John Stroyan (politician)
John Stroyan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1856 |
| Died | 5 December 1941 (aged 84–85) Lanrick Castle, Doune |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, politician |
| Spouse | Edith Dean |
| Children | John Robert Stroyan (b 1890) Ronald Strathearn Stroyan (b 1890) |
| Parent | John Stroyan |
John Stroyan (1856 – 5 December 1941)[1] was a Scottish industrialist and businessman. He was a Liberal Unionist Member of Parliament (MP) for West Perthshire from 1900 to 1906.
Biography
Stroyan was born in 1856, the eldest son of John Stroyan of Kirkchrist,[2] a Galloway gentleman-farmer.[3]
In South Africa, he became a merchant and was due to return to Scotland aged 32 having made a small fortune when he heard of the discovery of gold in the Rand. Staying on, he became associated with Cecil Rhodes and Barney Barnato and amassed a vast fortune.[3] He was "known to be a lecher and a financial swindler, attracting investments to useless mining propositions".[4]
After returning from Africa, he was selected to succeed Sir Donald Currie as candidate for West Perthshire at the 1900 general election. A report at the time described him thus: "Mr. John Stroyan is a sturdy, stalwart, rubicund Scotsman of about forty-five years of age. For about twenty years he was a merchant in South Africa, and was interested with the late Mr. Barnato in many of his most successful enterprises. He is a very rich man, but modest withal, and now that he has retired from business, he intends to devote himself to parliamentary life and the recreations of a country gentleman. He is an ardent sportsman, a good man after the hounds, a more than average shot, an expert fisherman, and no mean golf player. He has yet to make his mark as a public speaker but he has very decided opinions, and no lack of langauage wherewith to express them.[5]
He won the election, after which he was consulted by Joseph Chamberlain on reconstruction measures after the Boer War.[3] At the following general election, in 1906 he lost the seat to David Charles Erskine in a Liberal landslide.[4]
He died,aged 85, on 5 December 1941, at his home, Lanrick Castle, in Doune,[1] previously the property of the Liberal MP, Sir Robert Jardine.[6] He left an estate of over £200,000.[7]
Family
Stroyan married Edith Dean in 1889. They had twos sons, John Robert Stroyan (b 1890) and Ronald Strathearn Stroyan (b 1890).[8] His granddaughter was Sheila Stroyan, a well-known golfer,[3] who with her father, John Robert Stroyan, won the inaugural "Family Foursomes" contest over the Old Course at Burhill Gof Course.[9] She was British girls' champion,[10] and held the Dutch title for two years before competing in the US women's championships at Noroton, Connecticut, in 1939[11]
References
- ^ a b "DEATH OF FORMER PERTHSHIRE M.P.", Dundee Evening Telegraph, 6 December 1941
- ^ Walter H. Wills, "John Stroyan" in The Anglo-African Who's Who and Biographical Sketchbook, 1907
- ^ a b c d "LONDON TOPICS - VIRILE PIONEER", Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4432, 5 September 1939, page 4
- ^ a b John M. MacKenzie, Nigel R. Dalziel, The Scots in South Africa: Ethnicity, identity, gender and race, 1772-1914, p243, Manchester University Press, 2007, ISBN 9780719076084
- ^ Mainly About People, p 483, May 27, 1899, vol 50 no.2
- ^ Groome, Francis H. (ed) (1885). "Lanrick Castle". Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. Thomas C. Jack.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^ "FORMER PERTHSHIRE M.P.'S ESTATE", Dundee Courier, 29 April 1942
- "RECENT WILLS", Liverpool Daily Post, 30 May 1942 - ^ John Stroyan at www.mytrees.com
- ^ "Mother and son duo crowned champions of Burhill Golf Club's 75th Family Foursomes", Golf Today, 11 September 2012
- ^ "Record field of Women Golfers tee Off in national Tournament", Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Texas), 21 August 1939
- ^ "GIRL CHALLENGER FOR U.S. GOLF TITLE", The Straits Times, 11 August 1939, Page 18