Peter McLagan (1823 – 31 August 1900)[1] was a BritishLiberal Party politician who sat in theHouse of Commons from 1865 to 1893. He was Scotland's first non-White and first Black MP.[2]
McLagan was born inDemerara inBritish Guiana. His father was Peter McLagan (1774–1860), and his mother was an unknown black woman.[2] His father co-owned a sugar plantation withSamuel Sandbach. When the UK Government emancipated the slaves in the 1830s, they paid over £21,000 (£2,791,310 in 2020) in compensation to the elder McLagan and Sandbach for the legal emancipation of over 400 slaves.[3]
He left British Guiana with his father as a child and was educated inTillicoultry andPeebles, before attending theUniversity of Edinburgh.[2]
In 1841, at the age of 18, he is known to be living at 77 Great King Street in theNew Town, Edinburgh, with his father and cousin. His father died in 1860 and is buried in New Calton cemetery.[4]
At the1865 general election, he was elected unopposed[5] as theMember of Parliament forLinlithgowshire,[6] and was re-elected at the next six general elections.[5][7] Heresigned his seat on 2 June 1893 by becomingSteward of the Manor of Northstead.[8]
As an MP, he supportedwomen's suffrage, the need for women doctors, and theIrish Home Rule Movement,[2] although he abstained on theFirst Home Rule Bill.[9]
In 1878, he and his wife supported the erection of the McLagan memorial water fountain inBathgate.[10][11]
McLagan owned thePumpherston estate inWest Lothian.
He died atMarylebone in London but is buried with his wife in the churchyard ofKirk of Calder inMid Calder, West Lothian.[12]
He was married to Elizabeth Ann Taylor (1846–1882).
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| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forLinlithgowshire 1865 –1893 | Succeeded by |
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