1245 Alexander Cross

Constituency : Glasgow  Camlachie  1892-1910  ( Liberal  Unionist  until  1909 )

Alexander  scored  a  gain   against  the  trend   for  the  Liberal  Unionists  in  rather  fortunate circumstances. The  incumbent  Liberal,  Hugh  Watt  had  been  disowned  by  the  Liberals  after becoming  enmeshed  in  scandal  but  stood  as  an  independent. The  former  Liberal  Robert Cuninghame -Graham  also  chose  this  seat  to  seek  re-election  for  his  Scottish  Labour  Party and  it  was  probably  their  intervention  that  allowed  Alexander  to  top  the  poll.

Alexander  was  a  senior  partner  in  a  fertiliser  manufacturing  firm. He  was  a  member  of  the  Navy  League.

Alexander  retained  his  seat  easily  in  1895  and  more  so  in  1900  when  his  only  opponent  was  a  Scottish  Workers  candidate  that  the  Liberals  only  endorsed  at  the  last  minute. A  strong  vote  for  the  I.L.P  candidate  in  1906  helped  him  survive.

In  1909  Alexander  went  over  to  the  main  party.

In  January  1910  the  strong  showing  of  a  Labour  candidate   now  worked  against  Alexander  who  lost  to  a  Liberal  Unionist. Labour  said  that  adopting  Alexander  had  abrogated  Liberal  claims  to  the  seat.

Alexander  was  created  a  baronet  in  1912.

He  died  in  1914  aged  66.