Biography.guide
Home › People › Police officer › John Henry Orr
Portrait of John Henry Orr

John Henry Orr

1918 – 1995

British Chief Constable

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About John Henry Orr

Lived 1918 – 1995 (aged 77). John Henry Orr was a police officer and rugby union player.

Sir John Henry Orr (13 June 1918 – 26 September 1995) was a Scottish police officer and was the first Chief Constable of the Lothian and Borders Police. He was also a former Scotland international rugby union player.

Police career

Orr became a clerk with the then Edinburgh City Police. After becoming a full police constable, he rose through the ranks and became Chief Constable of the former Lothians and Peebles Constabulary. Following a merger of three police forces on 16 May 1975, John Orr became the first Chief Constable of the newly created Lothian and Borders Police, serving in the post until 1983.

Provincial career

He played in the 1946 inter-city match for Edinburgh District.

International career

He played for Scotland twice in 1947.

Administrative career

He became the 89th President of the Scottish Rugby Union. He served the standard one year from 1975 to 1976.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Education
George Heriot's School
Awards
Officer of the Order of the British Empire; Knight Bachelor
Also known as
Sir John Henry Orr

People in John Henry Orr's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Henry Orr's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Henry Orr?

British Chief Constable (1918-1995)

When was John Henry Orr born?

John Henry Orr was born on 13 June 1918 in Edinburgh.

When did John Henry Orr die?

John Henry Orr died on 26 September 1995 in Edinburgh.

What was John Henry Orr's occupation?

John Henry Orr was a police officer and rugby union player.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Henry Orr

· Wikidata: Q6238902

· DBpedia: John Orr (police officer, born 1918)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Henry Orr. https://biography.guide/john-henry-orr/

MLA: "John Henry Orr." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-henry-orr/.

Chicago: "John Henry Orr." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-henry-orr/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:04 UTC