Researching James Carmichael

Carmichael was born in Glasgow, the son of George Carmichael, one of the founding members of the Independent Labour Party, and Jane McCann Carmichael. educated at the Scottish Labour College and worked as a constructional engineer, insurance agent and secretary. For fourteen years, he acted as organising secretary for the Scottish Independent Labour Party (ILP). He served on Glasgow Town Council 1939–46.

He was elected for Glasgow Bridgeton at a by-election in 1946, following the death of James Maxton, leader of the ILP. He was the ILP candidate, and he narrowly beat the Labour Party candidate to win the by-election. However this by-election was the ILP's "swan song"; he and the two other ILP MPs defected to the Labour Party at various times in 1947 and it ceased to be a serious electoral force after this.

Carmichael retired as an MP in 1961. The by-election to replace him was won by Labour, but it was one of the first elections where the Scottish National Party (SNP) won a significant vote, heralding further advances in the 1960s.

His son was Neil Carmichael, who was also a Glasgow Labour MP for several years, and was later created a life peer as Lord Carmichael of Kelvingrove. His son-in-law was Labour MP Hugh Brown.

Carmichael died at a hospital in Dumfries, aged 72.

He was born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, in 1819, the son of James Carmichael, the town's founder, and attended Pictou Academy. He began work in his father's shipping and retail business and became owner during the 1850s. He built ships and also transported goods by ship. He was also involved in coal mining, the timber trade, a tannery and an iron foundry. Although he originally built wooden sailing ships, he later built steamers and pioneered the use and building of iron and steel ships in Nova Scotia. Carmichael was also a lieutenant-colonel in the local militia. He was elected to the House of Commons in 1867 as an opponent of Confederation, but joined the Liberals in 1869. He was reelected in 1874 and was named to the Senate in 1898, resigning shortly before his death in New Glasgow in 1903.

Carmichael was the son of an Indian civil servant. He was educated at Clifton College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1887. He was promoted Captain in 1898, Major in 1906, and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in 1919.

From 1889 to 1900 he served abroad, successively in India, Aden, Somaliland and Burma. From 1900 to 1904 he served in the office of the Inspector-General of Fortifications at the War Office in London and with the Ordnance Survey. In 1904 he retired from the Army and was appointed Head of the Engineering and Works Department of the Crown Agents for the Colonies.

During the First World War he rejoined the Army and served on the Armaments Output Committee at the War Office, and later as personal assistant for metals to the director of materials at the Ministry of Munitions and then as assistant director of munitions supply and on the High Speed Steel Committee.

After the war he returned to his post at the Crown Agents, later being promoted to Chief Engineer. In 1921 he was appointed one of the Crown Agents, retiring in 1932.

Carmichael was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1918 and Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1920 New Year Honours, and was knighted in the 1929 New Year Honours. He was also a claimant to the Earldom of Hyndford.