Cunninghame-Graham, Robert Bontine (1852–1936)

Scottish writer, politician, and adventurer. He wrote many travel books based on his experiences in Texas and Argentina 1869–83 and in Spain and Morocco 1893–98. He became the first president of the Scottish Labour Party in 1888 and the first president of the Scottish National Party in 1928.

Cunninghame-Graham was born in London and educated at Harrow, but before he was 17 he set off to tour South America, and became a rancher. In 1884 he inherited the family estate of Ardoch in Dumbartonshire, settled there, and entered politics. From 1886 to 1892 he was member of Parliament for Northeast Lanarkshire, and with Keir Hardie organized the Scottish Labour Party. In 1887 he was imprisoned as a ringleader in riots in Trafalgar Square, London. He died in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

His travel books include Mogreb-el-Acksa (1898), about Morocco, El Rio de la Plata (1914), and Cartagena and the Banks of the Sinu (1921). A Vanished Arcadia (1901) is a history of Paraguay. He also wrote some biographies, but is best known for his essays, sketches, and short stories such as ‘Success’ (1902), ‘Faith’ (1909), ‘Hope’ (1910), and ‘Charity’ (1912). Collections include Thirteen Stories (1900) and Scottish Stories (1914).