View source for Arthur Laing

[[File:A L Laing Provost.png|right|250px|thumb|A. L. Laing as Provost of the [[Lerwick Town Council]].<br>Image kindly supplied by the Shetland Islands Council]]

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'''Arthur Laurenson Laing''' (b. 22 May [[1858]], [[Gulberwick]], d. 19 February [[1942]], [[Lerwick]]) was a pharmacist and founder of A. L. Laing, a chemist which still exists in Shetland. He was a [[County Councillor]] for [[Lerwick South (Constituency)|Lerwick South]] between [[1901]] and [[1910]], while also serving as a [[Lerwick Town Council]]lor from [[1888]] to [[1913]], spending the last 3 years as Provost.

Laing first began his career as a pharmacist in February 1873. Upon completing his apprenticeship he moved to Edinburgh and became a junior assistant in George Street, late moving to Greenwich, Sandwich and London. He moved to Hove as a dispensing chemist, and from there he moved to Buxton then Edinburgh and Berwickshire. When in [[1886]] 101 Commercial Street became vacant, Laing sold up his business in Berwickshire and moved up, opening on 6 March of that same year. He opened another shop in Commercial Street in [[1905]], following the success of his business. In the Council, he was a Baillie and held this position from 1904 until he became provost in 1910. He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1910. He also was enthusiastic in the Volunteers, joining the 1st Zetland Rifle Volunteer Corps. When the 7th Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders formed in 1901, he was one of the first to join and hold the rank of Sergeant in this unit, and when this later became the Shetland Companies Gordon Highlanders, Laing held the position of Lieutenant.

As a young man he joined the Independent Order of Rechabites and was the secretary for St Columba's Tent in Lerwick, and performed the same role in the Zetland District. He was a Church of Scotland member and was appointed an elder in 1902 for St. Columba's Church.

==Political Career==
===Lerwick Town Council===
*[[Lerwick Town Council Election November 1888]]
*[[Lerwick Town Council Election November 1891]]
*[[Lerwick Town Council Election November 1894]]
*[[Lerwick Town Council Election November 1897]]
*[[Lerwick Town Council Election November 1900]]
*[[Lerwick Town Council Election November 1903]]
*[[Lerwick Town Council Election November 1906]]
*[[Lerwick Town Council Election November 1909]]

===Zetland County Council===
*[[County Council Election December 1901|1901 County Council election]]
*[[County Council Election December 1904|1904 County Council election]]
*[[County Council Election December 1907|1907 County Council election]]
==External Links==
*[http://www.bayanne.info/Shetland/getperson.php?personID=I29884&tree=ID1 Bayanne genealogy page]

{{Provosts|Preceded by<br>'''[[Arthur Porteous]]'''<br>[[File:Arthur Porteous Headshot.png|40px]]|'''Provost<br>for [[Lerwick Town Council]]'''<br>1910-1913|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Robert Stout (i)|Robert Stout]]'''<br>[[File:Robert Stout Headshot.png|40px]]}}{{Template:LTCProvosts}}

{{CountyCouncillors|Preceded by<br>'''[[James Goudie]]'''<br>[[File:James M Goudie Headshot.png|40px]]|'''Member for<br>[[Lerwick South (Constituency)|Lerwick South]]'''<br>1901-1910|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Stout]]'''}}{{Template:LerwickSouthZCC}}

[[Category:Lerwick Town Council Provosts]]
[[Category:Lerwick Town Councillors]]
[[Category:Zetland County Councillors]]
[[Category: 1858 Births]]
[[Category: 1942 Deaths]]
[[Category: Councillors pictured]]