Francis Norie-Miller

In 1936, he was created a Baronet with the title of Norie-Miller of Cleeve in the New Year's Honours List for political and public service in the County of Perth[1] and for his local philanthropy.

[2] Norie-Miller was born at Cheshunt in Hertfordshire,[3] the son of Henry Miller, the Chief Statistical Officer for HM Customs and his wife Anne Norrie.

[6] Norie-Miller's first wife died in 1931 and three years later he married his secretary Florence Jean Belfrage McKim, of Scone in Perthshire.

He played a crucial role in developing its business base in the United Kingdom and later was central in the company's expansion overseas, most notably in the USA.

[17] In a straight fight with the Labour candidate the former MP Adam McKinley, Norie-Miller won the by-election on 16 April 1935 by a majority of 9,532.

Whether Norie-Miller simply did not take to political life, or found it clashed too greatly with his business responsibilities or if he just felt he was too old at 76 to give Parliament its proper attention, he decided not to contest the 1935 general election in November that year.

Shortly before the election, a Captain Harry Houldsworth, looked set to contest the seat as a National Conservative but suddenly withdrew claiming he had misunderstood the local position and in the belief that Norie-Miller wished to continue.

On 26 October, Norie-Miller did withdraw from the electoral race, citing medical reasons and the confusion of the position but the Unionists did not re-select Captain Houldsworth as their man, turning instead to Thomas Hunter, who was described in The Times newspaper as the Lord Provost of Perth and who could also rely on Liberal support.