John Lindow Calderwood

John Lindow Calderwood CBE (22 January 1888 – 7 February 1960) was an English solicitor, a British Army officer, and an independent politician in Wiltshire, in the west of England. He was chairman of Wiltshire County Council from 1949 until his death in 1960.

Early life Calderwood was born at 57, Main Street, Egremont, Cumberland, on 22 January 1888, the son of Dr George Calderwood, a surgeon of Beech House, Egremont, by his marriage to Mary Eleanor Lindow. He was educated at St Bees School and later at Caius College, Cambridge, where he matriculated on 1 October 1906.

The name Lindow came to him from his mother, one of the Lindow family of Ingwell and Whitehaven, who had mining and other interests in Egremont. His cousin Jonas Lindow JP was county councillor for Egremont North, while his father was Medical Officer to Cumberland County Council.

Career Calderwood was admitted a solicitor in November 1912 and joined the law firm of Townsend, Wood & Calderwood, of Cricklade Street, Swindon, Wiltshire. In 1919, he relinquished his commission.

He returned to Swindon as a partner in Townsend, Wood & Calderwood, and during the 1920s he sometimes served as a liquidator. In 1929, his partnership with John Crewe Wood was dissolved and Calderwood thereafter carried on the firm of Townsend, Wood & Calderwood as a sole partner.

From the 1930s until his death Calderwood lived at The Hermitage, High Street, Swindon. In 1933, he enlarged the house. In 1935, he donated to the Borough of Swindon a chain of office for the mayoress.

Elected to Wiltshire County Council, he served as chairman of its Standing Orders Committee from 1947 to 1960, as chairman of its Selection Committee from 1946 to 1960, and as chairman of the Council from 1949 until his death in 1960. He was also appointed an alderman.

Honours In 1957, Calderwood was appointed a Commander of the civil division of the Order of the British Empire.