591 George Loch

Constituency : Wick  Burghs 1868-72

The  1868  election  was  a  big  victory  for  the  Liberals. Given  the  extended  franchise  and  redistribution  of  seats  comparisons  with  the  result  in  1865  are  not  particularly  meaningful  but  generally  the  Liberals  tightened  their  grip  on  Scotland,  Wales  and  ( temporarily )  Ireland  while  holding  their  own  in  England. As  Russell  had  already  indicated  a  lack  of  interest  in  forming  another  ministry  the  queen  sent  for  Gladstone  and  Disraeli's  government  resigned  without  waiting  for  a  parliamentary  defeat  as  henceforth  became  the  norm  after  a  clear  election  result.

George  defeated  the  Adullamite   Samuel  Laing  at  Wick Burghs  by  186  votes.

George  was  the  son  of  James  Loch  who  managed  the  Duke  of  Sutherland's  estates  and  carried  out  some  evictions.George  was  a  barrister. He  was  a  friend  of  Lord  Granville.  He  was  a  supporter of  homeopathic  medicine.

 George  successfully  moved  for  a  select  committee  on  the game  laws  in  Scotland  in  1869. He  resigned  his  seat  in  1872  and  became  Attorney-General  for  the  Duchy  of  Cornwall  the  following  year.

He  died  in  1887  aged  76.