Donald Dewar was born in Glasgow on 21 August 1937. He attended Glasgow Academy and went on to Glasgow University where he studied law and was president of the union between 1961 and 1962. He entered the House of Commons in 1966 as the Labour MP for Aberdeen South but lost the marginal seat in 1970 and practiced law until he won the Glasgow Garscadden by-election in 1978. Between 1984 and 1997, while Labour were in opposition, he served as member of the "shadow" cabinet.
When Labour came to power in May 1999, he was appointed as Secretary of State for Scotland. In that role he was instrumental in pushing through, first the "Yes" vote in the referendum to set up a devolved parliament in Scotland and then the Scotland Act, the legislation that put that vote into effect.
In a coalition government, with the Scottish Liberal Democrats as the junior partners, he became the first "First Minister". With customary deprecation, he disowned the title of "Father of Devolution". Tragically, after recovering from a heart operation in May 2000, he had a heavy fall on the steps of his official residence in Edinburgh and died of a massive brain haemorrhage on 11 October, 2000.
It was appropriate that a statue should be erected in his memory in the centre of his native city, close by the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
See also Famous Scots - Donald Dewar for more information and illustrations.
Doulton Fountain
