The University Senate set another election date for December, when Mordechai Vanunu was elected.
Nations
Until 1977, for Rectorial election purposes, the University was divided into four 'nations' based on the students' birthplace, originally called Clidisdaliae, Thevidaliae, Albaniae and Rosay, and later as Glottiana, Loudoniana, Transforthana and Rothseiana. Three of the 'nations' consisted of defined areas in Scotland, with Loudoniana consisting of students from all other places.List of Rectors
- 1648 : Robert Ramsay
- 1690-1691 : David Boyle, 1st Earl of GlasgowDavid Boyle, 1st Earl of GlasgowDavid Boyle, 1st Earl of Glasgow was a Scottish politician.The son of John Boyle of Kelburn, Commissioner, and Marion Steuart, he was the Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland from the Bute constituency from 1689–1699...
, Lord Clerk RegisterLord Clerk RegisterThe office of Lord Clerk Register is the oldest surviving Great Officer of State in Scotland, with origins in the 13th century.The Clerk-Register was from ancient times the principal Clerk in the kingdom, from whom all other clerks, whatever their government positions, and who were essentially his... - 1691-1718 : Sir John Maxwell of Nether Park
- 1718-1720 : Mungo Graham of Gorthie
- 1720-1723 : Robert Dundas, Lord Arniston, the elderRobert Dundas, Lord Arniston, the elderRobert Dundas, Lord Arniston, the elder was a Scottish judge.The second son of Robert Dundas he served as Solicitor General for Scotland from 1717 to 1720 and as Lord Advocate from 1720 to 1725...
, Lord President of the Court of SessionLord President of the Court of SessionThe Lord President of the Court of Session is head of the judiciary in Scotland, and presiding judge of the College of Justice and Court of Session, as well as being Lord Justice General of Scotland and head of the High Court of Justiciary, the offices having been combined in 1836... - 1723-1725 : James Hamilton of Aikenhead
- 1725-1726 : Sir Hugh Montgomerie of Hartfield
- 1726-1729 : George Ross, Master of RossGeorge Ross, 13th Lord RossGeorge Ross, 13th Lord Ross of Halkhead , was a Scottish nobleman.-Origins:Ross was the eldest son and heir of William Ross, 12th Lord Ross, who died in 1738, by Agnes, daughter and heiress of Sir John Wilkie of Fouldean...
- 1729-1731 : Francis Dunlop of Dunlop
- 1731-1733 : John Orr of Barrowfield
- 1733-1738 : Colin Campbell of Blythswood
- 1738-1740 : George Bogle of DaldowieGeorge Bogle of DaldowieGeorge Bogle, of Daldowie, Junior was a Virginia merchant, a West India trader, and a considerable citizen of Glasgow, where he was one of the Tobacco Lords As well as trading in tobacco he dealt in other Caribbean commodities, such as sugar...
, one of the Tobacco LordsTobacco LordsThe Tobacco Lords were Glasgow merchants who, in the 18th Century made enormous fortunes by trading in tobacco from Great Britain's American Colonies.... - 1740-1742 : John Graham of Dugalston
- 1742-1743 : John Orr of Barrowfield
- 1743-1746 : George Bogle of DaldowieGeorge Bogle of DaldowieGeorge Bogle, of Daldowie, Junior was a Virginia merchant, a West India trader, and a considerable citizen of Glasgow, where he was one of the Tobacco Lords As well as trading in tobacco he dealt in other Caribbean commodities, such as sugar...
- 1746-1748 : Sir John Maxwell of Pollock
- 1748-1750 : George Bogle of DaldowieGeorge Bogle of DaldowieGeorge Bogle, of Daldowie, Junior was a Virginia merchant, a West India trader, and a considerable citizen of Glasgow, where he was one of the Tobacco Lords As well as trading in tobacco he dealt in other Caribbean commodities, such as sugar...
- 1750-1753 : Sir John Maxwell of Pollock
- 1753-1755 : William Mure of CaldwellWilliam Mure (1718–1776)William Mure , known as others of his family as William Mure of Caldwell, was a Scottish lawyer and politician. He became a baron of the Scots exchequer, and was a friend of Prime Minister Lord Bute and David Hume.-Life:...
- 1755-1757 : John Boyle, 3rd Earl of GlasgowJohn Boyle, 3rd Earl of GlasgowJohn Boyle, 3rd Earl of Glasgow was a Scottish nobleman.-Origins:Boyle was the third but eldest surviving son and heir of John Boyle, 2nd Earl of Glasgow by Helenor, third daughter of William Morrison of Prestongrange, county Haddington...
- 1757-1759 : Patrick Boyle, Lord Shewalton
- 1759-1761 : James Milliken of Milliken
- 1761-1763 : James Hay, 15th Earl of ErrollJames Hay, 15th Earl of ErrollJames Hay, 15th Earl of Erroll was the son of William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock.He was born with the name of James Boyd but legally changed it to James Hay in 1758, when he succeeded his great-aunt as Earl of Erroll .In 1749, he married Rebecca Lockhart In 1762,...
, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of ScotlandGrand Lodge of ScotlandThe Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland was founded in 1736 – although only a third of all lodges were represented at the foundation meeting of the Grand Lodge.... - 1763-1764 : Thomas MillerThomas Miller, Lord GlenleeSir Thomas Miller, 1st Baronet , known as Lord Glenlee during his judicial service, was a Scottish politician and judge....
, 1st Baronet, Lord Justice ClerkLord Justice ClerkThe 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...
, Lord President of the Court of SessionLord President of the Court of SessionThe Lord President of the Court of Session is head of the judiciary in Scotland, and presiding judge of the College of Justice and Court of Session, as well as being Lord Justice General of Scotland and head of the High Court of Justiciary, the offices having been combined in 1836... - 1764-1767 : William Mure of CaldwellWilliam Mure (1718–1776)William Mure , known as others of his family as William Mure of Caldwell, was a Scottish lawyer and politician. He became a baron of the Scots exchequer, and was a friend of Prime Minister Lord Bute and David Hume.-Life:...
- 1767-1768 : Dunbar Douglas, 4th Earl of SelkirkDunbar Douglas, 4th Earl of SelkirkDunbar Douglas, 4th Earl of Selkirk was a Scottish peer. Born Dunbar Hamilton, he was the grandson of Lord Basil Hamilton, younger brother to John Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Selkirk....
- 1768-1770 : Sir Adam Ferguson of Kilkerran
- 1770-1772 : Robert OrdRobert OrdRobert Ord was a British politician.He was a Member of Parliament for Morpeth, Northumberland from to .He died aged 77....
- 1772-1773 : Sir Frederick Campbell, parliamentarian, Lord Clerk RegisterLord Clerk RegisterThe office of Lord Clerk Register is the oldest surviving Great Officer of State in Scotland, with origins in the 13th century.The Clerk-Register was from ancient times the principal Clerk in the kingdom, from whom all other clerks, whatever their government positions, and who were essentially his...
- 1773-1775 : Charles Schaw Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart, Ambassador to Russia
- 1775-1777 : Sir James William Montgomery, Lord AdvocateLord AdvocateHer 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...
, Chief Baron of Exchequer - 1777-1779 : Andrew Stewart of Torrance
- 1779-1781 : James Maitland, 7th Earl of LauderdaleJames Maitland, 7th Earl of LauderdaleJames Maitland, 7th Earl of Lauderdale , and was one of the sixteen representative peers for Scotland in the House of Lords....
, representative peerRepresentative peerIn the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords... - 1781-1783 : Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount MelvilleHenry Dundas, 1st Viscount MelvilleHenry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville PC and Baron Dunira was a Scottish lawyer and politician. He was the first Secretary of State for War and the last person to be impeached in the United Kingdom....
, Lord President of the Court of SessionLord President of the Court of SessionThe Lord President of the Court of Session is head of the judiciary in Scotland, and presiding judge of the College of Justice and Court of Session, as well as being Lord Justice General of Scotland and head of the High Court of Justiciary, the offices having been combined in 1836... - 1783-1785 : Edmund BurkeEdmund BurkeEdmund Burke PC was an Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher who, after moving to England, served for many years in the House of Commons of Great Britain as a member of the Whig party....
, philosopher - 1785-1787 : Robert Graham of Gartmore, parliamentarian (former student)
- 1787-1789 : Prof. Adam SmithAdam SmithAdam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
, Professor of Moral Philosophy, author of The Wealth of NationsThe Wealth of NationsAn Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, generally referred to by its shortened title The Wealth of Nations, is the magnum opus of the Scottish economist and moral philosopher Adam Smith...
(former student) - 1789-1791 : Walter Campbell of ShawfieldWalter Campbell of ShawfieldWalter Campbell of Shawfield , the grandson of Daniel Campbell , was Rector of the University of Glasgow from 1789 to 1791. He was also the Laird of Islay, Scotland....
- 1791-1793 : Thomas Kennedy of Dunure
- 1793-1795 : William Mure of Caldwell
- 1795-1797 : William McDowell of Garthland
- 1797-1799 : George Oswald of Auchencruive
- 1799-1801 : Ilay Campbell, Lord Succoth, 1st Baronet, Lord Justice General
- 1801-1803 : William Craig, Lord Craig
- 1803-1805 : Robert Dundas of ArnistonRobert Dundas of Arniston-Background:Part of a remarkable Scottish legal and political dynasty, Dundas was the son of Robert Dundas, Lord Arniston, the younger. His great-grandfather Robert Dundas had been an MP and judge, as were his grandfather Robert Dundas, Lord Arniston, the elder....
, Lord AdvocateLord AdvocateHer 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...
, Chief Baron of Exchequer - 1805-1807 : Henry Glassford of Dugalston
- 1807-1809 : Archibald ColquhounArchibald ColquhounArchibald Campbell Colquhoun was a Scottish politician and lawyer.The son of John Campbell of Clathick, he took the surname Colquhoun in 1804 on inheriting the estate of Killermont, Dunbartonshire. He married, in 1786, Mary-Anne Erskine . He became an advocate in 1768, was a Member of Parliament...
of Killermont, Lord AdvocateLord AdvocateHer 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... - 1809-1811 : Archibald Campbell of Blythswood
- 1811-1813 : Lord Archibald HamiltonLord Archibald HamiltonLord Archibald Hamilton was a British politician.Hamilton was the youngest son of William Douglas-Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton and Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton. He became a Captain in the Royal Navy and in 1708, was elected as MP for Lanarkshire...
, parliamentarian, Governor of Jamaica - 1813-1815 : Thomas Graham, 1st Baron LynedochThomas Graham, 1st Baron LynedochGeneral Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch, GCB, GCMG, GCTE was a Scottish aristocrat, politician and British Army officer....
, politician and soldier - 1815-1817 : David Boyle, Lord Boyle, Lord Justice General
- 1817-1819 : George Boyle, 4th Earl of GlasgowGeorge Boyle, 4th Earl of GlasgowGeorge Boyle, 4th Earl of Glasgow, GCH FRS , styled Lord Boyle until 1775, was a British peer.He was the son of John Boyle, 3rd Earl of Glasgow and his wife, Elizabeth, the daughter of George Ross, 13th Lord Ross...
- 1819-1820 : Kirkman FinlayKirkman FinlayKirkman Finlay was one of the leading merchants in Glasgow, Scotland. He was Lord Provost of Glasgow and Member of Parliament.Kirkman was born in the Gallowgate, the second son of textile manufacturer James Finlay...
, Lord Provost of Glasgow - 1820-1822 : Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey, Senator of the College of JusticeSenator of the College of JusticeThe Senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of Senator: Lords of Session ; Lords Commissioner of Justiciary ; and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court...
(former student) - 1822-1824 : Sir James MackintoshJames MackintoshSir James Mackintosh was a Scottish jurist, politician and historian. His studies and sympathies embraced many interests. He was trained as a doctor and barrister, and worked also as a journalist, judge, administrator, professor, philosopher and politician.-Early life:Mackintosh was born at...
, jurist - 1824-1826 : Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and VauxHenry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and VauxHenry Peter Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux was a British statesman who became Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.As a young lawyer in Scotland Brougham helped to found the Edinburgh Review in 1802 and contributed many articles to it. He went to London, and was called to the English bar in...
, Lord ChancellorLord ChancellorThe Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign... - 1826-1829 : Thomas Campbell, poet (former student)
- 1829-1831 : Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 3rd Marquess of LansdowneHenry Petty-FitzMaurice, 3rd Marquess of LansdowneHenry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne KG, PC, FRS , known as Lord Henry Petty from 1784 to 1809 and then as The Earl of Kerry to 1818, was a British statesman...
, Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the... - 1831-1834 : Henry Thomas Cockburn, Senator of the College of JusticeSenator of the College of JusticeThe Senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of Senator: Lords of Session ; Lords Commissioner of Justiciary ; and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court...
- 1834-1836 : Edward Stanley, Lord StanleyEdward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of DerbyEdward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and... - 1836-1838 : Sir Robert PeelRobert PeelSir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom - 1838-1840 : Sir James Graham, 2nd Baronet, Home SecretaryHome SecretaryThe Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
- 1840-1842 : John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of BreadalbaneJohn Campbell, 2nd Marquess of BreadalbaneJohn Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane KT, PC, FRS , styled Lord Glenorchy until 1831 and as Earl of Ormelie from 1831 to 1834, was a Scottish nobleman and Liberal politician.-Background and education:...
, parliamentarian, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of ScotlandGrand Lodge of ScotlandThe Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland was founded in 1736 – although only a third of all lodges were represented at the foundation meeting of the Grand Lodge.... - 1842-1844 : Fox Maule Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie, parliamentarian, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of ScotlandGrand Lodge of ScotlandThe Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland was founded in 1736 – although only a third of all lodges were represented at the foundation meeting of the Grand Lodge....
- 1844-1846 : Andrew Rutherfurd, Lord Rutherfurd, Lord AdvocateLord AdvocateHer 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...
- 1846-1847 : John Russell, 1st Earl RussellJohn Russell, 1st Earl RussellJohn Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC , known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century....
, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and... - 1847-1848 : William Mure of Caldwell, classical scholar, parliamentarian
- 1848-1850 : Thomas Babington Macaulay, parliamentarian
- 1850-1852 : Sir Archibald Alison, institutional legal writer
- 1852-1854 : Archibald Montgomerie, 13th Earl of EglintonArchibald Montgomerie, 13th Earl of EglintonSir Archibald William Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton KT, PC , known as Lord Montgomerie from 1814 to 1819, was a British Conservative politician...
, Lord Lieutenant of IrelandLord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland... - 1854-1856 : George Douglas Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll, parliamentarian
- 1856-1859 : Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron LyttonEdward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron LyttonEdward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton PC , was an English politician, poet, playwright, and novelist. He was immensely popular with the reading public and wrote a stream of bestselling dime-novels which earned him a considerable fortune...
, writer and politician - 1859-1862 : James Bruce, 8th Earl of ElginJames Bruce, 8th Earl of ElginSir James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, KT, GCB, PC , was a British colonial administrator and diplomat...
, Viceroy of India - 1862-1865 : Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
- 1865-1868 : John Inglis, Lord GlencorseJohn Inglis, Lord GlencorseJohn Inglis, Lord Glencorse FRSE was a Scottish politician and judge. He was Lord President of the Court of Session ....
, Lord President of the Court of SessionLord President of the Court of SessionThe Lord President of the Court of Session is head of the judiciary in Scotland, and presiding judge of the College of Justice and Court of Session, as well as being Lord Justice General of Scotland and head of the High Court of Justiciary, the offices having been combined in 1836... - 1868-1871 : Edward Stanley, Lord StanleyEdward Stanley, 15th Earl of DerbyEdward Henry Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby KG, PC, FRS , known as Lord Stanley from 1844 to 1869, was a British statesman...
, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs - 1871-1877 : Benjamin Disraeli, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
- 1877-1880 : William Ewart GladstoneWilliam Ewart GladstoneWilliam Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom - 1880-1883 : John BrightJohn BrightJohn Bright , Quaker, was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, associated with Richard Cobden in the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League. He was one of the greatest orators of his generation, and a strong critic of British foreign policy...
, QuakerReligious Society of FriendsThe Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
, activist - 1883-1884 : Henry FawcettHenry FawcettHenry Fawcett PC was a blind British academic, statesman and economist.-Background and education:Fawcett was born in Salisbury, and educated at King's College School and the University of Cambridge: entering Peterhouse in 1852, he migrated to Trinity Hall the following year, and became a fellow...
, economist and parliamentarian - 1884-1887 : Prof. Edmund Law LushingtonEdmund Law LushingtonEdmund Law Lushington was a classical scholar, a Professor of Greek, and Rector of the University of Glasgow.Edmund Law Lushington was born on 10 January 1811 in Park House, Kent, England...
, Professor of Greek - 1887-1890 : Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of LyttonRobert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of LyttonEdward Robert Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, PC was an English statesman and poet...
, Viceroy of India - 1890-1893 : Arthur James Balfour, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
- 1893-1896 : Sir John Eldon GorstJohn Eldon GorstSir John Eldon Gorst PC, QC, FRS was a British lawyer and politician. He served as Solicitor General for England and Wales from 1885 to 1886 and as Vice-President of the Committee on Education between 1895 and 1902....
, Solicitor-General for England and Wales - 1896-1899 : Joseph ChamberlainJoseph ChamberlainJoseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University....
, statesman, father of Austen Chamberlain (Rector 1925-1928) - 1899-1902 : Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of RoseberyArchibald Primrose, 5th Earl of RoseberyArchibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, KG, PC was a British Liberal statesman and Prime Minister. Between the death of his father, in 1851, and the death of his grandfather, the 4th Earl, in 1868, he was known by the courtesy title of Lord Dalmeny.Rosebery was a Liberal Imperialist who...
, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and... - 1902-1905 : George WyndhamGeorge WyndhamGeorge Wyndham PC was a British Conservative politician, man of letters, noted for his elegance, and one of The Souls.-Background and education:...
, parliamentarian - 1905-1908 : H. H. AsquithH. H. AsquithHerbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and... - 1908-1911 : George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of KedlestonGeorge Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of KedlestonGeorge Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC , known as The Lord Curzon of Kedleston between 1898 and 1911 and as The Earl Curzon of Kedleston between 1911 and 1921, was a British Conservative statesman who was Viceroy of India and Foreign Secretary...
, Viceroy of India, Foreign Secretary - 1911-1914 : Augustine BirrellAugustine BirrellAugustine Birrell PC, KC was an English politician, barrister, academic and author. He was Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1907 to 1916, resigning in the immediate aftermath of the Easter Rising.-Early life:...
, parliamentarian - 1914-1919 : Raymond PoincaréRaymond PoincaréRaymond Poincaré was a French statesman who served as Prime Minister of France on five separate occasions and as President of France from 1913 to 1920. Poincaré was a conservative leader primarily committed to political and social stability...
, President and Prime Minister of FrancePrime Minister of FranceThe Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic... - 1919-1922 : Andrew Bonar Law, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, (former student) - 1922-1925 : F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of BirkenheadF. E. Smith, 1st Earl of BirkenheadFrederick Edwin Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead GCSI, PC, KC , best known to history as F. E. Smith , was a British Conservative statesman and lawyer of the early 20th century. He was a skilled orator, noted for his staunch opposition to Irish nationalism, his wit, pugnacious views, and hard living...
, Lord ChancellorLord ChancellorThe Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign... - 1925-1928 : Sir Austen ChamberlainAusten ChamberlainSir Joseph Austen Chamberlain, KG was a British statesman, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and half-brother of Neville Chamberlain.- Early life and career :...
, parliamentarian and statesman - 1928-1931 : Stanley BaldwinStanley BaldwinStanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and... - 1931-1934 : Compton MackenzieCompton MackenzieSir Compton Mackenzie, OBE was a writer and a Scottish nationalist.-Background:Compton Mackenzie was born in West Hartlepool, England, into a theatrical family of Mackenzies, but many of whose members used Compton as their stage surname, starting with his grandfather Henry Compton, a well-known...
, novelist - 1934-1937 : Sir Iain ColquhounIain ColquhounSir Iain Colquhoun, 7th Baronet, KT, DSO, was a Scottish baronet, and the grandfather of an Irish earl and great-grandfather of a Scottish duke....
- 1937-1938 : Rev Dick SheppardHugh Richard Lawrie SheppardHugh Richard Lawrie "Dick" Sheppard was an English Anglican priest, Dean of Canterbury and pacifist....
, pacifist - 1938-1945 : Sir Archibald Sinclair, leader of the British Liberal Party
- 1945-1947 : Sir John Boyd-Orr, physician, nutritionist and Nobel laureate (former student)
- 1947-1950 : Walter Elliot, politician (former student)
- 1950-1953 : John MacCormickJohn MacCormickJohn MacDonald MacCormick was a lawyer and advocate of Home Rule in Scotland.-Early life:...
, lawyer and famed nationalist (former student) - 1953-1956 : Tom HoneymanTom HoneymanDr. Thomas "Tom" J. Honeyman was the director of the Glasgow Art Gallery.Born in Glasgow, the son of engine driver Thomas Honeyman and Elspeth Smith , Honeyman studied medicine at Glasgow prior to service in the trenches during the First World War...
, physician, director of Kelvingrove Art Gallery (former student) - 1956-1959 : Rab ButlerRab ButlerRichard Austen Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC , who invariably signed his name R. A. Butler and was familiarly known as Rab, was a British Conservative politician...
- 1959-1962 : Quintin Hogg, 2nd Viscount HailshamQuintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St MaryleboneFor the businessman and philanthropist, see Quintin Hogg Quintin McGarel Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC, FRS , formerly 2nd Viscount Hailsham , was a British politician who was known for the longevity of his career, the vigour with which he campaigned for the Conservative...
- 1962-1965 : Chief Albert LutuliAlbert LutuliAlbert John Lutuli , also known by his Zulu name Mvumbi, was a South African teacher and politician. Lutuli was elected president of the African National Congress , at the time an umbrella organisation that led opposition to the white minority government in South Africa...
- 1965-1968 : John Reith, 1st Baron ReithJohn Reith, 1st Baron ReithJohn Charles Walsham Reith, 1st Baron Reith, KT, GCVO, GBE, CB, TD, PC was a Scottish broadcasting executive who established the tradition of independent public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom...
- 1968-1971 : Rev. George MacLeodGeorge MacLeodGeorge Fielden MacLeod, Baron MacLeod of Fuinary, MC was a Scottish soldier and clergyman; he was one of the best known, most influential and unconventional Church of Scotland ministers of the 20th century. He was the founder of the Iona Community.-Early life:He was born in Glasgow in 1895...
- 1971-1974 : Jimmy ReidJimmy ReidJames "Jimmy" Reid was a Scottish trade union activist, orator, politician, and journalist born in Govan, Glasgow. His role as spokesman and one of the leaders in the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Work-in between June 1971 and October 1972 attracted international recognition...
- 1974-1977 : Arthur MontfordArthur MontfordArthur Montford is a former Scottish television sports journalist, best known for his 32 year tenure as the presenter of Scotsport. Although he was most associated with football, he covered a number of other sports for ITV, notably Golf.Montford was raised in Greenock...
- 1977-1980 : John L. BellJohn L. BellJohn Lamberton Bell is a hymn-writer. A Church of Scotland minister, he is a member of the Iona Community, a broadcaster, and former student activist...
(elected while a student at the University) - 1980-1984 : Reginald BosanquetReginald BosanquetReginald Bosanquet was a British journalist, best known for presenting ITN news in the 1970s.-Early life:He was the son of the cricketer Bernard Bosanquet, inventor of the "googly" and a cousin of the public relations executive Christopher Bosanquet...
, TV newsreader - 1984-1987 : Michael Kelly, Lord Provost of Glasgow
- 1987-1990 : Winnie Madikizela-MandelaWinnie Madikizela-MandelaWinnie Madikizela-Mandela is a South African politician who has held several government positions and headed the African National Congress Women's League. She is currently a member of the ANC's National Executive Committee...
, wife of Nelson MandelaNelson MandelaNelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing... - 1990-1993 : Pat KanePat KanePat Kane is a Scottish musician, and half of the pop duo Hue and Cry with his younger brother Greg.Independently of Hue & Cry, lead singer Kane writes on politics and culture...
, musician (former student) - 1993-1996 : Johnny BallJohnny BallJohnny Ball is a British television personality, a great populariser of mathematics and the father of BBC Radio 2 DJ Zoë Ball.-Early life:...
, TV presenter - 1996-1999 : Richard Wilson, actor
- 1999-2000 : Ross KempRoss KempRoss James Kemp is a BAFTA award-winning British actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
, actor - 2001-2004 : Greg HemphillGreg HemphillGregory "Greg" Hemphill is a Scottish actor and comedian. He has also presented on television and radio. Along with his comedy partner, Ford Kiernan, he is best known in the United Kingdom for his appearances in Still Game and Chewin' the Fat.-Personal life:Hemphill was born in Glasgow, Scotland,...
, actor, (former student) - 2004-2005 : Position Vacant
- 2005-2008 : Mordechai VanunuMordechai VanunuMordechai Vanunu ; is a former Israeli nuclear technician who, citing his opposition to weapons of mass destruction, revealed details of Israel's nuclear weapons program to the British press in 1986. He was subsequently lured to Italy by a Mossad agent, where he was drugged and kidnapped by...
, Israeli nuclear technician and whistle-blower - 2008-present : Charles KennedyCharles KennedyCharles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
, politician (former student)