Archibald Corbett, 1st Baron Rowallan

Archibald Cameron Corbett, 1st Baron Rowallan (23 May 1856 – 19 March 1933), was a Scottish Liberal Party and Liberal Unionist Party politician.

Annie R. Merrylees's pair of oils on ivory of Archibald and Alice Archibald Cameron Corbett

Early life

The second son of Thomas Corbett, a Glasgow merchant and philanthropist, and Sarah (née Cameron),[1] he was educated at home and at the Glasgow Academy. With his older brother Thomas, he took up the offer of a world tour rather than go to university. On his return, he briefly studied sculpture in South Kensington and then managed his father's estates in Essex which he bought from his uncle after his father's death in 1880. He became one of the principal developers of the eastern suburbs of London.[2]

Political career

An interest in philanthropy led him into politics and first contested North Warwickshire in 1884 at the age of 28. At the 1885 general election he was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow Tradeston, first as a Liberal and from 1886 as a Liberal Unionist. In August 1908 he crossed the floor of the House and rejoined the Liberal Party. He held Glasgow Tradeston until his retirement from the House of Commons in 1911, when he was created 1st Baron Rowallan, of Rowallan in the County of Ayr.[3]

Family life

In 1887, he married Alice Mary Polson, a daughter of John Polson, the co-founder of the corn merchants firm of Brown & Polson. They had a daughter, Elsie Cameron, and two sons; Thomas Godfrey Polson and Arthur Cameron who joined the Royal Naval Air Service and was killed in 1916.[4] In 1901, the Corbetts bought the 6,000 acre Rowallan Estate in Ayrshire. Their previous Scottish home at Rouken Glen was donated to the citizens of Glasgow as a public park. In 1906, he donated the Ardgoil estate to Glasgow as well.[5] He died on 19 March 1933 and was succeeded by his son.

Arms
Coat of arms of Archibald Corbett, 1st Baron Rowallan
Crest
A branch of oak thereon a raven Sable.
Escutcheon
Quarterly 1st & 4th Argent a key fesseways wards downwards between two ravens Sable (Corbett) 2nd & 3rd Azure a chevron Or between two bears’ heads couped Argent muzzled Gules in chief and in base a cross moline of the third (Polson).
Supporters
Dexter a salmon Proper holding in its mouth a jewelled ring Or sinister a seal Proper.
Motto
Deus Pascit Corvos [6]

References
  1. Rowallan: the autobiography of Lord Rowallan, Paul Harris Publishing Ltd, 1976, ISBN 0-919670-12-1 p. 5.
  2. Rowallan: the autobiography of Lord Rowallan, Paul Harris Publishing Ltd, 1976, ISBN 0-919670-12-1 pp. 7–12.
  3. "No. 28512". The London Gazette. 11 July 1911. p. 5169.
  4. Burke's Landed Gentry of Great Britain, Burke's Peerage Partnership 2001, ISBN 0-9711966-0-5 p. 251.
  5. Rowallan: the autobiography of Lord Rowallan, Paul Harris Publishing Ltd, 1976, ISBN 0-919670-12-1 pp. 31–32.
  6. Burke's Peerage. 1959.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
New constituency Member of Parliament
for Glasgow Tradeston
1885–1911		 Succeeded by
J. D. White
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New constituency Baron Rowallan
1911–1933		 Succeeded by
Thomas Corbett

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