John Archibald Sinclair,3rd Viscount Thurso (born 10 September 1953),known also as John Thurso,is a Scottish businessman,Liberal Democrat politician and hereditary peer who is notable for having served in the House of Lords both before and after a period in the House of Commons.
Born to the Sinclair family,Lord Thurso was educated at Eton College before entering management roles in the tourism and hospitality industry. He first joined Parliament in the House of Lords as a hereditary peer in 1995 and served until 1999,when he was among the majority of hereditary peers who were removed from Parliament following the House of Lords Act 1999.
Thurso was born as John Archibald Sinclair to the high-profile Sinclair family and was educated in the Scottish town of Thurso and then at Eton College. He joined the Savoy Group as a management trainee in 1972,and worked for many years in the tourism and hospitality industry. He was a manager at the Lancaster Hotel in Paris (1981–1985) and founded the hotel at Cliveden (1985–1992) before becoming CEO of Granfel Holdings,owners of East Sussex National Golf Course (1992–1995). From 1995 until his election to Parliament in 2001,he was CEO of the Champneys Group. During his time in this job he featured in the TV documentary Trouble at the Top –Shape up with Lord Thurso.
Initial period in the House of Lords
Following his father's death in 1995,he took his seat in the House of Lords as the 3rd Viscount Thurso,where he became spokesman on tourism and later on food matters. Thurso spoke many times in the House of Lords in favour of Lords reform. His automatic right as a hereditary peer to sit in the House of Lords was abolished in 1999,and he did not attempt to remain in that capacity.[1]
Thurso holds the presidencies of The Tourism Society[9] and the Academy of Food and Wine Service.[10] He is a fellow of the Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality (HCIMA) (FIH) and served as its Patron for six years,until June 2003. He was President of the British International Spa Association.[11] On 7 March 2016,it was announced that Lord Thurso would become the chair of VisitScotland.[12]
Personal life
Thurso comes from a family of Liberal parliamentarians. The former constituency of Caithness and Sutherland had been held by his grandfather,Archibald Sinclair,from 1922 until 1945. Archibald Sinclair was the 1st Viscount Thurso and a Liberal Party leader. Thurso is married to Marion and they have a daughter and two sons. The family live at Thurso,Caithness.
A Star of six points waved Argent rising from a Cloud Proper
Escutcheon
Quarterly:1st,Azure a Ship at anchor her Oars erect in saltire within the Royal Tressure Or;2nd and 3rd,Or a Lion rampant Gules;4th,Azure a Ship under sail Or;over all dividing the quarters a Cross engrailed quarterly Argent and Sable all within a Bordure quartered Or and Gules the Last charged with three Stars of the First
Supporters
On either side a Red Deer Proper
Motto
Above the Crest:Ad Astra Virtus (Virtue knows no bounds);below the Arms:J'Aime Le Meilleur (I love the best)
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