Constituency : Argyllshire 1868-78, Manchester South 1895-1900 ( Liberal Unionist )
John came in unopposed to replace Alexander Finlay ( who may have resigned to facilitate his entrance ).
John was the son and heir of the Duke of Argyll , an original Peelite who held office in every liberal administration from 1852 to 1881 and a nephew of the Duke of Sutherland. He was educated at Eton and Cambridge but also the National Art Training School. He travelled widely in North and Central America.
John's parliamentary career was uneventful. The London World magazine described him as " a non-entity in the House of Commons and a non-entity without". He acted as private secretary to his father , then the secretary of state for India, from 1868 to 1871. That year he was married to one of the Queen's spare daughters, Princess Louise. There are rumours that she had a baby boy as a teenager and he was adopted by the queen's gynaecologist; a purported descendant has had his request for tests refused. The marriage was childless, they often lived apart and there were rumours that John was at least bisexual.
John resigned his seat in 1878 in order to become Canada's youngest Governor-General at 33. There was a mixed reception in the territory. Many were excited at having a genuine royal in residence ; others felt that Canadian society would be changed adversely by her presence. John's term was generally felt to be a success, both he and Louise were fond of the arts and encouraged the establishment of the National Gallery of Canada and the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. He oversaw the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway and a hospital in British Columbia. He also wrote poetry in praise of Canada. "Lorne" became ( and still is ) a popular Christian name over there.
They wintered in Britain in 1881-2; Louise's health had been poor since a tobogganning accident the year before. John left office in 1883 after completing his book, Memories of Canada and Scotland . His hopes of further imperial appointments were thwarted by Victoria's desire to have her daughter close. In 1892 he was appointed Governor and Constable of Windsor Castle.
John's father had not joined the Liberal Unionists in 1886 , preferring to oppose Home Rule independently. John did join and accepted nomination as their candidate at Bradford Central in 1892 where he failed to unseat George Shaw-Lefevre . Manchester South in 1895 and won the seat. He resigned it on becoming Duke of Argyll in 1900. His wife is supposed to have favoured Home Rule. He declined the governor-generalship of Australia in 1900 preferring to stay on his Scottish estates and write. In 1901 he began writing a sympathetic biography of Victoria which sold quite well when published.
His health was poor after 1910 and he died from pneumonia in 1914 aged 68.
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