Rev John Sinclair (1842–1892) was a

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

politician in the

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. He was elected as a Member of Parliament for

Ayr Burghs Ayr Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain, House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons of the Parliamen ...

, in

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, in 1888, resigning in 1890 by becoming

Steward of the Manor of Northstead The office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead functions as a procedural device to allow a member of Parliament (MP) to resign from the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. As members of the House of Commons are forbidde ...

Life

He was born on 6 November 1842 in

Latheron Latheron () is a small village and civil parish in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom ...

Caithness Caithness (; ; ) is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Scotland. There are two towns, being Wick, Caithness, Wick, which was the county town, and Thurso. The count ...

the son of Rev John Sinclair, and his wife, Dorothea Wilson. He was baptised into the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...

on 21 November 1842. He was educated at the High School in Edinburgh, which was then on

Calton Hill Calton Hill (; ) is a hill in central Edinburgh, Scotland, situated beyond the east end of Princes Street and included in the city's United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Views of, and f ...

. He studied Divinity at

New College, Edinburgh New College is a historic building at the The University of Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh which houses the university's School of Divinity. It is one of the largest and most renowned centres for studies in Theology and Religious studies, R ...

from 1863 to 1867. His loyalties lay with the Free Church of Scotland and he was ordained in that church at

Grangemouth Grangemouth (; , ) is a town in the Falkirk (council area), Falkirk council area in the central belt of Scotland. Historically part of the Counties of Scotland, county of Stirlingshire, the town lies in the Forth Valley, on the banks of the Firt ...

in 1869. In 1878 he moved to the prestigious

Barony Church The Barony Hall, (formerly the Barony Church), is a deconsecrated church building located on Castle Street in the Townhead area of Glasgow, Scotland, near Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the city's oldest surviving house, Provand ...

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. In 1880 he was translated to St Bernards Free Church in

Stockbridge, Edinburgh Stockbridge is a district of Edinburgh, located north of the city centre, bounded by the New Town, Edinburgh, New Town and by Comely Bank. The name is Scots ''stock brig'' from Anglic languages, Anglic ''stocc brycg'', meaning a timber bridge. ...

. He was then living at 2 Learmonth Terrace in Edinburgh's West End. He resigned from the ministry in 1884 and moved into politics. In 1888 he became MP to Ayr Burghs. He died at home, Canal Street in Grangemouth, on 7 January 1892.Glasgow Herald 8 January 1892 St Bernards Free Church was on Henderson Row in Edinburgh. It was demolished in the 1980s and replaced by sheltered housing.

Publications

*''Heather Bells'' *''Sabbath Lessons from Westminster'' *''Tales From the North'' *''The Church on the Sea'' * ''Scenes and Stories of the North of Scotland'' (1890)

Family

In October 1871 he married Elizabeth Greig Mackay (1851-1934), daughter of George Grey Mackay, a coalmaster in

. They had a daughter Elizabeth Ann Sinclair (b.1873).

References

External links

* 1842 births 1892 deaths Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Scottish constituencies UK MPs 1886–1892 Scottish Liberal Party MPs {{Scotland-Liberal-UK-MP-stub