Robert Laidlaw

Robert Alexander Crookston Laidlaw CBE (8 September 1885 – 12 March 1971) was a New Zealand business man who founded the Farmers Trading Company, one of the largest department store chains in New Zealand. He was also a Christian writer and philanthropist and a well-known lay preacher in the Open Brethren movement.

Biography

Laidlaw was born in Scotland, but his parents emigrated to Dunedin, New Zealand when he was a young boy. He later studied at Otago Boys' High School. In Auckland he founded Laidlaw Leeds, a Sears-type mail order catalogue for rural customers. This later merged with older The Farmers Union Trading Company to become what is now Farmers Trading Company Ltd, the last remaining nationwide chain of department stores in the country.

One of Laidlaw's best-known quotes is about the practice of tithing:

He wrote the short book 'The Reason Why', which has over 50 million copies in print.

In 2008, the Bible College of New Zealand renamed itself Laidlaw College in recognition of his role as one of the College's founders, and because of "his significant influence in both society and church".

Robert Laidlaw (politician)

Sir Robert Laidlaw (15 January 1856 – 3 November 1915) was a British Liberal Party politician.

Background

He was born in Bonchester Bridge, Roxburghshire, the son of William Laidlaw and Agnes Purdom. He was educated at Kirkton and Denholm Parish Schools. He married in 1879, Mrs Mary Eliza Francis (née Collins). They had three daughters.

Career

He was an export merchant. He was Chairman of Whiteaway, Laidlaw, and Co., Ltd, and Dusun Durian Rubber Estate, Ltd. In January 1906, standing for the first time, he was elected Liberal MP for Renfrewshire East, at the General Election, gaining the seat from the Conservatives.

In 1909 he was knighted and appointed British Commissioner to the International Opium Commission in Shanghai. He was defeated at the General Election of January 1910 and did not seek election again.

Election results

References

Sources

External links