Colonel Macbeth Duncan (1 September 1866 – 2 October 1942) was a

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

international

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

player. He later became the 48th

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

of the

Scottish Rugby Union The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU; gd, Aonadh Rugbaidh na h-Alba) is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. Styled as Scottish Rugby, it is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873. The SRU oversees the national league s ...

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Duncan was schooled at Cargilfield before moving on to Fettes College. He played for Fettesian-Lorettonians. After Fettes, Duncan went to Clare College, Cambridge University. He played for

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

and captained the side. He obtained his mathematics degree with honours before then studying law at both Aberdeen and Edinburgh universities. He also played for Aberdeen University while studying law there.

Provincial career

He played for East of Scotland District against West of Scotland District on 26 January 1889.

International career

He was capped once for Scotland in 1888. for a Home Nations match against Wales in Newport.

Administrative career

He was

of the

for the period 1927 to 1928.

Law career

His father Charles Duncan was an advocate and Procurator-Fiscal for Aberdeenshire. Duncan studied law at both

University of Aberdeen The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...

and at

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

. He served an apprenticeship with Peter Duguid (advocate), Henry Peterkin (solicitor), and with the firm Mackenzie and Cormack in Edinburgh. His brother W. O. Duncan was a partner in the firm with Duguid and Peterkin and so Duncan then joined the firm Duguid, Peterkin and Duncan. On the retirement of Duguid, Macbeth Duncan became a partner and the firm was then called Peterkin and Duncans. He became a President of the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen from 1928 to 1930. In 1928, he was made Sheriff-Substitute of Aberdeen. Duncan specialised in merchantile law. He acted for the Board of Trade on their inquiries on the loss of vessels.

Military career

He was chairman of the City of Aberdeen Territorial Army. Duncan held a commission at the local Artillery Corps. In the First World War he was sent to France as head of the 1st Highland Brigade (Royal Artillery). He was decorated with a C. M. G. In 1933, he was made a Honoary Colonel of the 75th Highland Field Brigade in the Royal Artillery (T. A.)

Outside of rugby union, law and military

Duncan was a keen golfer. He became Secretary of Aberdeen Golf Club, a post which he held for 28 years. He tried to promote a golfing Northern Counties tournament and became the first chairman of the North-East Association of the Scottish Golf Union.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duncan, Macbeth 1866 births 1942 deaths People educated at Cargilfield School People educated at Fettes College Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge Scottish rugby union players Scotland international rugby union players Fettesian-Lorretonian rugby union players Presidents of the Scottish Rugby Union Aberdeen University RFC players East of Scotland District players Cambridge R.U.F.C. players Rugby union players from Aberdeen Rugby union three-quarters Military personnel from Aberdeen