John William Crombie

Crombie was elected Liberal MP for Kincardineshire at the 1892 general election. At this election Crombie faced a Liberal Unionist opponent, J Stephen.[3] Crombie held the seat for the Liberals with a majority of 1,068 votes.

The Unionists had improved their organisation in the constituency by the time of the 1895 general election and Crombie faced a sterner test, this time opposed by the Honourable Charles S Forbes Trefusis. It was reported that Trefusis was popular in the county as a local landowner [4] but Crombie held on with a majority of 583.[5]

In 1900 Crombie faced a new Conservative opponent, Mr J Mowat the Provost of Stonehaven.[6] However, in an election which saw the Unionists confirmed in power, Crombie's constituency was one where the Liberal performance was said to be one of the strongest in Scotland [7] and he won with a majority of 1,556.[5]

In 1906 he again faced a new Conservative opponent, S J Gammell. In the Liberal landslide election year Crombie had his most comfortable majority ever, 2,353 votes.[5]

Crombie served as Private Secretary to James Bryce, when he was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1892–94) and President of the Board of Trade (1894–95). Crombie was also Deputy Lieutenant for Aberdeenshire.[1] In 1896 Crombie was appointed to be a member of a Board of Agriculture Departmental committee to report into the working of laws relating to dogs.[8] The committee reported in early 1897. They made important recommendations on measures to be adopted to prevent and control rabies. They also called for a tougher stance by local authorities, now to be aided by the police, to ensure effective dog licensing, which had been largely evaded by dog owners to that point and more powers to enable muzzling for safety, cut down sheep-worrying and to prevent disease.[9] He was later appointed to a committee to inquire into the probable economic effect of a limit to the eight hours to the working day of coal miners.[10]

Usually described as a Radical or Gladstonian, Crombie was an orthodox free-trader, as his letter to the editor of The Times newspaper of 6 October 1903 demonstrated. In the letter he attacked the proposals of Prime Minister Arthur Balfour with specific examples drawn from his experience as a woollen manufacturer and from other industries. He warned of the dangers of retaliatory action by foreign governments leading to higher and higher tariffs on all sides.[11] Another source describes Crombie and "an Advanced Liberal" in favour of Irish Home Rule.[12] Crombie was also a member of the Parliamentary Temperance Group, a classical concern of Victorian and Edwardian Liberals.[13] In 1901,[14] he sponsored a Bill to prevent the sale of intoxicating liquor to children under 16 years. The Bill became law later that year, although the age of the children affected was reduced to 14 years.[15]