SECOND son of a Glasgow medical man. Dr. J. R. Dickson,
Mr. Scott Dickson was born in Garnethill, Glasgow, 13th September, 1850, and
educated at Glasgow High School, and Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities, at the
former of which he took honours in Mathematics and Philosophy. After some years
in the law offices in Glasgow of Messrs. Macleod & Ralston, now Clark & Cameron,
and of Messrs. M'Lay, Murray, & Spens, and after practising as a writer for a
year, he was admitted a Member of the Faculty of Advocates in 1877. He continued
his connection with Glasgow, however, by holding the Lectureship on
Constitutional Law at Glasgow University. In 1892 he contested Kilmarnock Burghs
in the Conservative interest. Unsuccessful there, he attacked the Liberal
stronghold of Bridgeton three years later, when he was defeated by Sir George
Trevelyan, and at the Bye Election in 1897 he was defeated by Sir Charles
Cameron. Meanwhile he had been Advocate-Depute in 1892 and 1895, and the
Government had recognised his merits by appointing him Solicitor-General for
Scotland in 1896; and at the General Election of 1900, Sir Charles Cameron
having retired, he again contested Bridgeton, and was returned by a large
majority against Professor Murison. Three years later he was made Lord-Advocate.
He lost his seat at the General Election in 1906. but in March, 1909, was
returned for the Central Division of Glasgow with a majority of over 2,000. In
October, 1908, he was elected Dean of the Faculty of Advocates.
Mrs. Scott Dickson is a sister-in-law of Professor Dewar,
famous for his discoveries of the means of liquefying gases, who was President
of the British Association in 1903.
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Index of Glasgow Men (1909)