| Administrative History | Victor Alexander Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin and 13th Earl of Kincardine (1849-1917), Chancellor of the University from 1914-1917. He was born at Monklands (Government House), near Montreal (his father then being governor-in-chief of British North America) and educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond and Eton College. He graduated in 1873 from Balliol College, Oxford, with a second-class degree in literae humaniores. Elgin accepted the chairmanship of the Scottish Liberal Association in 1881 and was appointed in 1886 to the Liberal government as treasurer of the household and subsequently as first commissioner of works. He was Viceroy of India from 1894-1899, a post held by his father from 1862-63, and his period in office was characterised by a number of difficult challenges, not least of which was the terrible famine which hit India in 1896. He was also Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1905-08 and his parliamentary under-secretary at this time was Winston Churchill. Elgin coordinated the introduction of responsible self-government for the Transvaal (1906) and Orange River Colony (1907). |