Herbert Archbold Brechin
Sir Herbert Archbold Brechin KBE FRSE FRICS (1903 – 1979) was a British politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1966 to 1969.
Life
He was born in Edinburgh on 3 November 1903, the son of David Brechin (d.1949), a civil servant, and Katharine Mary O’Brien.[1]
He was educated at James Gillespies School in Edinburgh and then attended Heriot-Watt College (now Heriot-Watt University) from 1919 where he trained as a surveyor. In 1931 he founded the company ’’H.A.Brechin & Co’’. In 1934 he married Jane Richmond Cameron.
He was founder and chairman of the firm ‘’’Brechin & Co’’’. He successfully campaigned with Sir John Inch to bring the Commonwealth Games to Edinburgh in 1970 which also involved the construction of the Commonwealth Pool and Meadowbank Stadium.[2]In the 1960s he lived at ‘’The Garth’’ 3 Castlelaw Road in the Colinton area of Edinburgh.[3]
In 1969 he was created a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.[1] He was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1971 for his services to the city of Edinburgh with particular reference to the Commonwealth Games.[4]
Positions Held and Honours
- Doctor of Letters from Heriot-Watt University 1967.[5]
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire 1968[6]
- Deputy Lieutenant of Edinburgh 1970
- Chairman of Heriot-Watt University Court 1972-79
Artistic Recognition
Brechin was painted wearing the ceremonial robes of the Lord Provost by Henry Raeburn Dobson in 1967.
References
- "Former Fellows of The Royal Society of Edinburgh - 1783 – 2002" (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
- "Obituary: Sir John Inch". 29 November 1993. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- London Gazette: 2 April 1970
- "The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- webperson@hw.ac.uk. "Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh: Honorary Graduates". www1.hw.ac.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
- London Gazette: 16 February 1968