The Lord Tweedsmuir | |
|---|---|
 Buchan in 1935 | |
| 15th Governor General of Canada | |
| In office 2 November 1935 – 11 February 1940 | |
| Monarchs | |
| Prime Minister | William Lyon Mackenzie King |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Bessborough |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Athlone |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Buchan 26 August 1875 Perth, Scotland |
| Died | 11 February 1940 (aged 64) Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Political party | Scottish Unionist |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4, including John, William and Alastair |
| Relatives | O. Douglas (sister) |
| Alma mater | |
| Profession | Author |
| Signature |  |
| Website | John Buchan Society |
| Writing career | |
| Genre | Adventure fiction |
| Notable works | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1901–02 1916–19 |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Unit | Colonial Office Intelligence Corps |
| Battles / wars | |
John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir GCMG GCVO CH PC DL (/ˈbʌxən/; 26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation.
As a youth, Buchan began writing poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, publishing his first novel in 1895 and ultimately writing over a hundred books of which the best known is The Thirty-Nine Steps. After attending Glasgow and Oxford universities, he practised as a barrister. In 1901, he served as a private secretary to Lord Milner in southern Africa towards the end of the Boer War. He returned to England in 1903, continued as a barrister and journalist. He left the Bar when he joined Thomas Nelson and Sons publishers in 1907. During the First World War, he was, among other activities, Director of Information in 1917 and later Head of Intelligence at the newly-formed Ministry of Information. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1927.
In 1935, King George V, on the advice of Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett, appointed Buchan to succeed the Earl of Bessborough as Governor General of Canada and two months later raised him to the peerage as 1st Baron Tweedsmuir. He occupied the post until his death in 1940. Buchan promoted Canadian unity and helped strengthen the sovereignty of Canada constitutionally and culturally. He received a state funeral in Canada before his ashes were returned to the United Kingdom.