He was born in
Castle Douglas,
Kirkcudbrightshire,
Scotland. He was the son of Andrew Nairne and his wife Isabella H. Macartney, daughter of Robert Macartney of Auchencairn and
Dundrinnan (Dundrennan House), sister of
Halliday Macartney. Nairne joined the Bank of England as a cashier in 1893. In the 1901 Census his occupation is indicated as Deputy Chief Cashier of the Bank of England. He was
Chief Cashier of the Bank of England 1902-1918. He was made a
Baronet,
Nairne of Kirkcudbright, on 7 August 1917. In 1918 he was made an Officer of the
Légion d'honneur by the
President of the French Republic. In 1920 he was awarded the
Order of the Sacred Treasure (second class), by the
Emperor of Japan. From 1925–1939 he was one of the members of the
Commission of Lieutenancy for the
City of London. He was a Director of the Bank of England from 1925 to 1931, and Governor of the
British Broadcasting Corporation from 1927-1932. Nairne died on 9 February 1945 in
Tring Hertfordshire. ==Family==