Sir Norman Lamont, 2nd Baronet

Sir James Lamont was variously a professional soldier, serving as an ensign in the 91st Argyllshire Highlanders, an Arctic yachtsman, making and recording details of voyages to Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya and a Member of Parliament.

[9] He continued to take an interest in the constituency[3] and in 1905 he got another chance to fight the seat when the sitting MP, Andrew Graham Murray, who was Secretary of State for Scotland resigned on being appointed Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session.

[10][failed verification] At the resulting by-election, Lamont gained the seat for the Liberals by a majority of 34 votes.

[9] From 1906–1908 Lamont served as unpaid Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Prime Minister, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman.

In another tightly fought contest the Conservative, Harry Hope, gained the seat by a majority of 159 votes.

[14] Lamont decided not to stand in the next general election which was expected to follow quickly and which eventually came in December 1910.

[17] Taking over the Trinidad plantations in 1907, he abandoned the uneconomic cultivation of sugar, and branched out into other crops, which enabled him to retain the family property while others were changing hands at a loss.

One source has maintained that Lamont was an intellectual founder of the College, suggesting such an institution be established as early as 1902 and developing this theme in later writings.

[2] Lamont died at his home, Palmiste, San Fernando on the island of Trinidad on 3 September 1949 at the age of 79.