Education
After school, he was apprenticed to a merchant in Dunbar.
After school, he was apprenticed to a merchant in Dunbar.
Born in Renton, Dunbartonshire, Duncan McLaren was the youngest of ten children of John McLaren and Catherine McLellan. Apart from two years of schooling, he was self-taught. In 1824, he set up his own business as a draper in Edinburgh.
He became treasurer in 1837 and found that the royal burgh’s finances were in ruin and that the Scottish capital was bankrupt.
His work extricated Edinburgh from financial ruin. In 1835, he pioneered free education for all classes and started a building programme of thirteen schools.
He was elected Lord Provost of Edinburgh in 1851. McLaren was a Liberal and supported the anti–Corn Law campaign of John Bright, the opening of the Meadows to the public, and the establishment of the Industrial Museum (now the National Museum of Scotland).
McLaren was also a governor of the Heriot Free School trust.
At Westminster he proved a conscientious and intelligent representative, and acquired a position of so much authority on questions related to Scotland that he was called "Member for Scotland". He is buried (together with most of his family) in Street Cuthbert"s Churchyard in the heart of Edinburgh. His huge monument lies against the east wall of the first south extension to the graveyard, immediately below Edinburgh Castle.
McLaren married three times.
All three wives are buried with him. A full length portrait of McLaren by George Reid Republic of South Africa hangs in the Old Council Chamber (now called the Diamond Jubilee Room) within Edinburgh City Chambers.
19th United Kingdom Parliament. 20th United Kingdom Parliament. 21st United Kingdom Parliament.
22nd United Kingdom Parliament]
He served as a member of the burgh council of Edinburgh, then as Lord Provost, then as a Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for the Edinburgh constituency.
He became a member of the town council in 1833. In 1865 he was elected one of Edinburgh’s two Members of Parliament, a position he held until he retired 16 years later.
He was the father of Charles McLaren, 1st Baron Aberconway, John McLaren, Lord McLaren, Walter Stowe Bright McLaren (all three being Members of Parliament), Helen Priscilla McLaren (wife of Andrea Rabagliati) and Agnes McLaren.