M. E. Grant Duff

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

M. E. Grant Duff

Sir Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff, GCSI, CIE (1829-1906), known as M. E. Grant Duff before 1887 and as Sir Mountstuart Grant Duff thereafter, was a Scottish politician, statesman, and author.

[edit] Early life

M. E. Grant Duff was born February 21, 1829, the son of James Grant Duff, a well known Indian official and British Resident at Satara, Maharashtra. He studied at Balliol College, Oxford, where he graduated in 1850. He was called to the bar at Inner Temple, London in 1854.^[1] During these years he experienced problems with his vision, and for the rest of his life he relied on the sight of others.

[edit] Political career

Elected as Liberal Member of Parliament for Elgin Burghs from 1857-81, he became an authority on questions of foreign policy, and held office as Under-Secretary of State for India from 1868-74 and Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1880. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1880.

He served as Governor of Madras, India, from May 11, 1881 until August 12, 1886. He was awarded the CIE in 1881 and GCSI in 1887.

[edit] Arts and Sciences

On his return to England in 1887, M. E. Grant Duff devoted himself to the arts and sciences. He was Lord Rector of University of Aberdeen from 1866-72, president of the Royal Geographical Society from 1889 to 1892, and president of the Royal Historical Society from 1892 to 1899. He was treasurer of the exclusive social club known simply as The Club from 1893. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1881, and was appointed a trustee of the British Museum in 1903.

M. E. Grant Duff died January 12, 1906.

[edit] Works

[edit] References