Biography of Sir Iain Colquhoun 7th Baronet

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Iain Colquhoun of Luss, 7th Baronet (1887-1948), was Rector of the University from 1934 to 1937. In 1946 he donated land at Rowardennan on the banks of Loch Lomond for a freshwater biology field station that is now the Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment.

Colqhuoun succeeded to the family title in 1910. He served as an army officer in the First World War and was awarded the DSO and Bar and mentioned in despatches. He was Lord Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire from 1919 until his death, Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1932, 1940 and 1941 and he was created a Knight of the Thistle in 1937.

In 1934 Colquhoun was nominated as a non-political candidate for rector and defeated the Labour politician Sir Stafford Cripps; the Scottish nationalist RB Cunninghame Graham; the pianist and former President of Poland, Jan Paderewski and the the Liberal politician (and future rector) Sir Archibald Sinclair.

Colquhoun's ties with the University pre-dated his election. He had been Rector's Assessor during Compton Mackenzie's rectorship and he presided at University Court meetings during the Principal Sir Robert Rait's illness in 1935-1936.

Summary

Sir Iain Colquhoun 7th Baronet
Lord Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire
Born 20 June 1887, Luss, Scotland.
Died 12 November 1948.
University Link: Honorary Graduate, Rector
GU Degree:
Occupation categories: soldiers
Record last updated: 3rd Mar 2011

University Connections

University Roles

• Rector, 1934-1937
• Honorary Graduate

Images

Sir Iain Colquhoun