William Stewart, Lord Allanbridge
Encyclopedia
William Stewart, Lord Allanbridge (born 8 November 1925) is a Scottish lawyer, judge and politician, who served as Solicitor General for Scotland
, the country's junior Law Officer
from 1972 to 1974, and as a Senator of the College of Justice
, a judge of the Supreme Courts of Scotland
, from 1977 to 1995.
and studied at the Universities of Glasgow
and Edinburgh
, and served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
at the end of the Second World War
from 1944 to 1946. He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
in 1951 and appointed Queen's Counsel
(QC) in 1965.
in the Conservative government of Ted Heath
. The Solicitor General was the junior of the two Law Officers
then existing in respect of Scotland, the senior being the Lord Advocate
, an office held at the time by Norman Wylie, MP for Edinburgh Pentlands
. Stewart lost his position at the 1974 election
, which was won by the Labour Party
. From April to December that year, he served as temporary Sheriff Principal
of Dumfries and Galloway
, the post vacated by his successor as Solicitor General, John McCluskey
(later Lord McCluskey).
and High Court of Justiciary
, Scotland]'s Supreme Courts
in 1977 as a Senator of the College of Justice
with judicial title Lord Allanbridge. He remained on the Bench until retirement in 1995.
.
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...
, the country's junior Law Officer
Law Officers of the Crown
The Law Officers of the Crown are the chief legal advisers to the Crown, and advise and represent the various governments in the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth Realms. In England and Wales, Northern Ireland and most Commonwealth and colonial governments, the chief law officer of the...
from 1972 to 1974, and as a Senator of the College of Justice
Senator of the College of Justice
The 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...
, a judge of the Supreme Courts of Scotland
College of Justice
The College of Justice is a term used to describe the Supreme Courts of Scotland, and its associated bodies.The constituent bodies of the supreme courts of Scotland are the Court of Session, the High Court of Justiciary, and the Accountant of Court's Office...
, from 1977 to 1995.
Early life
Stewart was born in 1925, the son of architect John Stewart and his wife, Maysie Shepherd Service. He was educated at Loretto SchoolLoretto School
Loretto School is an independent school in Scotland, founded in 1827. The campus occupies in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh.-History:Loretto was founded by the Reverend Thomas Langhorne in 1827. Langhorne came from Crosby Ravensworth, near Kirkby Stephen. The school was later taken over by his son,...
and studied at the Universities 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...
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...
, and served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
at the end of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
from 1944 to 1946. He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
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 1951 and appointed 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...
(QC) in 1965.
Career
Stewart followed a traditional career at the Bar, serving as an Advocate Depute from 1959 to 1964 and Home Advocate Depute from 1970 to 1972. He also served two non-consecutive years on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, from 1969 to 1970 and 1976 to 1977.Solicitor General
In 1972, he became Solicitor General for ScotlandSolicitor 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...
in the Conservative government of Ted Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
. The Solicitor General was the junior of the two Law Officers
Law Officers of the Crown
The Law Officers of the Crown are the chief legal advisers to the Crown, and advise and represent the various governments in the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth Realms. In England and Wales, Northern Ireland and most Commonwealth and colonial governments, the chief law officer of the...
then existing in respect of Scotland, the senior being the 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...
, an office held at the time by Norman Wylie, MP for Edinburgh Pentlands
Edinburgh Pentlands (UK Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh Pentlands was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, first used in the general election of 1950, and abolished prior to the general election of 2005...
. Stewart lost his position at the 1974 election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
, which was won by the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. From April to December that year, he served as temporary Sheriff Principal
Sheriff Principal
The office of sheriff principal is unique within the judicial structure of Scotland, and it cannot therefore readily be compared with any other judicial office. It is one of great antiquity, having existed continuously since around the 11th century...
of Dumfries and Galloway
Sheriffdom
A sheriffdom is a judicial district in Scotland.Since 1 January 1975 there have been six sheriffdoms. Previously sheriffdoms were composed of groupings of counties...
, the post vacated by his successor as Solicitor General, John McCluskey
John McCluskey, Baron McCluskey
John Herbert McCluskey, Baron McCluskey is a Scottish lawyer, judge and politician, who served as Solicitor General for Scotland, the country's junior Law Officer from 1974 to 1979, and as a Senator of the College of Justice, a judge of Scotland's Supreme Courts, from 1984 to 2004.He was recently...
(later Lord McCluskey).
The Bench
Stewart was appointed to the Benches of the Court of SessionCourt 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....
and High Court of Justiciary
High Court of Justiciary
The High Court of Justiciary is the supreme criminal court of Scotland.The High Court is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal. As a court of first instance, the High Court sits mainly in Parliament House, or in the former Sheriff Court building, in Edinburgh, but also sits from time...
, Scotland]'s Supreme Courts
College of Justice
The College of Justice is a term used to describe the Supreme Courts of Scotland, and its associated bodies.The constituent bodies of the supreme courts of Scotland are the Court of Session, the High Court of Justiciary, and the Accountant of Court's Office...
in 1977 as a Senator of the College of Justice
Senator of the College of Justice
The 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...
with judicial title Lord Allanbridge. He remained on the Bench until retirement in 1995.
Personal life
Stewart married in 1955 and had a son and a daughter. He was widowed in 2005. He lives in Edinburgh and is a member of the New ClubNew Club
The New Club, established in 1787, is a private club in the New Town area of Edinburgh, Scotland.The Club originally met in Bayle's Tavern in Shakespeare Square at the east end of Princes Street. It then acquired its own premises in St Andrew's Square before moving to its present site at 86 Princes...
.