Sam Galbraith

For the Liberal MP from Durham, see Samuel Galbraith.

Sam Galbraith
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden
In office 6 May 1999 – 20 March 2001
Preceded by	New Parliament
Succeeded by	Brian Fitzpatrick
Member of the UK Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden
In office 11 June 1987 – 7 June 2001
Preceded by	Michael Hirst
Succeeded by	John Lyons
Personal details
Born	18 October 1945 Clitheroe, Lancashire
Died	18 August 2014 (aged 68)
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour

Samuel Laird Galbraith (18 October 1945 - 18 August 2014) was a Scottish Labour Party politician who had previously been a neurosurgeon of international repute. He was a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Scottish Parliament.

Political career

At the 1987 general election, he was returned as Member of Parliament for the Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency, and held the seat until standing down at the 2001 general election. He was a Scottish Office Minister between 1997 and 1999.

Galbraith served as Minister for Children and Education in the Scottish Executive under Donald Dewar from 1999 to 2000 and then as Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture. On 20 March 2001 he announced his resignation from ministerial office and his parliamentary seats for health reasons.

Personal life

Galbraith was born in Clitheroe, Lancashire. He attended Greenock High School and then Glasgow University, where he received honours in medicine. Galbraith was a respected neurosurgeon, whose skills saved many lives at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital. He was married, the father of three daughters. In prior years he was an avid mountaineer who had climbed all the Munros and also climbed in the Alps and Himalayas.

Galbraith received a lung transplant in 1990, at Freeman's Hospital Newcastle (where he continued to receive treatment), due to fibrosing alveolitis (the same condition which took the life of a sister).

From 2006 he was chairman of the Scottish Maritime Museum with facilities at Irvine, North Ayrshire and Dumbarton.

He died in August 2014.

References

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Michael Hirst	Member of Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden 1987–2001	Succeeded by John Lyons
Scottish Parliament
Preceded by (new post)	Member of the Scottish Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden 1999–2001	Succeeded by Brian Fitzpatrick
Preceded by Office created	Minister for the Environment, Sport and Culture 2000–2001	Succeeded by Office abolished
Preceded by Office created	Minister for Children and Education 1999–2000	Succeeded by Jack McConnell