Henry Wilson, Baron Wilson of Langside

Who was Henry Wilson, Baron Wilson of Langside?

Henry Stephen Wilson, Baron Wilson of Langside PC QC was a Scottish lawyer, Labour politician and life peer.

The son of James Wilson, solicitor, Glasgow, and Margaret Young, he was educated at the High School of Glasgow and Glasgow University. He joined the Army in 1939 and served with the Highland Light Infantry and Royal Armoured Corps during World War II. He was called to the Scottish Bar in 1946 and served as an Advocate Depute from 1948-51 and as Sheriff-substitute at Greenock from 1955-56 and in Glasgow from 1956-65. He took silk in 1965.

He was unsuccessful Labour candidate for Dumfriesshire in 1950 and 1955 and for Edinburgh West in 1951. He remained a Labour supporter for many years until the advent of the SDP.

He was Solicitor General for Scotland from 1965-67 and Lord Advocate from 1967-70. He was Director of the Scottish Courts Administration from 1971-74 and Sheriff Principal of Glasgow and Strathkelvin, 1975-77.

He joined the Social Democratic Party from 1981-92 and sat in the House of Lords as a cross-bencher.

He was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1967 and created a life peer as Baron Wilson of Langside, of Broughton in the County and City of Edinburgh, in 1969.