Robert Laurie

Robert Peter Laurie, (24 October 1835 – 29 July 1905) was a British Conservative Party politician. Laurie was educated at Tonbridge School and entered the banking business.

Volunteer service When an invasion scare in 1859 led to the rise of the Volunteer movement, Laurie joined the ranks of Queen Victoria's Rifles. One of the leaders of the movement was the journalist Alfred Bate Richards, who personally raised a 'Workmen's Brigade' in London. This unit was adopted as the 3rd City of London Rifle Volunteer Corps, and Laurie was one of the first officers commissioned, as a captain, dated 26 April 1861. He was promoted to major in 1864, and when Richards retired in 1867, Laurie succeeded him as lieutenant-colonel commandant

Parliamentary career Laurie was elected as one of the two Members of Parliament (MPs) for the parliamentary borough of Canterbury at a by-election in May 1879, following the resignation from the House of Commons of the Conservative MP Lewis Majendie. Laurie was re-elected at the 1880 general election, but the election was subsequently declared void and parliamentary representation from Canterbury was suspended until 1885.

However, when Bath's Conservative MP Robert Blaine retired at the 1886 general election, Laurie was elected in his place, and held the seat until he stood down at the 1892 general election.

Later life Laurie was Master of the Worshipful Company of Saddlers in 1887.