THE Hon. Colonel of the late Lanarkshire Volunteer artillery is a son of Captain Peter Grant, and was born at Irvine in 1840. He was educated at Irvine Academy, and carries on the business of a manufacturer in Glasgow. He joined the volunteer service on its inception in 1859, and among the conspicuous events with which he has been associated are the opening of Loch Katrine Water-Works, when he was one of Queen Victoria's bodyguard, and the two great Volunteer Reviews in Edinburgh. In 1889 he took command of the Lanarkshire Volunteer Artillery. The corps was then placed in possession of two batteries of field guns. Glasgow, however, was far from works of defence at which proper instruction could be secured, and Colonel Grant urged upon the War Office the conversion of Garrison Company, as it was then called, into a series of field batteries. Ten years later he had his request granted, with permission to increase the establishment from 1,300 to 1,609. It was latterly the largest Volunteer Artillery corps in the United Kingdom, and consisted of ten batteries armed with forty light guns.
    Colonel Grant's long experience and unrivalled knowledge of the Volunteer movement proved of the utmost service to Mr. Haldane, who persuaded the Army Council to allow Colonel Grant an extension of command until 31st March, 1908, so that he might render further assistance in the development of Field Artillery under the new Territorial Army Scheme. Colonel Grant, however, felt compelled to decline the honour for reasons regarded as satisfactory by the military authorities.
    Colonel Grant has travelled in South Africa and the West Indies, and finds his recreation in shooting and fishing. He has two daughters and two sons, the latter of whom are captains in their father's regiment. In 1908 he was made a Deputy-Lieutenant of the County of the City of Glasgow.

Back to Index of Glasgow Men (1909)