1090 Hugh Gilzean-Reid

Constituency : Aston  Manor  1885-6

Hugh  took  the  new  seat  of  Aston  Manor.

Hugh  was  descended  from  a  long  line  of  Highland  crofters. He  was  mainly  self-educated  and  did  some  theological  study  in  preparation  for  a  Baptist  ministry. Instead  he  became  a  journalist. In   1869  he  founded  the  North-Eastern  Daily  Gazette. He  later  became  editor  of  the  Edinburgh  Weekly  News. He  was  the  first  president  of  the  Institute  of  Journalists.  His  wife  Ann  was  a  founder  member  and  president  of  the  Women's  Liberal  Association.

Hugh  was  defeated  by  the  Conservatives  in  1886.

Hugh  was  knighted  in  1893. He  spent  much  of  his  later  years  in  Belgium  and  became  involved  in  promoting  missionary  work  in  the  Congo. He  received  honours  from  the  Belgian  crown. He  was  President  of  the  Society  of  Newspaper  Proprietors  and  Managers  in  1898-9.

In  1909  he  was  injured  in  an  early   car  crash  and  died  two  years  later  aged  75.