1033 John Kinnear

Constituency : East  Fife  1885-6

John  was  the  first  MP  for  the  new  seat  of  East  Fife.

John  was  educated  at  Edinburgh  and  St  Andrews  Universities. His  family  were  involved  in  banking  and  he  was  a  local  laird.. He  became  a  Scottish  barrister  and  political  secretary  to  the  Lord  Advocate  in  the  1850s. He  wrote extensively  on  jurisprudence ,  religion  and  women's  rights. In  1877  he  published  a  book  supporting  Gladstone  on  the  Eastern  Question.  In  1883  he  argued  in  the  Manchester  Examiner  that  courts  should  decide  custody  issues  in  the  best  interests  of  the  child.

In his  only  parliamentary  contribution  John  supported  an  amendment  to  the  Queen's  Speech  which  would  give  the  crofters  more  protection  from  eviction.

John  was  a  radical  and  supporter  of  Chamberlain  and  followed  him  in  opposing  Home  Rule. He   was  wary  of  Scottish  home  rule  as  well.

Having  been  disowned  by  the  local  Liberal  association, John  stood  as  Liberal  Unionist  candidate  in  1886  but  was  narrowly  defeated  by  the  young  Herbert  Asquith.

He  died  in  1920  aged  92.