Joe Westwood

By Lindsay Saunders, Cara Turner and Amy Thomson of St Andrews High School, Kirkcaldy

The Rt. Hon. Joseph Westwood was Born in 1884, he was educated at Buckhaven Higher Grade School. Subsequently, he was employed as an apprentice draper, a messenger boy and a miner. Between the years of 1916 and 1918 he first became involved in politics by becoming Industrial Organiser for Fife miners, and then from 1918 to 1929 he held the position of political organiser for Scottish miners. He also played a leading roll on Kirkcaldy Burgh Council at this time.

He was elected to Parliament representing Peebles and Southern Midlothian – a constituency that he held for nine years, from November 1922 until October 1931. Joe was elected for Stirling and Falkirk in 1935, serving that constituency until his death in 1948. Whilst in Parliament, Joseph Westwood worked closely with the Secretary of State for Scotland.

From June 1929 he served as Private Secretary to William Adamson MP a Fife miner and the then Secretary of state. He then twice served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland from March to August 1931 and then again from May 1940 to May 1945.in these War years under Tom Johnston MP In 1943 he was appointed as Privy Counsellor (earning him the title “the Right Honorable”). During July of 1945 he was appointed as the Secretary of State for Scotland, a position he held until October 1947. Tragically, Joseph died in a car crash in 1948.