Sir Alexander Grant, 1st Baronet

Sir Alexander Grant, 1st Baronet (1 October 1864 – 21 May 1937) was a Scottish businessman, biscuit manufacturer and philanthropist. He was managing director of McVitie and Price Ltd., developed the recipe of the McVitie's digestive biscuit, and gave an endowment of £200,000 to help establish the National Library of Scotland. In 1892 Grant developed the original recipe for the famous McVitie's digestive biscuit - the recipe remains a secret to this day.

When the company expanded the business to Merchant Street and then on Robertson Avenue, as the St Andrew Biscuit Works factory, Grant was made foreman of the cake department. When that factory burned down in 1894, Grant was sent to Malton in Yorkshire to organise and carry on production at a temporary factory while the premises in Edinburgh were being rebuilt. On returning to Edinburgh later that year, Grant was made manager of the new operation.

In 1902 the business expanded further and Grant oversaw the building of a new factory in Harlesden in north London.

He made many donations for developments in his home town of Forres including gifting four windows for the baptistry of Forres Parish Church, designed by Scottish stained glass window artist Douglas Strachan, a new motorised fire engine, and the town's park, Grant Park, named in his honour. He made an interest free loan of £26,000 to the town of Nairn for the town's harbour scheme, and a £5,000 gift for the reconstruction of the public baths. He also made contributions towards developments in Lossiemouth, in particular in support of Lossiemouth golf course.

He supported the University of Edinburgh and gave £50,000 to help clear debts incurred as a result of building development. He gave two gifts of £25,000 to support the building of the University's geology department at Drummond Street.

He was a lifelong friend of Ramsay MacDonald, the first Labour Party Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. MacDonald, without a private income and traveling by public transport to and from Downing Street, was given a Daimler car by Grant, and a number of McVitie's shares valued at £40,000 to pay for the upkeep of the car. These gifts caused interest in the media and parliament with suggestions that Grant received his baronetcy in return for his gifts. and in the same year received an honorary LL.D. degree from the University of Edinburgh. In 1923 Grant was given the freedom of the city of Edinburgh. On 27 August 1932 he was made a freeman of Forres, and his friend Ramsay MacDonald attended the ceremony. He was made a freeman of Nairn in 1932.

After receiving his baronetcy, Grant purchased the Logie Estate near Dunphail, on the River Findhorn. He renovated the estate, adding further buildings.

Grant was a keen golfer and played regularly on Nairn Links. Grant was a member of the committee that built and opened London's first public golf courses in Richmond Park, which were opened in 1923 and 1925.

After attending the coronation of George VI and Queen Elizabeth on 12 May 1937 Grant fell ill with a chill which developed in to pneumonia. He was attended to by Lord Horder, physician to the King. He died at home at 15 Hermitage Drive in Edinburgh on 21 May 1937. On his death Lord Macmillan said of Grant "He liked to live simply himself, but he liked to give magnificently". He is buried in Forres. His estate was calculated at £1,039,976.