Alexander Asher
|
Alexander Asher Q.C. |
|
|---|---|
Portrait of Alexander Asher, as published in the Black & White Parliamentary Album, 1895
|
|
| Member of Parliament for Elgin Burghs |
|
|
In office 13 July 1881 – 27 January 1905 |
|
| Preceded by | M. E. Grant Duff |
| Succeeded by | John Sutherland |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
27 January 1834 Inveravon, Banffshire |
| Died | 5 August 1905 (aged 71) Murrayfield, Edinburgh |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Political party | Liberal Party |
| Spouse(s) | Caroline Gregan Craufurd |
| Parents | William Asher, Katherine Forbes Gordon |
| Residence | Beechwood, Murrayfield, Edinburgh |
Alexander Asher (27 January 1834 – 5 August 1905) was a Scottish politician and lawyer, who was elected as Member of Parliament for the Elgin Burghs constituency from 1881 until his death in 1905. He was also Solicitor General for Scotland on three occasions, and was Dean of the Faculty of Advocates.
Asher was born at Inveravon, Banffshire, on 27 January 1834. He was the third son of William Asher the parish minister of Inveravon and his wife, Katherine Forbes Gordon. He was educated at Elgin Academy and both King's College, Aberdeen and Edinburgh University. He was awarded honorary degrees of LL.D. by Aberdeen and Edinburgh Universities in 1891.
Asher was admitted to the Scottish Bar, the Faculty of Advocates in 1861. He was appointed an Advocate Depute in 1870. At this time he was living at 31 Heriot Row, a huge Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh's Second New town.
In December 1881 he took silk, becoming a Queen's Counsel (QC). In 1895, he was unanimously chosen as Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, following the resignation of Charles Pearson when he was appointed as Lord Advocate.
At the general election of 1880 Asher was unsuccessful as Liberal candidate for the universities of Glasgow and Aberdeen. In 1881, following the resignation of M. E. Grant Duff from the Elgin Burghs constituency, Asher was chosen to represent the Liberal Party at the Elgin Burghs by-election, 1881. He was elected unopposed on 13 July. He immediately took office in the Liberal Government of William Gladstone as Solicitor General for Scotland, serving until 1885. He was elected unopposed at the General Election 1885, at a by-election on 12 February 1886 after re-acceptance of office as Solicitor General for Scotland and again at the General Election 1886. His second spell as Solicitor General being cut short when the Liberals lost power. He stood again at the United Kingdom general election, 1892, and was re-elected, this time opposed, by a majority of 541. After that election the Liberals were returned to power. Asher took office in that government, again as Solicitor General for Scotland, serving for another two years.
...
Wikipedia