George Swinton

Captain George Sitwell Campbell Swinton, DL (10 May 1859-17 January 1937) was a long serving Scottish politician and officer of arms.

Swinton was born in Edinburgh, the second son of Archibald Campbell Swinton of Kimmerghame, Berwickshire, and Georgiana, daughter of Sir George Sitwell, 2nd Baronet of Renishaw. In 1895 he married Elizabeth Ebsworth OBE, daughter of E.H. Ebsworth of Gattonside. The couple had one son and two daughters. Elizabeth was an accomplished singer and performed professionally later in life.

He was gazetted to 71st Highland Light Infantry in 1878 and retiredin 1893. He was also an extra Aide-de-Camp to the Marquess of Lansdowne when he was Viceroy of India from 1888 to 1894. Swinton also studied art under Professor Herkomer and other masters.

Swinton was also the unsuccessful Conservative candidate for Paisley in 1900. He was a Member of London County Council representing Holborn from 1901-1907 and Dulwich from 1922-28. He was Chairman of the Parks and Open Spaces Committee in 1904-1905, and Chief Whip of the Municipal Reform Party (the Conservative group on the Council) from 1903-1912. He was an Alderman from 1907-1912, and 1920-1922. He became Chairman of the London County Council in 1912, but resigned on accepting the post of Chairman of the Town-planning Committee of the new Imperial City of Delhi. He was attached by the Colonial Office to the Representatives of the Overseas Dominions attending the Imperial Conferences in 1917 and 1918; foreshadowed, in August 1917, the Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh Castle; Honorary Secretary of the Scottish National War Memorial Committee, 1918.

Swinton also served as March Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary. He was Albany Herald of Arms in Ordinary from 1923 until 1926 and served Lord Lyon King of Arms and Secretary to the Order of the Thistle from 1927 until 1929.

Publications

A Garden Road; Development; London: her Traffic, her Improvement, and Charing Cross Bridge; several papers on social subjects, the problems of traffic, and the improvement of London.

ee also

*Heraldry
*Court of the Lord Lyon

External links

* [http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/4749 Portrait by John Singer Sargent of Mrs George Swinton in The Art Institute of Chicago]