Name Christopher Johnston, Role Lord Sands | Died 1934 Books Sir Walter Scott's conge | |
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Sir Christopher Nicholson Johnston, Lord Sands FRSE DD LLD (18 October 1857–26 February 1934) was Unionist Party (Scotland) MP for Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities between two by-elections in 1916 and 1917. He was an expert on Church Law and represented the Church of Scotland on many occasions.
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Life
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He was born on 18 October 1857 in Kincardine, the son of James Johnston of Mansionhouse of Sands (in Fife), and his wife, Margaret Nicholson, daughter of Rev Nicholson of Whithorn.
He studied Law at Madras College in St Andrews University and in Edinburgh University and Heidelberg.
After training as a lawyer he made rapid progress in the profession: Advocate (1880); Advocate Depute (1892); Sheriff (1899-1916); Kings Counsel (10 June 1902). He was a Procurator for the Church of Scotland (1907-1918). He became a judge in 1908.
He served as an MP representing St Andrews and Edinburgh Universities 1916/17.
In 1917 he was created a Senator of the College of Justice (a Scottish law lord) and given the title Lord Sands.
From 1919 he was President of the Scottish Boys Brigade. From 1921 he chaired the Carnegie Trust for University Education. He was awarded several honorary doctorates by the Scottish Universities including being created a Doctor of Divinity by Edinburgh University.
In 1925 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Sir James Alfred Ewing, Sir Edmund Whittaker, Sir Edward Albert Sharpey-Schafer, and Sir Thomas Hudson Beare. He served as the Society's Vice-President 1932-4.
He died in Edinburgh on 26 February 1934 aged 76. He is buried in the modern extension to Dean Cemetery off Queensferry Road in western Edinburgh. The grave lies against the north wall in the modern equivalent of Lord's Row in the original cemetery, forming one off a group of law lords buried together. His wife lies with him.
Family
In 1898 he married Agnes ("Nancy") Warren Dunn (1868-1955) of Dunmullin. They had two sons and two daughters, including James Wellwood Johnston and Alice Crawford Johnston CBE. They lived at 4 Heriot Row in Edinburgh's New Town.