John Train (politician)
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Sir John Train JP DL (8 May 1873 – 18 March 1942) was a Scottish politician who was a Unionist Party MP for Glasgow Cathcart.[1] He was first elected in 1929, and held the seat until his death in 1942. He was knighted in the 1936 New Year Honours for political services.[2][3][4][5]
Train was born in Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire. He was a master builder by profession, following in his father's footsteps, establishing a business at the turn of the 20th century in Rutherglen – also living in the area for most of his life – along with his brother-in-law William Taylor (originally from County Down).[5] Their John Train & Taylor company was involved in construction projects in Glasgow including the Alhambra Theatre,[4] a prominent office block at Bell Street/High Street, the reconstruction of the McLellan Galleries, the Meadowside Granary and Dalmarnock Power Station (located directly on the River Clyde, a matter of a few hundred yards from their offices), as well as the Argyll Motor Works in Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire.[5]
In 1923 the partnership ended, with Train continuing as John Train & Co., Ltd[6] (with his sons James and John later joining the business); their contracts included work on the Kelvin Hall,[4] the India Tyre Works,[7] Jordanhill School, the conversion of Lennox Castle to a hospital and additions to the Templeton's Carpet Factory.[5] Investments were made in stone quarrying on the nearby hills and housebuilding,[3] including a development of bungalows and quartered villas on land the family owned near their home in Burnside.
Some of this land was donated for the construction of the Burnside lawn bowls club (established 1909) – local greens still compete for the 'John Train Cup' – and the adjacent parish church[8] (although the main building for this, relocated from its original site in Pollokshields, was not completed until after his death. The family changed their residence from 'Evadale' in Burnside[9][10] to the late-18th century Cathkin House mansion on the Cathkin Braes south of Rutherglen around 1918, and it remained with them until gifted to be converted into Scotland's first National Children's Home in 1955.[3]