(James) Ian Stewart Macpherson, 1st Baron Strathcarron (14 May 1880 – 14 August 1937), known as Sir Ian Macpherson, 1st Baronet, between 1933 and 1936, was a Scottish lawyer and Liberal politician. In 1931 he joined the breakway Liberal National Party.

Background and education

Macpherson was the son of James Macpherson, JP, of Inverness, and Anne, daughter of James Stewart. Lord Drumalbyn, George Macpherson and Sir Tommy Macpherson were his nephews. He was educated at the University of Edinburgh and was called to the Bar, Middle Temple, in 1906.

Political career

Macpherson sat as Member of Parliament for Ross and Cromarty from 1911 to 1935. In 1916 he was appointed Under-Secretary of State for War, a post he held until 1918, and then served as Deputy Secretary of State for War and Vice-President of the Army Council between 1918 and 1919, as Chief Secretary for Ireland between 1919 and 1920 and as Minister of Pensions between 1920 and 1922. He was admitted to the British Privy Council in 1918 and to the Irish Privy Council in 1919 and made a King's Counsel in 1919. He was created a Baronet, of Banchor in the County of Inverness, in 1933 and raised to the peerage as Baron Strathcarron, of Banchor in the County of Inverness, in 1936.

Family

Lord Strathcarron married Jill, daughter of Sir George Rhodes, 1st Baronet, in 1915. They had one son and two daughters. He died in London in August 1937, aged 57, and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium. He was succeeded in his titles by his son, David. Lady Strathcarron remarried in 1938, to Hedley Ernest Le Bas, son of Hedley Le Bas, and died in August 1956.

Arms