Sir Thomas Russell Fairgrieve

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(3 May 1924 – 17 February 1999) was a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

Conservative and Unionist The Conservative and Unionist Party, commonly the Conservative Party and colloquially known as the Tories, is one of the two main political parties in the United Kingdom, along with the Labour Party. The party sits on the centre-right to right- ...

politician. He was educated at St. Mary's School, Melrose,

Sedbergh School Sedbergh School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Private schools in the United Kingdom, private boarding school, boarding and day school, day school) in the town of Sedbergh in Cumbria, North West England. It comprise ...

, and the Scottish College of Textiles. He served as a Major in the

8th Gurkha Rifles The 8th Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1824 as part of the British East India Company and later transferred to the British Indian Army after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The regiment served in World War I ...

(Indian Army), 1946 and as a Major in the

King's Own Scottish Borderers The King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSBs) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division. On 28 March 2006 the regiment was amalgamated with the Royal Scots, the Royal Highland Fusiliers, Royal Highland Fusiliers ...

from 1956 to 1972. He served as a Selkirk County and

Galashiels Galashiels (; , ) is a town in the Scottish Borders with a population of around 12,600. Its name is often colloquially shortened to "Gala". The town is a major commercial centre for the Borders region with extensive history in the textile in ...

Town Councillor from 1949 to 1959, and as Member of Parliament for Aberdeenshire West from February 1974 until 1983. He was Parliamentary

Under-Secretary of State for Scotland The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post (of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State rank) in the Government of the United Kingdom, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland. The post is also kn ...

from 1979 until 1981, and was a Member of the

Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE; , CdE) is an international organisation with the goal of upholding human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. Founded in 1949, it is Europe's oldest intergovernmental organisation, represe ...

. He held a number of offices in the Scottish Conservative Association and was Chairman of the Conservative Party in Scotland from 1975 until 1980. He held a number of business appointments, mainly in the textile, advertising and construction sectors. He was appointed a

in 1974 and was knighted in 1981.

References

* 1924 births 1999 deaths People educated at St Mary's School, Melrose People educated at Sedbergh School Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Scottish constituencies British Indian Army officers King's Own Scottish Borderers officers Scottish Conservative MPs Knights Bachelor Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Councillors in Scotland UK MPs 1974 UK MPs 1974–1979 UK MPs 1979–1983 Indian Army personnel of World War II People from Galashiels {{Conservative-UK-MP-1920s-stub