Patrick Wolrige-Gordon

Born: 10 August, 1935, at Esslemont, Aberdeenshire

Died: 22 May, 2002, at Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, aged 66

THE achievements of Patrick Wolrige-Gordon as hard-working constituency MP and champion of the fishing industry were overshadowed by his involvement in Moral Re-Armament, a connection which ultimately led to his defeat at the polls.

When elected Conservative MP for East Aberdeenshire in 1958, Wolrige-Gordon, third son of a noted north-east of Scotland family, seemed to have the world at his feet - youngest MP in the House, successor to the charismatic Bob Boothby, and the prediction of a clan chief that he would one day occupy 10 Downing Street. But his brush with MRA proved politically fatal.

MRA swept to the fore in the late Fifties under the leadership of the evangelist Frank Buchman. From its beginnings, the movement proved assiduous at hooking people with background and successfully using their names in half-page advertisements in the best broadsheets.

When in 1962 the dashing young Patrick married the beautiful Anne Howard, the event proved not only one of Scotland’s weddings of the year, but brought the young MP into direct contact with MRA, for Anne’s father, Peter, was one of Buchman’s leading disciples. The gradual involvement of the MP in MRA alienated him from his political elders, and caused serious damage to his party’s cause. While the news caused reverberations throughout the UK, it left both East Aberdeenshire Conservative and Unionist Constituency Association and the Wolrige-Gordon family split down the middle.

The anti-MRA troops came under the soldierly command of the constituency chairman, Major David Gordon of Haddo (later Marquis of Aberdeen). He spared no effort in fighting what he regarded as an enemy. But the war opened on a second front when the Scottish Daily Express, then a power in the land, emerged as a supporter of MRA, thanks to the personal inclinations of the proprietor, Lord Beaverbrook. The Express dispatched Charles Graham, the paper’s outstanding political correspondent, to take on the association. Haddo’s redoubtable wife, June, emerged in a memorable passage by Graham as "this gaunt Lady Macbeth stalking the corridors of Haddo House".

Wolrige-Gordon was an essentially genuine man who moved easily between the rich farmlands of Buchan and the close-knit fisher communities, someone genuinely liked in his constituency. But he proved unused to faction fighting. Even his father took a different view from that of his son. The MP’s position became immeasurably weakened, and in the Scottish National Party landslide of February 1974 he lost out to Douglas Henderson. The area has proved unsafe for the Conservatives ever since.

Patrick Wolrige-Gordon was the third son - the younger of twins - of Captain Robert Wolrige-Gordon of Esslemont, MC. The family had settled the lands around the castle of Esslemont since 1728 and its motto is Strong And Firm. All three boys made their marks in very different ways, with the eldest son, Robert, taking on the lands of Esslemont; next son, John, inheriting the chiefship of Clan MacLeod, and Patrick becoming the successor to the fabled Bob (later Baron) Boothby. John’s position came through the boys’ mother, Joan, being the daughter of Hubert Walter and Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod. Given the lack of a male heir, John in 1951 was recognised by the Lord Lyon as legitimate heir, and on the death of Dame Flora in 1976 became 29th chief.

Educated at Eton, Wolrige-Gordon served in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders before going to New College, Oxford. He was elected as Conservative MP for East Aberdeenshire at a by-election in November 1958, becoming at 23 the youngest member of the Commons. Dame Flora was well pleased with events, prophesying in a mixture of grandmotherly pride and Highland insight that young Patrick would one day become prime minister.

In the general election the following year, he increased his majority by more than 1,500, and healthily retained his seat when the SNP created a four-cornered contest. He became parliamentary private secretary to Edward Du Cann when the latter was economic secretary to the Treasury.

After his defeat in 1974, Wolrige-Gordon concentrated on farming at the family home in Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, contributing regularly to local newspaper columns on countryside topics.

His death from cancer robs his family of a gentle man dedicated to those close to him. Possessed of a sound sense of humour, he was an accomplished singer and musician, playing drums, bagpipes, clarinet and piano. He enjoyed reading and golf, and took pride in being a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights.

He is survived by Anne, his wife of nearly 40 years; their son, Patrick, and daughters, Cally and Louisa; and grandsons, Robert, George and Charles (born on the day he died).

He will be buried tomorrow in Foveran Cemetery, not far from his Aberdeenshire home.