Name John Muirhead | Role Lawyer | |
Brigadier Sir John Spencer Muirhead, DSO, TD, DL (1889 – 17 February 1972) was a Scottish solicitor, academic, and British Army officer. He was President of the Law Society of Scotland in 1950, and was Dean of the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow in 1952.
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Early life
Muirhead was born in 1890. His father and a grandfather were both lawyers. He was educated at Fettes College, then an all-boys independent school in Edinburgh, Scotland. He studied Literae Humaniores at Oriel College, Oxford, and graduated with a double first Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1912. He then entered the University of Glasgow to study law. His studies were interrupted by World War I but he returned after the war and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.
Military career
In 1912, Muirhead was commissioned into the Royal Engineers, British Army, as a Territorial Army officer. He served part-time while he continued his university study.
In July 1914, with the outbreak of World War I, he was called up for military service. He served as an officer with the Royal Corps of Signals and was part of the British Expeditionary Force. At the end of the war, in July 1918, he held the rank of lieutenant (acting major) and was allowed to retain the rank of major in the Royal Engineers.
In the inter-war period, he continued to serve in the Territorial Army. On 6 August 1919, he reverted to the temporary rank of captain. He held a number of commands in different regiments: he was Officer Commanding of the 52nd (Lowland) Division Signals Regiment, Officer Commanding of the Glasgow University Officers' Training Corps, and Officer Commanding of the 74th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery.
Honours and decorations
On 3 June 1918, in the King's Birthday Honours, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). During World War I, he was mentioned in despatches three times. On 13 October 1920, he was awarded the Territorial Decoration (TD) for long service in the Territorial Army. In the 1953 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Knight Bachelor in recognition of his time as President of the Law Society of Scotland, and therefore granted the title sir.
On 10 August 1936, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant (DL) by the Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire. In August 1960, he was appointed Vice-Lieutenant of Stirlingshire. He resigned the appointment on 23 March 1964.