John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (1875-1940) was a British statesman and writer, today mostly remembered for his fine adventure stories.
Buchan was educated at the University of Glasgow and Oxford, and began to write and publish stories from his college days. He later qualified as a lawyer and went to South Africa to work there in a government (colonial) job. He later served in many countries as a representative of the British government and was later made Governor-General of Canada. In 1935 the British government honoured him by making him a lord. He died in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1940.
Some of his famous adventure thrillers include Prester John (1910), The Thirty Nine Steps (1915) and Greenmantle (1916). He also wrote some fine historical biographies like Montrose (1928) and Sir Walter Scott (1932).
Honours
Appointments
1 January 1932 11 February 1940: Companion of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) 23 May 1935 11 February 1940: Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG) 2 November 1935 11 February 1940: Chief Scout for Canada 2 November 1935 11 February 1940: Honorary Member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club 28 May 1937 11 February 1940: Member of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (PC) 15 June 1939 11 February 1940: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) : Honorary Fellow of Oxford University
Medals
1935: King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
1937: King George VI Coronation Medal
Awards
1897: Stanhope essay prize
1898: Newdigate Prize
1928: James Tait Black Memorial Prize
4 December 1940: Silver Wolf Award (posthumous)
Foreign honours
15 December 1918 11 February 1940: Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy
Non-national honours
1937 11 February 1940: Master of the Order of Good Cheer
Honorary military appointments
2 November 1935 11 February 1940: Colonel of the Governor General's Horse Guards
2 November 1935 11 February 1940: Colonel of the Governor General's Foot Guards
2 November 1935 11 February 1940: Colonel of the Canadian Grenadier Guards
Honorary degrees
20 June 1934: University of Oxford, Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) 1936: University of Toronto, Doctor of Laws (LLD) 1936: University of Toronto, Doctor of Divinity (DD) 1937: Harvard University, Doctor of Laws (LLD) 1937: Yale University, Doctor of Laws (LLD) : McGill University, Doctor of Laws (LLD) : Université de Montréal, Doctor of Laws (LLD) : University of Glasgow, Doctor of Laws (LLD) : University of St. Andrews, Doctor of Laws (LLD)